Pacing the Novel (A RavenCon 2022 panel)

Here are 8 tips from the pros on pacing your novel. Are there any tips you use that they missed?

The Key To Morgan’s Writing Progress: Confirmed!

Right now, it’s April, and that means, time for Camp NaNo. For those who are unfamiliar, NaNoWriMo or National Novel … More

The Nuts and Bolts of Chapters (A DisCon III Panel)

In December of 2021, I had the opportunity to attend DisConIII. Here are my other DisCon posts. The panelists for … More

When Plot Twists Go Bad (A DisConIII Panel)

In December of 2021, I had the opportunity to attend DisConIII. Here are my other DisCon posts. The panelists for … More

Lightbulb Moment: When Writing, Pacing Has Two Limits

When writing, most writers worry about their upper limits. But… did you know that some of us have lower limits as well, before a story goes off the tracks?

Make Endings Ring True – A Spoiler-Free Ode To Avengers: Endgame

Whether you’re writing a stand-alone novel, an 7 book/tv-season long show, or a 22 movies long franchise, you’ve got to get the ending right.

All the endings right.

Otherwise? Your readers or viewers will feel cheated.

One Method For Incorporating Feedback In Your Writing

If you’re a writer, at some point between you putting the words down and it going out to its intended audience, you’re probably going to solicit some feedback (and if you don’t, you probably should).

Be it from one or all of these:

an alpha reader
a flock of beta readers
a writing group
a critique partner
a paid editor
an agent
an acquiring Editor for a publishing house
or your mom

you’re likely going to receive some feedback other than, “I loved it! Don’t change a thing!” (Unless your mother is very different from mine)

But, when that feedback is more nebulous or overarching than typos and wording, it can be tricky to know where to start.

https://youtu.be/pmRmXKkqyPU

Here are the 6 steps I follow when receiving reader feedback

3 Techniques to Fix Your Pacing

There’s a writing skill that many novelists struggle with.

It’s something that read-a-chapter-a-month critique groups often miss.

Pacing.

We all know that you need to start off with an inciting incident — at least by the end of the first chapter. But after there, it can get a bit fuzzy.

3 Techniques To Help Your Pacing

5 Tips for Pacing Your Novel

You already know about the 3-Act Structure, you’ve experimented with beat sheets, and you’ve tried using script writing techniques to punch up the drama, but you’ve still got sections of your novel that lag.

Now what?