How to Perfect the Opening Line of Your Novel

by Lewis / April 14, 2020 / Editing, Other

There are many hurdles that come with writing a novel.

From planning your ideas to actually getting them on the page, it’s no secret that becoming a published author requires you to overcome a lot. However, of everything novelists have to face, writing their story’s opening line is often the thing they obsess about the most.

Opening lines define our stories in so many ways, setting the stage for everything to come. Yet, they don’t have to be as confounding as they seem—all it takes is knowing the traits of a strong opening, and then applying those to your own novel!

The Second Draft: How to Survive Your First Round of Editing

by Lewis / April 7, 2020 / Editing

The second draft is when writers lose their bearings.

Sure, they just finished writing their first draft, but when it comes time to face the problems in that draft they simply don’t know where to start. Should they rewrite a weak character, tweak their finale, reorder their scenes, fix their prose—the list goes on and on.

Really, the problem here is one of scope. If you want to survive this first round of editing your novel, you can’t tackle everything all at once! Instead, you need something specific to focus on, and for your second draft that’s your novel’s structure.

Proofreading Your Novel: 8 Ways to Edit Your Final Draft

by Lewis / March 24, 2020 / Editing

We all want our novels to feel professional.

Whether you dream of writing stories full time or just want to finish your passion project, creating a professional quality novel is a big deal—especially if you’re a self-published author.

Though many of us don’t like it, readers will compare us to our traditionally published brethren, and not always in a good light. While perceptions are changing, there were many years when “self-published” meant “amateur” in the eyes of readers. But what’s the actual difference between traditional and self-published novels? Well, the answer has a lot to do with proofreading.

How to Create a Story Bible for Your Novel

by Lewis / March 10, 2020 / Editing, Outlining

Have you ever considered creating a story bible?

At first glance, this might sound like a religious reference, but in reality a story bible is just one more useful tool to help you write your novel. So, while this has little to do with real-world religions, it does have a tremendous amount to do with your worldbuilding.

You see, writing a novel requires you to keep track of a huge variety of information, including everything from names to physical appearances, languages, technologies, and yes, sometimes even fictional religions. With so much to worry about, how can you keep track of it all? Well, the answer is with a story bible!

Why Authors Should Always Keep Their Promises

by Lewis / February 25, 2020 / Other

Honesty is a quality revered in almost every society.

Not only does it let us function as friends and neighbors, but it acts as the foundation from which we build all of our relationships. In fact, while you might not think of it immediately, the relationship between authors and their readers is no different: honesty is king.

Why is it then that so many authors fail to keep their promises to their readers? Whether it’s foreshadowing that goes nowhere or plot threads that never come to fruition, it seems far too many authors don’t understand the critical importance of keeping their promises.