5 Ways to Title Your Newly Finished Novel

by Lewis / March 9, 2021 / Publishing

Your novel’s title will reveal a lot about your story.

From your story’s mood to its genre and even your style as an author, your novel’s title will play a critical role in shaping readers’ first impressions of your story. Because of this, choosing the right title for your novel is a key step to attracting new readers and succeeding as an author—as well as one of the trickier parts of self-publishing a novel.

Fortunately, no matter how nebulous this topic may seem, there are actually a few common tricks you can use to help you pick your novel’s title. From studying your genre to finding your competition, here are five ways to choose the perfect title for your novel!

4 Ways to Unlock Your Character’s Unique Voice

by Lewis / February 23, 2021 / Character Development

Characters play a huge role in shaping our stories.

As a result, most writers pay a lot of attention to their characters. From dreaming up their appearances to their favorite foods, character creation is both an important part of writing, and something of a hobby in and of itself. However, true character development goes far beyond this surface level—and this is where your character’s voice comes in.

Encompassing everything from their personality to their behavior, goals, actions, and thoughts, your character’s voice will define who they are in the eyes of your reader. So today, let’s dive into how you can shape this unique character voice, all while ensuring your characters feel like genuine people come to life on the page!

Turning Heroes into Monsters: How to Write a Foil Villain

by Lewis / February 16, 2021 / Character Development

“How can I write a better villain?”

If you’ve been writing for long, I imagine this question has come up at least once or twice along your writing journey. Villains are such important characters to master, not only because they define our plots, but because they shape our heroes too. While a passable villain won’t necessarily hurt your story, an excellent foil villain can elevate it to a whole new level—making them a key tool in your writing arsenal.

The question is, how do you create a villain that has a genuine impact on your protagonist’s adventure? Well, while there are many types of villains out there, some of the most memorable are those who mirror their heroes in interesting ways—and the trick to writing them is to create a foil villain!

4 Ways to Unlock Your Brainstorming Process

by Lewis / January 26, 2021 / Inspiration

Brainstorming is a very personal experience…

While some writers work best in isolation, others thrive on the energy of travel or people watching. Still others crave a friendly conversation or the feeling of awe they get from a beautiful painting. Yet, despite this fact, many writers force themselves to follow a predefined “brainstorming process”—and as a result, they struggle to find their inspiration.

Fortunately, there’s a better way. Rather than trying to follow some universal brainstorming system, you can discover and craft your own unique system by figuring out what sparks your creativity and inspires you to write. But, where do you start? Well, first you’ll need to find your brainstorming triggers.

How to Create a Personalized Writer’s Notebook

by Lewis / January 19, 2021 / Inspiration, Other

Looking for an easy way to organize your writing life?

If so, you’ve come to the right place! Whether you keep things minimal or create complex bujo-style layouts, a writer’s notebook is the perfect tool for everything from organizing your writing schedule to planning your novel, honing your craft, and much more.

Of course, creating your own writer’s notebook does come with some challenges. After all, it’s easy to get sucked into the hype and fill your notebook with things that don’t really benefit your writing. So today, let’s look at how to create a writer’s notebook that’s truly tailored to you—along with what you’ll actually need to make your new notebook work!