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Author: Rachel Grosvenor

Categories
Productivity

How to Start a Daily Writing Habit

daily writing habit

I often talk about how important it is to find a writing schedule that works for you, and for me, writing every day doesn’t work, and that’s okay. However, it might be that it does work for you, or you want to give it a go. So, how do you create a daily writing habit?

It can be hard to make time for writing when you’re already so busy. And it’s even harder to find the motivation to sit down and write every day – but it’s not impossible. In this blog post, I will discuss tips and tricks for starting a daily writing habit. I will also provide resources that can help keep you motivated and on track!

The first step is to set aside some time each day for writing. It doesn’t have to be a lot of time, but you can start by giving yourself at least 20 minutes to write. If you can’t find that much time in your schedule, start with 5 minutes and work your way up. The important thing is to be consistent. If you respond better to word count goals than time goals, try setting a daily word count goal to keep yourself motivated. Start small, and then gradually increase your goal as you get more comfortable writing each day. Track your progress and give yourself a pat on the back when you reach your goal. This will help keep you motivated and on track.

Find a place where you can write without distractions. This might be a quiet room in your house or a coffee shop with good Wi-Fi, where no one will bother you. Turn off your phone and any other devices that might distract you, and just focus on writing. An excellent resource for this is the Forest App – one of my favourite productivity apps.

If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, carry a notebook and jot down any interesting thoughts you have throughout the day. A great app for this is Evernote – it allows you to capture more than notes, including photographs.

Find someone who also wants to start writing more regularly and hold each other accountable. This could be a friend, family member, or even an online community of writers. Having someone to encourage and support you can make all the difference.

Finally, don’t forget to give yourself some grace when it comes to your daily writing habit. If you miss a day (or two), don’t beat yourself up about it. Just pick up where you left off and keep going.

So there you have it, a few simple tips to help you start a daily writing habit. Just remember to be patient, consistent and to set yourself realistic goals, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a better writer. Good luck!

Want a hand creating your daily writing habit? Click here to book a Discovery Call!

Do you want to read something similar? Check these out:

3 Steps to Your Writing Management Plan
Want to get more done? Shrink your goals.

Categories
Craft

Investigating Creative Writing Advice: Never Use Passive Voice

Passive voice

When it comes to writing, there are all sorts of rules and pieces of advice that you’ll hear from different people. Some of it is good advice, while other bits are nothing more than personal preferences masquerading as hard-and-fast rules. Today, we’re going to take a look at one of those bits of advice: never use the passive voice. Let’s take a closer look.

The passive voice is often seen as bad, mainly because it can make writing sound dull, wordier, and sometimes less clear. However, there are times when the passive voice can be used to your advantage. For example, if you want to downplay the importance of something, using the passive voice can help you do that.

What is passive voice?

Passive voice happens when the subject of a sentence is being acted upon by the verb. For example:

The door was closed by a gust of wind.

In this sentence, “the door” is the subject and “was closed” is the verb. The sentence is in the passive voice because the subject (the door) is not doing anything; it’s being acted upon by something else (the wind).

So now that we know what the passive voice is, let’s talk about whether or not you should avoid it at all costs.

Well, the answer is…maybe. You see, there are times when using the passive voice can be perfectly acceptable (even preferable). For example, you may want to draw attention to your character (the ‘doer’). In this case, using the passive voice can actually be helpful because it takes the focus off of the action itself. If you want to put the focus on the action, an active voice works great.

So, let’s consider the above sentence written in the active voice:

A gust of wind closed the door.

The active voice can make a difference, but it’s not always best.

Would you like a hack for checking whether you are writing in an active or passive voice? Next time you’re starting to write a sentence and find yourself using the word “was,” you may be writing in a passive voice.

So, what’s the verdict? Is the advice to never use the passive voice always good advice? No, it’s not. There are times when the passive voice can be used effectively.

Do you have any other questions about the passive voice? Let me know here. Happy writing!

Want to read something similar? Check out the following!

Investigating Creative Writing Advice: Show, Don’t Tell.
Investigating Creative Writing Advice: Write What You Know

Categories
Craft

Investigating Creative Writing Advice: Write What You Know

Write what you know

‘Write what you know’ is one of those common phrases that gets thrown around Creative Writing classrooms, sometimes without too much explanation of what it actually means.

As a Creative Writing tutor and coach, I’ve always gone into detail with students and clients about what I mean when I say this – and now I’m going to explain it to you!

Some people get confused when faced with this phrase, as they think it limits them to writing about the ‘real world’ or their personal world and experiences only.

However, this is not the case. One can write about a world filled with dragons and monsters and still be writing what they know. I’m not saying that one actually thinks they are in a dragon-filled land (although really, who am I to comment), but rather that writing what you know is not to be taken in such a literal way.

So what does it mean then?

It means that you should draw on your experiences to add value, realism and emotion to your writing. When Tolkien wrote Lord of the Rings, he was not drawing on his experience of traversing mountainous lands with an elf beside him. He was drawing on his experience of:

  • Friendship and relationships
  • Storytelling
  • Geography
  • People
  • History
  • Religion

It was this knowledge that helped Tolkien write such an epic fantasy series.

Writing what you know, coupled with imagination, can equal a wonderful creation.

For example, you may be writing about a soldier leaving his family and joining the Second World War.

Now, chances are that you weren’t around during the Second World War, so how can you write what you know when it comes to this? Well, you may have experienced true heartbreak. You may have missed somebody dreadfully. You may know what it is like to do without or to focus on a smaller picture just so you can get through the day.

These are all elements of knowledge and experience that could add real depth to a character’s journey and story.

Writing what you know doesn’t mean you can only write about a thirty-year-old living in the UK. It means you should draw from your life experiences and the emotion that has ever driven you and pour it into your fictional work to create believable tales of depth and beauty.

I hope this blog post has helped you better understand what ‘write what you know’ means and show you how you can introduce it into your writing.

Do you have any creative writing advice you have heard that you would like me to investigate and break down? Let me know here. 

Want to read something similar? Check out the following!

10 Ways to Grow as a Writer

How to Write Subplots in Your Novel

How to Find and Fix Plot Holes

Categories
Craft

Investigating Creative Writing Advice: Show, Don’t Tell.

Show, Don't Tell

Here’s a new series of blog posts for you! I am excited to introduce: Investigating Creative Writing Advice. Throughout this series, I will break down all that classic and new Creative Writing advice we hear in both classrooms and online and get to grips with what that means. Through doing this, I hope to help you better understand the world of Creative Writing and choose the advice that suits you as a writer. It isn’t always easy to know which advice to pay attention to, and it is essential to remember that what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another. For example, I don’t write every day because it doesn’t work for me creatively. Writing and creativity do not have a set of instructions that work for every person, so let’s break down that advice and see what works for you.

Today, we will look at ‘Show, Don’t Tell.’ There’s a classic quote to share here, and that’s the following:

‘Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.’ (Anton Chekhov)

So, what does it mean? Essentially, this advice is telling you to paint a picture for your reader, using description and senses. Here’s an example:

Telling:

Sarah was late. 

Showing:

Sarah twisted her hands together, now damp from sweat. She avoided looking at her watch – she didn’t need the reminder; the day was already running away from her. Her t-shirt was still stained from last night’s dinner.

What’s the difference here?

Well, apart from being wordier, we get more of an impression of the character, the situation and the scene. In the original, we don’t learn anything apart from someone called Sarah is late. In the rewrite, we learn that Sarah is nervous, distracted, avoiding the situation and worried. Showing, not telling, is a powerful tool for a writer and gives you the opportunity to create a scene that brings a world to life. You pull the reader in and get them involved in the story.

However, be wary of this advice: there is a place for telling too. 

Telling is a great way to give information to your reader. If all you did was show, your book would be a dense read. So perhaps, instead of saying ‘Show, Don’t Tell’, we should say: Show and tell. Here’s a way to remember when to do what: If there’s a dramatic scenario, a scene you want to bring to life: Show. If there’s some information you need to get across (perhaps your character travels from A to B, and nothing happens during that time), you don’t need to show the reader the entire journey; that would be a waste of word count! Instead, tell them. In the book I am currently reading (The Bewitching by Jill Dawson), there are some fantastic examples of this. Dawson tells us what we need to know to drive the narrative forward, avoiding lengthy divergences into parts of the story that don’t impact the characters.

Want to have a go at writing your own ‘Show, don’t tell’ example? Here’s a prompt to help you. Rewrite:

Sophie was tired.

How can you rewrite this by showing us this? Consider how Sophie’s tiredness impacts how she moves and looks, and describe this to the reader.

So, there’s a breakdown of ‘Show, Don’t Tell.’ Is there a piece of Creative Writing advice you have heard that you want to be broken down? Let me know here! I would love to write a post about it and help you understand how to use it.

Want to read something similar? Check out the following:

5 Things I Wish I Had Known before Writing My First Novel
Why My Writing Routine Won’t Work For You
Reasons Not To Write Every Day

Categories
Craft

5 Tips for Writing Trilogies by Carly Bennett

writing trilogies

So you want to write a trilogy. You’ve had a flash of inspiration for a story so vast, so packed full of adventure that it can’t possibly be contained in a single novel. Excellent. Then reality sets in…to tell your story you’re going to have to write not one but three books. Where do you even begin to plot? How are you going to wrangle enough subplots and character arcs and motifs to keep your readers engaged for such a sustained period of time?

Before you decide to consign your trilogy to the dusty graveyard of abandoned ideas in the back of your mind, I’ve got five tips to share that I’ve learned while plotting and writing my own contemporary fantasy trilogy.

1. Develop story arcs on both a book level and a series level:

I thought it was only fitting to start with advice Rachel gave me during The Writing Week Retreat. I wasn’t sure how best to tackle this when plotting my own trilogy – should I plan one act for each book or should each book have its own three-act structure? The answer? Both! You want to ensure your trilogy has an overarching three-act structure but each book should have its own ebbs and flows, with a satisfying ending for the reader.

2. Fall in love with your characters:

Whether your trilogy is plot-driven or character-driven, make sure you’re head over heels for your primary characters. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with them, after all! From compelling backstories to fun personality quirks that might never even make their way into the story itself, spending time getting to know your characters until they feel like old friends is a staple of any fiction project but it’s even more key when writing a series.

3. Give your characters room to grow over the trilogy:

Building on my second point, your readers also need to love your characters enough to follow them on a journey that will likely take place over a number of years. A great way to keep your characters engaging is to give them room to grow and evolve over the entire series, not just the first book.

This is a trap I definitely fell into when writing the first draft of my series – my two protagonists overcame all of their internal obstacles during the climax of book one, leaving them very few lessons to learn throughout the rest of the story. In reality, we never stop growing and learning so neither should our characters.

4. Find your plotting sweet spot:

The long-running debate between plotting and pantsing is never-ending but I think plantsing (the midpoint between the two) is the way to go when writing a trilogy. It’s imperative that you know where your story is going so you won’t run out of steam halfway through book two but I think it’s just as important to leave yourself space to explore new ideas as you write. Writing three books is no easy feat and plotting so intricately that there are no surprises to keep you entertained can make writing a trilogy feel like a slog.

5. Keep something back:

One of the joys of writing a trilogy is having the space to unfurl exciting twists and character developments that you’ve spent many a writing session dreaming up. There can be a real temptation to show your hand too early, pouring so much into book one that the final two books can be left a little dry in comparison. Keeping some cards close to your chest and spreading out those jaw-dropping moments throughout the three books will ensure your readers are entertained from the first page to the last.

I hope you found the above tips helpful and can apply some of what you’ve learned to your work in progress. You’ve got this! I want to give a huge thank you to Rachel for inviting me onto her blog and, if you want to keep up with my own trilogy writing journey, I blog over at www.carlybennettbooks.co.uk.

Categories
Coaching Craft

5 Things I Wish I Had Known before Writing My First Novel

writing my first novel

I am now on my fourth novel and recently was asked about my first. Ah, my first novel. Writing that was an adventure. Why? Let’s dig right in, shall we? Here are the things I know now that I wish I had known when I wrote my first novel. 

1) Planning is my superpower.

I didn’t know this when I wrote my first novel. I had always been a pantser, and that was all I knew. Now I know differently – I am actually a plotter. Writing my first novel was a massive challenge for me because I had no idea what was coming next in my story. Now, I know much more about myself. I know that I excel when I have a plan. I know I get more written, my structure is tighter, and I can sit down at my computer after a break and know precisely where I left off. That, for me, is a game-changer. If you’re a pantser, I salute you! It’s a challenge and a half for me to create a plot as I write. We all write differently, and finding out how we write is a huge part of getting the best out of ourselves.

2) The dip is coming – stay on course.

The dreaded dip. What is it? It’s essentially the middle. We begin writing full of ideas and plans and excited for the written word, and then something usually happens after fifty thousand or so words. We hit the dip and lose motivation. How I dealt with this in my first novel was not ideal. I essentially added a new character and plotline, trying to regain some of that magic I felt in the original. Ultimately, I had to remove 50,000 words in the second edit, which took a huge re-write. Now I deal with the dip much better because I expect it – I prep to keep myself motivated and stay on course.

3) A writing routine is essential.

When I wrote the first draft of my first novel, I wrote in fits and starts, bursts and jumps. I responded to deadlines but didn’t feel like I had a writing routine – well, that’s because I didn’t. However, once I investigated my writing time and found a writing routine that worked for me, I wrote twice as much. Life suddenly became much more manageable. Want to create your own writing routine? Read this blog post here!

4) Write what you love – you’re going to read it thousands of times.

Seriously. I read my first novel so often that I was totally fed up with it by the time I finished it. And actually, this relates to point one, too – if I had taken the time to plan my novel, knowing that what worked for me was plotting, I would have had more passion and excitement for what was coming. Instead, I just felt confused. I workshopped it so many times that I fell out of love with it. None of my subsequent novels has been this way. I still love all of them. Why? First of all, because I spent time workshopping the plan and plot before I began writing, leaning into my desire to be a plotter. Secondly, because I chose to write about something that fascinated me, settling into a genre that spoke to my passions. That changed it all, friend. Writing Your Passion is a class I teach in my writing masterclass, It’s Time To Write Your Novel. Learn more here!

5) Self-doubt is normal, but it doesn’t mean your feelings are facts.

I am yet to meet a writer who hadn’t suffered from imposter syndrome at some point in their lives, me included. But, since writing my first novel, I have spent thousands of hours (and pounds) investing in working on my mindset, and it has been enlightening in so many ways. Self-doubt is normal, but it doesn’t mean your feelings are fact. Ready to work on your mindset too? Click here.

So, what do you wish you had known before beginning your first novel? I would love to know, so contact me and tell me!

Categories
Craft

3 Ways to Test a Novel Idea Before Writing

Test a novel idea

Whether you are a plotter (someone who preps their story ahead of time), a pantser (someone who writes as they create), or a plantser (a mix of the two!), there comes a time when the idea for a novel might pop into your head, and you wonder whether it has the legs to be something you want to write. Well, what do you do in that situation? I’ll tell you – you test your novel idea.

Your first question might not be ‘how’, but rather ‘who with?’ – that’s a great question, by the way. Who do you test your novel idea with? You could do this with yourself (Is this something you would read, is it something you really want to write, is it a novel that interests you further than the initial thought?), or with your ideal reader. If you need a hand working out who your ideal reader is, check out this blog post all about it: Your Ideal Reader

Once you have decided that you would like to test the idea with yourself or your friend who happens to love the genre of novel you’re thinking about, it’s time to think about three ways to test your idea:

1: Write your synopsis ahead of writing the novel. 

Writing a synopsis before writing a novel is a great way to test an idea. It means that you can share what looks like a finished product and really think about how you want it to be once completed. Not sure how to write a synopsis? Read on.

Writing a synopsis is a class that I teach in my Novel Writing Masterclass – It’s Time to Write Your Novel, but I wanted to give you a little freebie here because I know that other people struggle with this area too.

So – let’s break it down together. Here are the steps I recommend for writing a synopsis:

1) Write down plot points in the order of events.

2) Write the first paragraph – set up the premise and write a clear description of the world and scenario you have created.

3) Connect your plot points by describing your character’s growth.

4) Tell us the ending.

5) Re-read for editing.

Ideally, this should be no more than 1000 words.

Follow those steps, and you should find it much easier to write your synopsis!

2: Ask yourself some probing questions. 

Try asking yourself the following four questions if you’re looking for something less in-depth than writing a synopsis. These will help you visualise your plot, deliver it as a complete idea, and communicate what you want your novel to be.   

What is your main character’s problem, the conflict they are dealing with?

What is their drive to overcome this?

Who or what is standing in their way?

Why does it matter? 

3: Write an elevator pitch. 

So, how can you whittle down your novel idea to an elevator pitch? Keep it short, sweet, and understandable. For example:

I have written TITLE, a GENRE novel of WORD COUNT. PROTAGONIST lives in SETTING and faces CONFLICT. How the protagonist overcomes conflict, including the antagonist, but not usually tertiary characters.

Another fun way to challenge yourself is to develop a 140 character pitch as they did for Pitch Wars!

Here’s my 140 character pitch for The Birth of Ida:

?????? ???? ? ???????? ???? ???? ? ????????? ?????????, ??? ???? ???? ???????? ??? ? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ??????’? ?????.

So, there are three ways to test your novel idea before writing a word of it! Do you have any to add? Let me know how you get on and don’t forget to get in touch if you need a hand.

Are you looking for a similar read? Check out the following:

3 Things Needed for a Fantastic Book Proposal

5 Things to Avoid When Writing Dialogue 

Categories
Productivity

3 Steps to Your Writing Management Plan

Writing management plan

What is a writing management plan? I hear you ask. Well, it’s a way to ensure you have set yourself up in the best possible way, creating an environment that lends itself to writing.

A question I often ask my coaching clients when we have come up with a plan together is:

What could derail this plan?

It’s an interesting question, and it makes my client stop for a moment and consider all of the things that could come along and get in the way of their action plan. So, what then?

Creating a writing management plan is not about writing routines, finding the time to write, and all that good stuff – it’s about ensuring that you have thought ahead to potential distractions and taken action before they derail your writing.

Here are three steps to create your own writing management plan:

1) Ask yourself, what could derail my writing plans this week? What could stop me from getting these words on the page? Write down the answers.

2) Consider what you could put in place to limit these distractions. Perhaps it’s asking for help, prepping a meal, or turning off your phone at a specific time.

3) Your final step is to take action. Put these things into place to ensure that your writing time is managed correctly. What does that mean to you? You might be setting up a writing habit, so you want to ensure that you have your cues and rewards correctly set up. As a reminder – creating a habit is a four-step process that looks like this:

1 – Cue: Giving yourself a cue to begin – this means planning, setting an alert or alarm, and essentially reminding yourself of the habit.
2 – Craving: Imagining the satisfaction of having completed the act. What will you feel like once it’s complete? How awesome will it be to have written 1000 more words of your WIP?
3 – Response: The actual act of writing! Sitting down and cracking on with it.
4 – Reward: Pre-plan some reward or incentive for when you’ve completed the word count. It could be anything – from a cup of tea to a chocolate bar to an hour of your favourite show.

Once you have put your actions in place, you have set yourself up for the best possible start in managing your writing that week. Every time you plan to write ahead of time, consider the three steps above, and you’ll find yourself less distracted, more prepped, and with more words on the page.

Want to know more about creating a management plan that works for you? Coaching could be the answer. Click here to read more about what I offer. 

Want to read something similar? Check out the following!

10 Coaching Questions to Help You With Your Writing Life
Want to get more done? Shrink your writing goals!

 

Categories
Craft

5 Things to Avoid When Writing Setting

Writing setting

Worldbuilding is such an important part of communicating a story to a reader, and writing setting is an essential element. If a reader doesn’t see a world clearly, they won’t understand where the characters are within it and won’t have that vital interest in the novel.

So, when we are writing setting, what should we avoid?

1) Focusing on sight only. 

There are five senses (well, six depending on your outlook), and the reader wants to read about them. It is beautiful to read about how a place looks, but make sure you pull the reader into the story by telling us about the other senses too. We want to know about the cool air on your character’s skin, the scent of bread in the local bakery, the sound of children playing in a far off field, and the taste of autumn in the air.

2) Too much detail.

Your reader is intelligent, so have faith in their vision and ability to imagine the scene before them. Putting in too much detail can be jarring, especially if the detail seems irrelevant to the story. Consider what you can get across to your reader without going overboard with the description. For example, do they need to know about an old chair that doesn’t appear again in the story?

3) Setting information dumps.

Information dumps are a significant amount of text dedicated to filling the reader in. It can pull a reader from a story, so avoid setting the scene with pages and pages of description. The reader will forget that they are reading a story at all.

4) Disconnecting the setting from your characters.

How does your character interact with the world around them? How do they see the world they live in? This can tell us so much. For example, perhaps the steam rising from a chimney makes them think of a dragon. Why would this be the case? Are they a dreamer, an adventurer in a fantasy story? Connect the world with your character and draw your reader in further.

5) Allowing the setting to overtake the story. 

Setting is a vital element of your story, but it is not the most important thing about it. Sometimes, we can get wrapped up in imagining a world we have created, and while it is wonderful to read about that place, make sure that your story is still firmly set within it. The reader wants to know about your tale first and foremost.

Ready to create a world that sparkles? There are many ways I can help. Check out my online writing course, It’s Time to Write Your Novel, here. This course takes you through the journey of writing a novel, including worldbuilding and setting.

Do you want to read something similar?
Check out the following:
3 Ways to Ensure Your Novel is Well Paced
4 Tips for Writing in Multiple Points of View

Categories
Productivity

Want to get more done? Shrink your goals.

Get more done

So you want to get more done, write a novel, a bestselling book, a work of non-fiction, a book of short stories, a poem. It can feel overwhelming to sit down and just *begin* and while some people seem to have that knack and talent, I am certainly not one of them.

The world is a distracting place. We have to work during the day and have family responsibilities, and our desire to write a novel might be high on our list of dreams, but it isn’t always high on our priorities list. Why? Because the dog needs to be fed, and there’s a weird stain on the ceiling, that’s why.

So, want to know the secret to getting it done? Three words:

Shrink your goals. 

You might be baulking at this because this is the opposite of what you have read. Perhaps it’s even the opposite of what your writing coach has told you: Dream big! Bigger! BIGGER!! But, here’s the thing about big dreams – if you don’t break them down and work out how you’re going to get them done, they remain dreams and don’t become a reality.

I’m not telling you to shrink your goal of writing a bestseller; heck no. You have it within you to write a bestseller, and I don’t doubt it for a minute. What I am saying is: to get there, you have to shrink down that goal into sizeable, manageable chunks and fit them into your daily life.

Here’s how:

1: How long is your novel going to be? The below might help, if you’re unsure of the word count you are aiming for.

Epic: 120,000 – 200,000
Thriller: 70,000 – 90,000
Sci-Fi or fantasy: 90,000  – 120,000
Romance  novels: 50,000 – 100,000
Historical fiction: 80,000 – 100,000
Non-fiction: Depends on genre – best to research your specific area.
YA: 40,000 – 80,000
Middle Grade: 20,000 – 50,000
Novella: 20,000 – 50,000
Novelette: 7,500 – 20,000
Short Story – 1,000 – 7,500
Flash Fiction – 1000 words or less
Drabble – Exactly 100 words
Micro Fiction – 300 words or less

2: How long do you have to write your novel?

3: What is your creative data? (Unsure? Check this blog post out to see.)

4: Work backwards. How much do you need to write a day to get your novel written? How many days do you have available for you? When, therefore, will you be finished?

Shrink those goals into sizeable chunks so that you can move forward with the confidence of a definite bestseller!

You’ve got this writer. 

Looking for a similar read? Check these out:

4 Time Blocking Tips for Writers
How to Set Effective Writing Goals
3 Things I Did to Level Up My Writing Game