7 Ways To Set (Insanely Successful) Writing Goals

by Lewis / January 10, 2023 / Inspiration, Other

Good writing goals don’t always come easy…

We all set goals with the best of intentions. But if you’ve ever gotten caught up in the New Year’s resolution hype, you’ll know it’s just as easy for those goals to fall to the side. Writing goals are no different, meaning sticking to our goals can often be as difficult as writing itself.

Fortunately, there are ways to choose the right writing goals, ones that set you up for success rather than disappointment. So, let’s take a tour through all the ways you can set better writing goals—from the SMART goal framework to mercy days and more!

3 Ways Your Novel Could Change the World

by Lewis / December 13, 2022 / Inspiration, Other

It’s easy to feel powerless as a writer.

Though we may be in charge of the worlds inside our stories, that rarely translates to much control over the real world. And, with the real world seemingly unraveling by the day, that can make “being a writer” feel incredibly pointless.

However, I don’t want you to stop writing—because your novels have a lot more power than you think. Though it might not seem that way on the surface, your stories can change the world for the better, in three incredibly important ways.

5 Tips for When You’ve Fallen Behind During NaNoWriMo

by Lewis / November 22, 2022 / NaNoWriMo, Other

One of the worst parts of NaNoWriMo is falling behind.

We always start our drafts with the best of intentions. You’re going to write for an hour every day, or write a thousand words each week, or finish your novel by the end of November. However, life has a habit of getting in the way—and soon enough, you’ve fallen behind.

When this happens, it can feel impossible to catch up, and if you’re not careful, your novel will slowly fizzle out. But there is a way to keep making progress. So, let me share my five tips for catching up on your writing goals when life makes writing difficult.

5 Writing Sprints for Winning NaNoWriMo

by Lewis / November 8, 2022 / NaNoWriMo, Other

Procrastination is the death of many writing attempts…

…and this is especially true during National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo is all about writing your novel quickly in order to finish your first draft in only one month—but, with so many distractions, roadblocks, and pesky inner editors, it’s easy for your progress to stall.

Enter, writing sprints! With a few simple sprints, you can push past procrastination and write more efficiently, too. All you need is a basic timer, a sheet of paper, and a few minutes to spare. So, let me introduce you to five handy writing sprints!

How to Write an Awesome Ensemble Cast

by Lewis / September 6, 2022 / Character Development

“Why pick just one?”

This is a question I often hear from writers when I ask them to pick their protagonist. Usually, they’ve created a huge cast of characters they adore, with no single “hero” standing above the rest. In a situation like this, it’s no surprise they wonder—why not write an ensemble cast?

Of course, a successful ensemble cast requires a lot of care, and not every cast warrants this label (even if they look like an ensemble on the surface). So, in this article, let’s explore what an ensemble cast really is—as well as six steps for writing an ensemble of your own!