Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #novelwriting, aggregated by home.social.
Everything Is Your Problem: Writing Novels vs. Television
Author and screenwriter Amanda Mortlock discusses the differences between writing novels vs. writing television.
The post Everything Is Your Problem: Writing Novels vs. Television appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/everything-is-your-problem-writing-novels-vs-television
#Genre #ScreenwritingFilm #WriteBetterFiction #WritingTechniques #novelwriting
A Sense of Doubt blog post 4202 - For Now, I am Just Writing FOR ME - Writing Wednesday for 2608.19. https://sensedoubt.blogspot.com/2026/08/a-sense-of-doubt-blog-post-4202-for-now.html #WritingWednesday #WritingCommunity #NovelWriting #WritingForMe
OPINION: The ‘Golden Age’ of regional novels in post-war Britain
In my recent article, I discussed the current rise of interest in developing much more focus on regionalism…
#EuropeSays #Britain #Europe #EU #FestivalofBritain #novelwriting
https://www.europesays.com/britain/101674/
https://www.europesays.com/britain/101674/ OPINION: The ‘Golden Age’ of regional novels in post-war Britain #Britain #FestivalOfBritain #NovelWriting
https://www.europesays.com/uk/1143756/ OPINION: The ‘Golden Age’ of regional novels in post-war Britain #Britain #England #FestivalOfBritain #GreatBritain #NorthernIreland #NovelWriting #Scotland #UK #UnitedKingdom #Wales
Writing to Solve Personal Conundrums: Memoir or Novel?
Author Lorelei Brush explains how after a career of answering questions for others she's been confronted by one as a writer: Memoir or novel?
The post Writing to Solve Personal Conundrums: Memoir or Novel? appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-to-solve-personal-conundrums-memoir-or-novel
#BeInspired #TheWritersLife #WritingHabitsandPractices #MemoirWriting #novelwriting
Why You Keep Restarting Your Novel
Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Today, I’m examining that age-old writerly problem of starting over again and again. So, let’s jump in!
Why You Keep Restarting Your Novel
You sit down. You’re excited. This time it’s different. You open your draft, and you’re certain you know what you’redoing now.
You rewrite the opening. You tweak the voice. You change the POV. You feel that familiar rush — this is the version that’s finally going to work.
And then, a few chapters in, the energy drains away.
Something feels wrong.
So you go back to the beginning.
Again.
If this cycle seems familiar, you’re in good company because this is pretty much par for the course for the majority of us writers.
Restarting your novel over and over again is one of the most common struggles we face. And crucially, it’s rarely about laziness or lack of talent.
Let’s talk about what’s actually happening — and how to break the loop.
You’re Mistaking Discomfort for Failure
Writing a novel should feel uncomfortable at times. Once the initial excitement fades, you’re left with uncertainty, complexity, and unanswered questions — and that can feel like something has gone wrong.
So you start again, chasing that early-draft confidence again—back when you were sure you knew what you were doing.
But it’s vital to learn to recognise the difference between normal drafting discomfort and genuine structural problems. Most novels feel shaky in the middle (or even before), but that doesn’t mean they’re not going to work.
You’re Trying to Fix the Wrong Problem
Often, the opening isn’t the issue at all.
The real problem might be:
But those issues don’t reveal themselves until you’re well into the draft — so you keep tinkering with Chapter One instead.
Instead of stopping, try to push forward. Finish the draft. You can’t properly diagnose what’s wrong with a story until you see its full shape.
You’re Editing Instead of Drafting
Restarting can feel productive. You’re writing. You’re polishing. You’re improving sentences. You might even be working some new aspects of the story into the draft, which can create its own problems.
But really, it’s avoidance.
You can’t revise what doesn’t exist yet — and constantly restarting keeps you safely away from the harder work of discovery.
I say this a lot, and it’s because it really is true—and bears repeating: allow yourself to write a deliberately messy first draft, and remember, its job isn’t to be good — it’s to exist.
You Don’t Trust Yourself Yet
At some point, every writer hits the terrifying moment where the story asks a question you don’t yet know how to answer.
Restarting lets you dodge that moment.
Because if you go back to the beginning, you don’t have to make decisions about the plot, theme, or ending; you’re just reworking the stuff you’ve already written. The stuff you know.
What you need to do is sit with the uncertainty. Let the draft ask questions you can’t answer yet. Trust that clarity comes after all the exciting momentum, not before it.
You’re Searching for the ‘Perfect’ Version
We all want a perfect draft. There isn’t one.
Every novel is created through versions — flawed, contradictory, awkward ones included. Restarting again and again often means you’re trying to write a final draft first. But that’s not how novels are made. Writing is a process, and you can’t skip over any of it.
Think in stages. Draft the story, then diagnose any issues, then revise. Each stage has a different purpose. Mixing them causes paralysis.
How to Stop Restarting
If you find yourself stuck in the restart loop, try this:
After all, you’re not committing to this version forever; you’re just committing to finding out what the story actually is.
Overall, it’s important to keep in mind that restarting your novel doesn’t mean you’re failing as a writer. It’s actually a sign that you are a writer and that you care. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be trying hard to lead with perfection.
Keep up the good, hard work, writers, and, as always, thanks for stopping by!
Until next time,
George
© 2026 GLT
#FirstDraft #NovelWriting #plotting #Writer #writing #writingAdvice #WritingTips
Writing a Web of Lies
Author Afsheen Farhadi shares how fiction writers are often searching for the truth but sometimes write a web of lies to get there.
The post Writing a Web of Lies appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-a-web-of-lies
#WriteBetterFiction #WritingTechniques #fictionwriting #novelwriting
Writing a Web of Lies
Author Afsheen Farhadi shares how fiction writers are often searching for the truth but sometimes write a web of lies to get there.
The post Writing a Web of Lies appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-a-web-of-lies
#WriteBetterFiction #WritingTechniques #fictionwriting #novelwriting
The 15-Minute Manuscript: High-Output Writing for the Time-Crunched Writer
Author Susan Wiggs shares her high-output writing strategy for the time-crunched writer by focusing on 15-minute increments.
The post The 15-Minute Manuscript: High-Output Writing for the Time-Crunched Writer appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/the-15-minute-manuscript-high-output-writing-for-the-time-crunched-writer
#BeInspired #TheWritersLife #WritingHabitsandPractices #FinishingFirstDraft #novelwriting
On Writing Appalachian Folklore
Author Leah Weiss shares her experience and top tips for writing compelling Appalachian folklore.
The post On Writing Appalachian Folklore appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/on-writing-appalachian-folklore
#WriteBetterFiction #WritingTechniques #Folklore #novelwriting
Introduction to Asadel: the main character of A DAY WITH A DEAD MAN
"5:31 AM — An AI-generated glimpse into the quiet pull of obsession, where odd numbers on the alarm clock become more than just about time." The opening lines of A DAY WITH A DEAD MAN—“The clock struck 5:31 AM, a time Asadel chose with compulsive precision. Numbers gave him power, order”—immediately reveal the first clues about Asadel, the novel’s central character. Asadel’s Psychological Profile Asadel’s psychological profile shows a man caught between ritual and […]
1/3 Today I quickly realized no novel writing will be done. Everything still hurts after the recent Taekwondo training and the crazy changeable weather also doesn't help. Instead, I started to consider what things I can do to facilitate my novel writing tomorrow.
#Writing #NovelWriting #CreativeProcess #Productivity #AmWriting
I admire the calmness some novellist write with.
How they lure the reader into the story with patience and confidence. Like a friendly chatter without the worry fo lose attention.
I want to get there eventually.
#writing #amwriting #writerslife #novelwriting #witch #historicalfiction
How to Deal with 5 Common Writer Problems Stuck on your novel? Common writer problems like naming characters or “writer’s block” can be solved. #AmWriting #WriterProblems #WritingTips #AmWriting #WriterProblems #WritingTips #NovelWriting #FictionAdvice https://staceycarroll.org/beginning-author-info/how-to-deal-with-5-common-writer-problems
I Wrote a Novel About Women Who Refuse Marriage; It Changed My Life
Author Lindsay MacMillan shares how writing a novel about women refusing marriage actually changed her own life.
The post I Wrote a Novel About Women Who Refuse Marriage; It Changed My Life appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/i-wrote-a-novel-about-women-who-refuse-marriage-it-changed-my-life
#BeInspired #TheWritersLife #WritingHabitsandPractices #novelwriting #writerlife
https://medium.com/the-writers-reach/story-angles-that-change-everything-e946cbe22ac1
STORY CRAFT
Story Angles That Change Everything.
Seven Ways to Refresh Your Novel.
'How do I come up with unique story angles for my novel?'
#StoryAngles #novelwriting #WritingTips #writing #storytelling #medium
THE, “NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES TO WRITE MY STORY”, MENTALITY
In 2003, I was on a photography job, taking family portraits for a client at their home. After we finished, I chatted with the father, and the topic of my other creative work came up. I told him, “I’m thinking about writing a book.” He replied, word‑for‑word: “Hey man, why think about it. Go home and write the first three pages.” That is precisely what I accomplished when I got back home. After that, I spent three months completing the initial draft, and over the next […]
Author of "Rivals" Directs Writers to Curb "Macho Men" Tears
The Author platform, used by novelists and screenwriters, has new advice from the 'Rivals' author to limit how often 'macho men' cry in stories.
#WritingTips, #AuthorAdvice, #CharacterDevelopment, #Screenwriting, #NovelWriting
https://newsletter.tf/author-platform-reduce-macho-men-crying/
The Author platform is telling writers to show fewer tears from tough male characters. This is a new rule for story writing.
#WritingTips, #AuthorAdvice, #CharacterDevelopment, #Screenwriting, #NovelWriting
https://newsletter.tf/author-platform-reduce-macho-men-crying/
https://medium.com/the-writers-reach/how-do-i-come-up-with-unique-story-angles-3cd009cdfb8f
How Do I Come Up with Unique Story Angles?
They come from curiosity, experimentation, and a willingness to explore the edges of your imagination.
#writing #writingcommunity #storytelling #medium #novelwriting #writers
Question: Which is more important: getting the facts right or telling a good story? Answer: Yes. #WritingTip #novelwriting https://unitedghostwriters.co.uk/journeys-at-the-speed-of-plot/
Writing in first-person has a lot more to do with short night dresses and wine nights than I first anticipated!
#writing #amwriting #writingcommunity #witch #novelwriting #historicalfiction
https://mistresswitchwrites.com/2026/05/03/what-writing-in-first-person-means-to-me-and-my-witch/
https://medium.com/the-writers-reach/how-to-write-a-1st-person-present-tense-novel-f6a1e78cf8cb
A 1st person present‑tense novel lets us access the narrator’s mind. You decide what they notice, ignore, admit, and hide.
#writing #writingcommunity #1stperson #presenttense #medium #novelwriting #novels
https://medium.com/the-writers-reach/how-to-write-a-3rd-person-past-tense-novel-b7c00e978e23
Move through time, shift between characters, and build scenes. Stay close to a character’s thoughts or pull back to show the wider picture.
#writingcommunity #novelwriting #3rdperson #pasttense #writing #medium
4 Things I Do Before I Write the First Word of a Novel
Author Marybeth Mayhew Whalen shares the four things she does before writing the first word of a novel (that's worked 11 times so far).
The post 4 Things I Do Before I Write the First Word of a Novel appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/4-things-i-do-before-i-write-the-first-word-of-a-novel
#WriteBetterFiction #WritingTechniques #firstdrafts #novelwriting #writingtechniques
https://medium.com/the-writers-reach/give-every-scene-a-hook-b4ba17dad204
Writers talk about hooks as if they only belong at the start of a story.
Every scene needs its own small hook and inciting incident.
#writingtips #hooks #IncitingIncidents #writing #medium #novelwriting
Writing Books in the Age of AI
Author Laura Brooke Robson breaks down the turbulence of writing books in the age of AI and proposes the answer may be to write weirder.
The post Writing Books in the Age of AI appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-books-in-the-age-of-ai
#WriteBetterFiction #WritingTechniques #AI #AIAndWriters #novelwriting
Writing a Debut Novel—Expectation Vs. Reality
Author Georgia McVeigh shares her experience of writing a debut novel and breaks down her expectations versus reality.
The post Writing a Debut Novel—Expectation Vs. Reality appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-a-debut-novel-expectation-vs-reality
#WriteBetterFiction #WritingTechniques #debutauthor #DebutNovel #novelwriting
You finish a draft. Something feels loose. Scenes drift. Dialogue stretches. The pacing slows. You know the story needs editing, but you’re not sure where to begin.
Editing isn’t fixing typos. It’s where you rebuild the story so it works. A story becomes readable when the structure is solid, the scenes have purpose, and the emotional beats make sense.
Switching to first person was the most radical change I ever did halfway through. Now everything falls right into place, and the witching novel is making sense!
#writing #amwriting #novelwriting #writingcommunity #historicalfiction #witch
https://medium.com/@clnichols/list/the-storyangles-40-framework-a4a488744f60
A 5-part series: The StoryAngles 40 Framework.
In the 4-Act Novel, each act is one quarter of the book and has a distinct job. There are 40 story functions, grouped 10 per act, designed specifically for long‑form fiction.
#WritingCommunity #novel #novels #medium #novelwriting #writingtips
I was chatting to a friend over coffee recently and they mentioned they'd been to a writing course and the instructor told them always to write by hand because it freed up creativity.
I'm sure that's true for some people. In fact I'm sure it's true for many people and I even expect there's research out there to back it up. And obviously helping people develop their writing is in part about helping them with their writing process. But for me the problem comes when a process suggestion becomes a rule.
I used to write longhand, in pencil. (Using a pen paralysed me, it felt as if ink made the words unalterable.) But it turns out I have terrible fine motor skills so my hand could never keep up with the stream of thought running through my arm. Not to mention I can't spell at speed, so looking back on what I'd written was enough to throw me into despair.
Now I can't really type either and I'm still not going to win any spelling bees, but my two fingers can put enough on the screen that I know what I meant and I can go back and fix it up when the flow stops. When I discovered the word processor (I'm that old!) it let me be creative in a way paper and pen just couldn't. I can type anything because with a click it disappears. No one but me will ever know what a shockingly bad sentence I'm capable of.
For me, writing is all in the editing. I used to tell my coding son he needed to write me a program that put random junk on the page so I'd have something to edit. (Careful what you wish for!)
Even in my first draft, I'm editing as I go. I'll write a sentence, a paragraph, a scene and then realise the idea and most of the words are right but whole isn't. I'll reverse sentences, change tense, reorder paragraphs and voila, clumsy, unsubtle text develops flow and depth. (Well, I think so anyway.) I need to shore up the foundations before I can build on them. With pen and paper, I'd have a scrawl of crossings out and intersecting arrows to insertions all covered with a smear of hand-heel ink that even I couldn't read.
Some people (I suspect) use pen and paper because it guides them forward. (It's not called the puke draft for nothing!) They may well be trying to avoid exactly what I'm trying to do. And that's a good way to write, if it's right for you. But it's not the only way, because our brains are all different and each has a different key to unlock it.
Starting the day rereading last nights rewrite! What a witching morning!
#writing #amwriting #writingcommunity #witch #novelwriting #historicalfiction
The novel has been in planning, research, and writing for the past 5 years, and I feel as if I finally found the voice.
#writing #amwriting #writingcommunity #novelwriting #witch
http://mistresswitchwrites.com/2026/02/10/witching-novel-progress-and-the-thrill-of-being-read/
Missing the train home and writing in one of my favourite train stations for an hour - I needed this. And so did the novel.
#writing #amwriting #writingcommunity #historicalfiction #novelwriting
https://medium.com/the-writers-reach/the-storyangles-40-framework-2a84b528544c
Each act is one quarter of the book. Each act escalates pressure, stakes, and narrative commitment. Each act has a distinct job.
There are 40 story functions, grouped 10 per act, designed specifically for long‑form fiction.
#novel #novelwriting #medium #storytelling #writingcommunity #writingtips
Most female test readers struggle with my female characters because they "enjoy sex too much."
"No woman can be that horny." I'm not a woman then. I've always had a clue ...
#writing #amwriting #writingcommunity #novelwriting #historicalfiction #witch
Popular genre fiction runs on a recognizable emotional engine. We come to these books for a specific feeling. Tension, wonder, desire, fear, catharsis, justice, escape.
#firstdraft #novelwriting #novel #medium #writingcommunity #writingtips #storytelling #writing #writerscommunity
The Failed Plot, and the Novel I Gained Along the Way
Author Rosie Walker shares how her experiment to reverse-engineer a thriller led to a failed plot, but then eventually to a new novel.
The post The Failed Plot, and the Novel I Gained Along the Way appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/the-failed-plot-and-the-novel-i-gained-along-the-way
Learn to Love Criticism and Get Good at Rejection
Author Victoria Dillon shares a few lessons she's picked up about dealing with criticism and rejection on her publishing journey.
The post Learn to Love Criticism and Get Good at Rejection appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/learn-to-love-criticism-and-get-good-at-rejection
#BeInspired #TheWritersLife #WritingHabitsandPractices #Criticism #novelwriting
A little update on the first people reading a few pages of the witching novel!
#writingcommunity #amwriting #writing #NovelWriting #writerslife #history #historicalficton #witch
https://mistresswitchwrites.com/2026/02/17/just-a-haunted-girl-scaring-her-friends-writing-update/
My friends enjoyed the beginning of the witching novel, although I gave a confusing sense of fear.
That's what a witch is for ;)
#writing #amwriting #writingocmmunity #novelwriting #historicalfiction #witch
My friends are currently reading the first few pages of the witching novel.
I wrote 3000 more words today.
I am so excited!
And tired.
#writing #amwriting #writingcommunity #historicalfiction #novelwriting #witch
I wrote 3000 words today. I'm tired but happy.
#writing #amwriting #writingcommunity #novelwriting #histoticalfiction #witch
On Writing My Faust Novel
Author Emily Nemens discusses navigating life and writing a novel that felt like the result of a Faust-style deal.
The post On Writing My Faust Novel appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/on-writing-my-faust-novel
#BeInspired #TheWritersLife #WritingHabitsandPractices #novelwriting #perseverance
Did I have to write 40k words to switch to first person after all? Ha ha help.
#writing #amwriting #writingcommunity #novelwriting #historicalfiction
Have you seen me share my circular outlines and wondered how I did it?
This week's blog is a bit longer than usual, but I'm using the space to explain my process!
How I Wrote My First Novel
Maybe it's not great art, but it was a lot of fun and I learned many things. Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »
https://writingcooperative.com/how-i-wrote-my-first-novel-cf6e5d15db8
3 Strategies To Search Manuscript Wishlist To Find Your Dream Agent
Manuscript Wish List (MSWL)is one of the go-to resources for authors to search for literary agents to represent their work. It's a… Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »
https://writingcooperative.com/3-strategies-to-search-manuscript-wishlist-to-find-your-dream-agent-6fd57ba748a
#querying #literaryagents #theshortofit #publishing #novelwriting
How Journalism Research Is Great Training for Novel Writing
Author Marshall Fine breaks down how journalism and journalism research is great training for novel writing.
The post How Journalism Research Is Great Training for Novel Writing appeared first on Writer's Digest.
https://www.writersdigest.com/how-journalism-research-is-great-training-for-novel-writing
#WriteBetterFiction #WritingTechniques #journalism #novelwriting