As a writer, “worldbuilding” is a concept you are likely to cross paths with fairly often. There are innumerable articles and videos out there describing excellent ways to do it, and what things are the most important to consider while engaging in it. There are plenty of different methods, classifications, and other rabbit holes you can dive into regarding the …
A Gift Guide for Book Lovers
Hey There, Bookworms! Here’s a gift guide for book lovers that is sure to please any reader on your list. I’m CHRISTINA YOTHER. I am a self-published bestselling author, freelance writer, avid reader, and proud book sniffer. I am obsessed with bookish things. I joke that my home is decorated in ‘Early American Paperback’ because overflowing bookshelves line nearly every wall. Also, make …
The Art of Revising – A Step-by-Step Guide for Writers
“A writer’s life is a life of revisions.” – Jonathan Franzen Right now it’s a Saturday morning and the entire house is still sleeping. It’s grey and gloomy outside and we’re expecting a good bit of rain. I prefer days like this when it comes to working on writing and projects because I find the ‘gloom’ helps me concentrate. And, …
How Many Characters Should Your Novel Have?
How many characters should your novel have? When I read a book, I want to get to know the players in an intimate way, but a story with too many characters makes it impossible to connect. I don’t know where to place my focus, I can’t get to know the protagonist, antagonist, or supporting characters in the kind of depth …
When to Hire A Beta Reader
I’ve been at this beta reading racket for just over a year now, and one of the issues I continue to see is clients who rush through the editing process and get their book in my hands too early. Today I thought we’d take a look at the importance of knowing when to hire a beta reader. First things first, …
Nailing the Ideal Word Count for Your Genre
Let’s face it, hitting the magic word count for your novel is something that can be easy to lose track of when you’re in the throes of the process. I know this, because I’m guilty myself. I churned out my first draft, shelved it, then recently tackled revisions and I didn’t think about word count for one second, until I …
Grammar Is Sexy
I’m a reader first, a writer second, and an actor last. At no point will I ever claim to be an editor. This is why I’ve never gotten all that hung up on achieving perfect grammar in any of my drafts. There are lots of people who are very talented who I can pay to help. That said, I do …
Writing Characters Your Readers Will Love
Fiction writers everywhere, I cannot stress this enough – one of the most important elements of your work are your characters. They are the lifeblood of your story. They are the reason readers will want to keep turning pages. They are why I’ll sometimes cry when I reach the end of a book. Sure a great plot helps, as does …
How Writers Conquer To-Do Lists
I am an unfocused mess, and I feel dwarfed by the size of my to-do list. It’s towering over me and every time I try to take a stab at it, I fall down one rabbit hole or the other and I feel like my brain is all over the place. How do I make the most of my limited …
Why Do I Need A Beta Reader?
At some point in your writing life, you’ve probably asked yourself “Why do I need a beta reader?” We writers are a little bit precious when it comes to our work. We fuss and tweak and obsess over our writing, revising and adjusting the same chapters and paragraphs again and again until the words become a blur on the page.