Ramblings of a First Time Novelist

A little while ago, I thought to myself, wouldn't it be great if I wrote a blog about writing in the third person? I wanted to write about the step-by-step process of writing in the third person— specifically third person omniscient. Later, when I went to research the topic, I realized exactly how vast the subject of writing in third-person is. This blog post I was going to write became a miniseries. So, before I make the first post, here are three basic terms. Third-person: the perspective that uses he, she, and they, but never I, us, or we. There can be one main character, but nobody refers to themselves as "I." Third-person, multiple: third person, but with multiple characters/perspectives being taken into account. Third-person, limited: one main character's perspective. (Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, The Giver by Lois Lowry, 1984 by George Orwell). We'll go over third-person omniscient and third-person alternating later on in the series. And

Hey everyone! This week I thought we'd talk about common writing misconceptions, so here we go! 1. Writing is Easy So many people think this. It's mind-blowing. In actuality, writing requires a lot of hard work and commitment. Quality writing isn't something you can accomplish in an hour. And yet, countless individuals believe that writing is a piece of cake. Far too many people sit down to write expecting to work miracles in a short, painless amount of time. The truth is, even professionals will agonize over their work, so a little discomfort is normal. 2. Always Show, Never Tell Don't get me wrong, the show-don't-tell rule applies in certain situations. But overly descriptive paragraphs can slow down a fight scene— the last thing you want in an otherwise fast-paced situation. Show when you want the reader to notice the details. Tell when you want the reader to notice the action. 3. Wait For Inspiration We all love that idea that hits

No matter what you're writing, you'll experience doubt at one point or another. Whether it's on the first page, halfway through the book, starting the second draft, during publishing, or marketing the published work, doubt will come.  I'm writing this blog because I've been experiencing a lot of doubt myself recently.  These are my five favorite tips on overcoming doubt.  1.  Walk Away Take a break. Exercise, do some chores, run an errand, get something out of the way. Walking away from the computer screen can help clear your mind and improve your mood. Get your mindful minutes in for the day by doing yoga or meditating.  2. Don't Give Up Easier said than done, I know. But if you give up now, your novel will never be finished.  You might think that your book is awful. That you should find something else to do, or crawl under a rock and hide for a few years. When people say they like your writing, it's hard to tell

Hi, everyone! Last week, in lieu of a blog, I posted a poll on Facebook on what I should write about this week. The two options were my favorite writing resources and fantasy worldbuilding. You chose worldbuilding, so here we go! Think About the Time You've probably heard this before, but not every single fantasy story has to be set in medieval Europe. There are so many captivating things that happened in the past, and that's excluding the present and the future. Disney did a great job of this in their classic movies. While Snow White was estimated to take place from the 1500's to the 1550's, a very generic medieval setting, Cinderella took place from the 1850's to the 1880's, the Princess and the Frog took place in the 1920's, and Aladdin is estimated to have taken place around the time of the Achaemenid Empire (the Persian Empire). I could go on. Setting your story in present-day could be utterly fascinating, and this doesn't just apply t

Quick Disclaimer: most of the covers I posted are just aesthetically pleasing to me. Some I have read, some I haven't. I can't guarantee how good they are. Hi again! For week two of my blog, I thought I’d share the top _ things that make me pick up a book! 1. Cover People say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. In a perfect world, maybe nobody would. However, the entire reason this saying exists is that people do judge books by their covers, myself included. In past experiences, books with cheap, poorly designed covers were not well-written. In fact, they were boring, hard to follow, and often downright awful. Depending on the genre, different covers might be more or less appealing. Fantasy covers might have more details, for example, while dystopian might look better minimalist, while realistic fiction could use silhouettes, and chick lit has brighter palettes. But no matter the genre, a few things are of absolute importance. Font: It should be large an

Humans invented the written word five thousand, two hundred eighteen years ago, but stories have existed since long before then. The Brothers Grimm alone recorded more than two hundred folk tales in their lifetimes. With so many thousands of accounts, writing something unique is next to impossible. However, some plot devices have been used to the point of being hackneyed. And some minor plot devices have been treated as significant. Here, in no particular order, are the top three cliches that should not drive your plot.  1. Mountain Out of a Molehill You’re reaching the end of your chapter or book, and you need a cliffhanger. You need a way to guarantee your reader’s continued interest.     So you throw in some conflict between two of your characters. Sometimes they’re friends, but usually, they’re lovers.    This conflict is generally over something small.  The main character forgets to mention something trivial. The love interest finds out. There's screaming, and