Has the desire to write a novel been lurking in your subconscious for years, but you’re not sure how or where it will go? Writing is an art form that can be both incredibly exciting and satisfying, yet also daunting at times. After all, there are many aspects involved with getting from start-to finish – writing characters’ stories; crafting dialogue so natural sounding they seem like someone else talking (or typing) right next door, and then finally Marketing yourself. But no worries: Serious Writer here with 4 Tips for Getting Your Novel Started:
Write Regularly
Most people think that writing a novel is easy, but it actually takes quite some time and effort to get everything down on paper. You have to figure out what your story’s about as well as how you’re going to tell them – there’s no magic bullet here! The key to writing is consistency. So, how much time should you set aside for regular writing? This varies from person to person, but in general, it’s best if possible to try and get at least an hour or two every day. It could be as simple as waking up early (a famous method) before your kids wake up; grabbing that extra bit of alone-time during naptime when they’re sleeping soundly next door—or even just setting down pen gently onto paper anytime between 11 pm Friday night until Sunday morning around 2 am.
Expect Mistakes
Plenty of people start their first draft with great enthusiasm, but once they read through it again to make sure that everything makes sense and is well-written – these writers find themselves deleting a lot of the previous work. Don’t beat yourself up though Even the most talented writers struggle with their first draft. If you find yourself constantly editing your work, then it’s time to take a break and come back later when you’re more relaxed! You can always go through what has been written again before continuing on in order to make sure there are no errors or missteps that will be lost forever because they were missed during the initial execution.
Write It Down
It’s important to write down any ideas that pop into your head when you’re brainstorming. This way, they can turn into something more tangible and interesting! What kind of person do want in an adventure? What are their goals/plans post-adventure?? How does this affect those around them?? These types thoughts should all make their way onto paper so there is no wondering where things might go next–you already know because these parts were written down earlier!!
Relax
Writing a novel can be intimidating, but it’s never too late to try! When you feel like your creativity is stuck and the words won’t flow onto paper (or screen), take some time for free-writing. Set yourself five minutes or ten – no matter how much space was given in this article about what techniques help writers move through their novels more quickly–and just write everything that comes into mind without stopping at all; allow yourself an emotional release.
And for a fifth tip? How about checking out Serious Writers Academy. Serious Writers is a great way to learn how write and publish your first novel. With Serious Writer’s online courses, you can start on the right track with lessons that cover everything from plotting out scenes in advance all while building up momentum for when it comes time actually sit down at keyboard or pen-paper!
In case you missed you missed this week’s episode of the Serious Writer Podcast, here is a Cyle Young’s insight on Childrens Writing. As you read below and want to hear more on these topics and other topics, check out the Serious Writer Podcast (Available on Google Play, Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever podcasts are available).
There’s a common misconception that every story needs to have some sort of moral lesson, but this isn’t true. This traditional takeaway has been something writers struggle with in order for their work to be seen as “good” or worth reading. There are no concrete answers when it comes down to how they should endow these characters.
But of course, you have to. The character needs some kind of journey that they embark on and demonstrate change throughout it all.
But kids are allowed to read a story just for fun!
There’s this idea in our society today where if we write stories geared towards children then those books have morals or teaching lessons at their end. You don’t necessarily need such heavy-handedness when writing something meant for entertainment.
It’s no secret that kids are hungry for entertainment. They can’t be bored, and they want to stay engaged in something interesting all day long. As a result, books must now provide more than just informational text; instead, authors should strive towards creating immersive worlds where young readers become fully immersed up until the very end! You’re competing against video games/phones etc., so stories need “something different.”
As a children’s author, one of the most important things you can do to keep your audience engaged and interested in what they’re reading is by making every word matter.
Kids have limited attention spans so it’s vital that when writing for this age group; instead of flowing into long sentences or paragraphs with an extensive vocabulary. Use simple words which will be easier on their brains!
I think it’s no surprise we’re seeing so much popularity in middle grades with the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. These books are great for kids who need constant stimulation and don’t have the attention span to sustain long novels, but still want something more than just cartoons or comics.
Timestamps:
1:26 10 Tips for children’s writing 1:42 Moral Dilemma 2:58 Entertainment 4:45 Hangout with kids (Know Your audience) 10:39 Short and Sweet
The 2022 Marketing & Genre Intensive is filling fast, so don’t delay! You’ll experience personalized attention from our experts to get your questions answered and a wealth of knowledge on how you can grow your platform quickly into targeted readers. We’ll also help maximize time spent marketing with proven strategies for an upcoming book launch or relaunch–Sign up today before space runs out – there’s limited availability in these workshops and they fill fast.
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Your Registration Includes… A FULL day of marketing and platform training with literary agent Cyle Young, who has grown his platform to almost half-a-million in less than two years. Two bonus calls allow you to participate in a pre-conference video call with the other attendees and instructors to answer questions and help you prep. Lunches is on the house, as we deliver amazing meals and some of thebest homemade desserts you’ve ever tasted. An all the recordings are included in the price of registration…no hidden fees and no surprise up-sells!
Literary Agent Cyle Young has sold over 300 books for his clients in his career, is the author of Michigan Motivations, and has built his own platform to over half-a-million followers in less than two years, and
Bestselling author of Chasing Sunsets and Word Weavers Int’l Founder and President Eva Marie Everson is a renowned editor and coach, as well as the director of the Florida Christian Writers Conference.
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There are many tips and tricks that aspiring freelance writers need in order to build a rewarding career as authors. The following article contains Tips for Freelance Writers that are invaluable suggestions for anyone who wants exciting, successful future writing pieces all over the world!
What is a Freelancer in the writing world? Freelance writers are often employed to create content for a variety of clients, such as newspapers and magazines. They can also work with different types of topics—some freelance novelists sell their short stories in creative writing journals while others write copywriting material for companies like Coke Zero.
1. Don’t Quit Your Day Job
As we continue on about our Tips for Freelance Writers, one important tip is don’t go too big too fast, ease into the job by devoting 10% of your time. It may take some time before your first client and successful money as a writer for hire; however once that happens don’t forget about holding onto a day job if one exists! Once things are going smoothly with both personal projects or corporate gigs then consider shifting more time, making this career change full time instead of just supplementing other sources like income.
2. Blogging
Blogging is a great way to share your passions with the world. If you have any skill that interests or fascinates people, consider becoming an online blogger so they can see what it’s all about! You’ll learn new writing techniques in order to create interesting content and build up a clientele through search engine optimization (SEO).
3. Basic SEO skills
In today’s market, the need for content writing has skyrocketed. More and more companies are realizing the importance of content marketing. Content writers need to be able to write engaging blog posts that will keep readers coming back for seconds (and maybe even thirds). It’s also extremely helpful if these employees know a thing or two about SEO-they can optimize your site, so it ranks high in search engine results!
4. Improve time management skills
The ability to manage one’s time is a valuable skill in any profession, but it becomes even more crucial when you’re working on short assignments that require intense dedication. Learn how to set up daily routines for yourself where necessary tasks can take priority over other obligations so as not to miss deadlines or lose sleep doing boring work!
5. Seek Out Writing Jobs
As a freelance writer, you are solely responsible for finding new clients. Otherwise, there will be downtime between projects and no money coming in! One way of doing this is through networking with other writers who can help out when they’re booked up; offer them some work yourself if necessary (or just mention that yours needs an update). You should also keep looking around online job boards as well as reaching out by email introducing yourself firstly at whatever content director’s inbox happens into fall victim next time around.
6. Be Able to Market Yourself
When potential new clients reach out to you for freelance work, they’ll often want a sample of your previous writing in order to make an informed decision about hiring them. It’s also important that any testimonials from satisfied customers are easily accessible so these people can see what kind of person will be working on their project with integrity and care!
As a freelance writer, you’ll sometimes hit that perfect bullseye and other times miss your shot. Don’t take negative feedback personally; it’s part of the process that we all go through when writing for clients in order to match their brand identity with an appropriate tone/voice! Successful writers use these experiences as opportunities not only to improve themselves but also to offer better services moving forward so, please remember this about being successful—you have no choice but to accept any change made necessary by someone else unless they specifically request otherwise (and even then).
Freelance writers who want to make an impression on others can find these tips quite useful. If you are working alone, try writing prompts that will help get your ideas out there and keep readers engaged with what they read! Keep it simple while still making sure everything has meaning so people understand all aspects of the passage.
There are many types of characters in books, and authors can use them to create well-rounded casts. The fact that archetypes such as the Hero or Princess often appear multiple times throughout your story gives you structure while allowing for variation with each appearance, but here are 4 basic Archetypes every story needs
The Protagonist is central to your story. They drive the majority of the plot and provide an obvious manifestation of theme-based conflict in their internal journey as influenced by external events. The protagonist does not just react – they are active participants that take on different roles throughout various stages, sometimes even switching places with other characters or objects at certain points during reading. This gives them more depth than typical “good guy/bad girl” types we see often; you get insight into what makes this individual tick while also experiencing how it affects others around him/her.
The Antagonist
The Antagonist is a character in his own right or maybe an antagonistic force (e.g., weather). He directly opposes your Protagonist, who shares important similarities with him to highlight and advance areas of growth for the protagonist when they are under pressure The person playing this role must-have skills that allow them t show differences between good & bad behaviors so it’s easier on audiences members during times when we want our characters pushed past their limits.
Also known as the Mentor (think of Obi-Wan), this archetypical figure is a teacher or helper. They serve many purposes in the story and can be seen to alternately support or oppose ideas depending on how one aligns themselves with its moral standard at different points during their journey. The guardian protects the protagonist throughout the story while also giving advice when needed most.
The Contagonist
The Contagonist is a character that gets in the protagonist’s way, tries to lead him astray, and just causes tension. He’s different from an antagonist because he does not directly oppose your plot goal; rather it may be more indirect like trying his best (unwillingly) to hinder what you want for yourself or others.
