All Stories

If plotting feels like too heavy an investment, and pantsing often keeps you stuck, a good approach that can help you make progress on your book is loose outlining. A loose outline is like a plot, only that it doesn’t need to be particularly detailed or even complete; it can be a general idea of the main events or just the next part of the book you’re about to write. Having a plan (even a loosely defined one) is a great way of ensuring that you know where your story is going,

When it comes to writing, some writers rush to take a side—either planning their book to the last detail and following that plan to the letter, or letting the muse guide them, writing when inspiration strikes and figuring things out as they go along. But have you ever wondered if you could be a plotter and a pantser at the same time and combine both approaches? In the previous two posts, I’ve shared an overview of both the pantsing and plotting approaches to writing, discusse

One common question writers often ask each other (other than “why?”) is “Are you a plotter or a pantser?” If you’re drawn to pantsing, trying to figure out if it works for you, or keep getting stuck when you try it, this guide will help you understand what pantsing is and how to use it to write your book. In today’s post, we’ll look at: What is pantsing? Why write using this method? When pantsing doesn’t work? What to do about it? Let’s dive in. What is a Plotter or a Pantser

Can you recall the first time you were hit with the writing bug? For me, it was after discovering the fantasy genre. The limitless potential of a world much more mysterious than our own was so alluring, that I just had to try and create one of my own. But soon after attempting to write my first book, I realized that for some unexplainable reason, I just can’t seem to be able to. And I know I’m not alone in this. Many aspiring writers find that writing, despite our passion for

The writer’s path is full of obstacles—from deciding what to write about to actually finishing a manuscript. But one of the biggest challenges is one we create for ourselves: overthinking. For many writers, one of the main reasons they find it so hard to write a draft from beginning to end is that they keep getting themselves sidetracked by overthinking: What should the cover for this book look like? Is it YA or dark fantasy? How many goblins should ambush my protagonist in t

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck mid-writing—not sure how to develop an idea into a narrative, or not sure where to take your characters next—the problem isn’t with inspiration, but lack of analysis. We like to think of writing as a creative art, ruled by elusive powers such as the muse and inspiration. We wait for stories to unfold on their own and characters to mystically write themselves as they go through the plot. But if you’ve ever had a staring contest with a blank

Most aspiring writers struggle to finish writing a book, and it’s not only the discipline or the art of storytelling that’s standing in their way—but it’s also the fear of failure. For many beginner writers, the fear of criticism, of not being good enough, is the thing that takes them from “I have this great idea I want to write” to “It’s probably bad.” The paradox is, however, that becoming a good writer takes time and practice (as well as being open to criticism), and none