Writing and Editing Tips
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Have you given up on your dream?
I first sent this email in 2021, but it is still relevant to share today:
I almost walked away from my new book. Not forever—I would have come back to it, eventually—but we almost went on a looong break. Because things got hard.
Plot Structure Cheat Sheet: Find the Best Plot Structure For Your Novel
Have you ever spent hours and hours scouring the interwebs for the best plot structure?
(Psst, a plot structure is a formula for structuring a story. Think Save the Cat and the Hero’s Journey.)
This process often results in nothing but confusion and overwhelm.
How do you know whether to choose the Four Act Structure, Seven Point Structure, or Heroine’s Journey?
Grow Your Story Tree
You are the roots of your story.
Every piece of your novel comes from you, so you’ve got to embrace yourself, because you can only be as honest with the reader as you are with yourself.
The first thing I help writers do is discover the unique gifts, passions, and goals they bring to their writing.
What life events most influenced who you are?
Do you know this essential thing about your novel?
Your point is the message of your story, the emotional core.
It’s the tree trunk from which all other story elements grow—character, plot, tone, worldbuilding.
If defining your point feels restrictive or like you’re going to beat your reader over the head, you can think of it as your book statement, theme, concept, or story’s heart.