Category: Creative writing

Overcoming Rewriting Paralysis

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment
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Whenever I get to the end of my first draft of whatever novel I’m working on, I’m filled with a range of emotions: joy, relief, satisfaction and pride. After spending weeks and months crafting a story I hope readers will love and creating characters I care about, I’m ready to celebrate.

The celebration is short-lived, however. Because I know there’s more work to do. A LOT more work. Being an intuitive writer, I don’t do much planning beforehand except sketching out the initial scenes. By the end of the drafting phase, my manuscript is a mess. That’s when I come face to face with the monster in the room – the rewrite.

For me, revision and rewriting is a daunting process, much like getting my wisdom teeth pulled. I usually spend hours staring at my pages wondering what to do next.

Recently, I came across a term for this. It’s called rewriting paralysis, defined by a state of being stuck and unable to move forward with a writing project because you’re frozen by the daunting task of revision.

For more information, check out this excellent piece by creativity coach Anne Carley who explains what rewriting paralysis is all about. There are several signs that you’re experiencing rewriting paralysis (sometimes called analysis paralysis because you’re over-analyzing a writing problem).

* You experience brain freeze. Or what others might call writer’s block. After looking at so many scenes, your mind goes numb. You wonder if you’ve covered every aspect of your story. Even if you do sense you’re missing a scene or two, your brain stops working. When you try to finish your story, the words won’t come.

* You feel emotionally spent. You’ve poured so much of your emotional energy into writing the first draft that you have nothing left for the rewrite.

* Your inner critic takes over the creative process. Maybe it berates you for sloppy work or keeps reminding you that you’re wasting your time. The critic’s non-stop chatter discourages you from finishing the rewrite.

* Self-doubt creeps in. Now that you’ve finished the draft, you’ve given the manuscript time and space to breathe. But in that space, the critic’s cousin Self-Doubt makes its presence known.  The more you doubt yourself, the more you wonder if you’re doing the right thing or if you should start over.

* You feel overwhelmed by the task ahead. Paralysis sets in because the project suddenly seems too big and overwhelming to tackle on your own. You’ve created a monster, but now you wonder how to turn it into Cinderella. You’re not sure how or where to begin the rewrite process, so you set aside the manuscript and hope for inspiration.

Fortunately, there are remedies to re-energize your project and push through the rewriting phase. I’ve experimented with some of these with some success. They might help you too.

Strategy 1: If the project seems too big and overwhelming, it might help to attack the rewrite by breaking it down into smaller sections, working through each Act or several scenes at a time. Author and book coach Janice Hardy suggests creating an editorial map that lets you see how your story is progressing. She also recommends creating a revision plan to organize each edit and check them off as you finish them.

Strategy 2: Draft a synopsis of your current work-in-progress. The end of the first draft may be the perfect time to draft a synopsis to make sure the story is progressing the way you imagined. The synopsis can reveal problem areas that need to be fixed. For example, when I drafted a synopsis for my current project, it revealed part of my protagonist’s backstory that explained why she felt so conflicted toward her deceased mother. Up to that point, that backstory had been a mystery to me.

Strategy 3: Review story structure. Paralysis might occur because you haven’t worked out the plot of your story, or it might be missing certain elements. The end of the drafting phase might be a good time to review story structure. There are multiple structure types, and it’s not always easy to choose the best one that fits your story. For information about story structure, check out this guide from Reedsy or this blog series and book, Structuring Your Novel by author K. M. Weiland.

Strategy 4: Study the revision process or take a course in revision. Author and book coach Jessica Brody teaches an online self-study course The Complete Novel Revision course which breaks down the process into three levels: story edits, scene edits and page edits. Whether you follow Brody’s process or use someone else’s, it takes time to review, reassess and rewrite your story to whip it into shape. Be patient with yourself and with the process.

Of course, before starting any rewriting or revising, it’s helpful to set aside the draft for a few weeks or months. Then print out the manuscript and read through it as a reader would. The time away from your story will clear your head and you’ll see the story with fresh eyes.

Armed with these strategies, you can easily overcome rewriting paralysis and create the novel of your dreams.

Kick Off November with These Holiday-Themed Writing Prompts

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I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather lately, so I don’t have a story planned for this week. But because November is Creative Writing Month, I wanted to help you stay motivated to keep writing. Whether you’re participating in a writing challenge or simply want to rev up your writing routine, there are plenty of story ideas to test your creativity. 

To get you started, here’s 25 prompts to keep you busy during the month and hopefully put you into the holiday spirit. Pick one, two or ten, then let your imagination run wild. These stories can be as short or as long as you want. Most importantly, have fun.

1. Write about someone (male or female) who attempts to host Thanksgiving dinner for the first time.

2. It’s the first snowfall of the year. Write about someone who is seeing snow for the first time.

3. Write about someone who falls for a holiday shopping scam. What do they learn from the experience? Do they help catch the thief?

4. Write about a pie eating contest featuring either pumpkin or apple pie.

5. The person hired to play Santa at the Thanksgiving Day Parade fails to show. What happens next?

6. Several college students who barely know one another drive home together for Thanksgiving break during a snowstorm.

7. A candy cane factory has come up with a couple of new, unusual flavors. What are those flavors? How do customers respond?

8. A young woman shops for jewelry for gifts and is persuaded by the shopkeeper to try on a rather ostentatious ring. When the ring gets stuck on her finger, what does she do next to get it off?

9. A family attempts to cut down their own Christmas tree for the first time with surprising results.

10. On Christmas morning, you find a gift on your doorstep. What is the gift? Who is it from? Why did they give it to you?

11. Write a note of gratitude to someone who helped you in the past.

12. Imagine you have a pet turkey. One morning, it suddenly begins to speak. What does it say?

13. You have a chance to invite a celebrity – alive or dead – to Thanksgiving dinner. What do you talk about over your festive meal?

14. You participate in a Christmas cookie challenge with several participants. What cookie do you make? What unusual ingredients or techniques do you use to set your cookies apart?

15. During the Thanksgiving Day parade, one of the oversized balloons experiences a mishap. What happens to the balloon and how does the crowd react?

16. Describe your favorite Thanksgiving Day food and the memories they bring you.

17. A group of friends or family members make one last hike through the woods before Thanksgiving break.

18. An angel visits you one November night. What message do they bring you?

19. November arrives with an unexpected guest – someone wants to spend the entire month with you. Describe this person, their reasons for making this request and how your home life is altered because of their presence.

20. Create a place called The November Cafe. Describe the cafe and what is offered on the menu.

21. During a family get together, an older family member reveals a secret they’ve kept from everyone for 20 years. What is their secret? How does it impact the family?

22. What is your Thanksgiving Day feast like? Describe what you eat complete with the sights, smells and taste.

23. Write a story about a mishap or accident at Santa’s toy workshop. What happened? Did anyone get hurt?

24. You discover a magical mode of transportation. What is it and where does it take you? What else happens on your journey?

25. It’s a week before Christmas, and you find yourself in the emergency room at the hospital. How did you get there? Did you have an accident yourself, or are you there to help someone else?

Five Ways to Write a Scary Good Story

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The following post originally appeared on The Regal Writer in 2020. It’s been edited and reposted here, just in time for Halloween.

Author Carmen Maria Machado once said, “How do you tell interesting stories? You puncture through reality and you let magic and weird stuff and ghosts bleed back through.”

I thought about this statement while pondering what to write about scary stories. All I could think about was the following vignette I saw on TV (Night Gallery, I think) many years ago. 

In this vignette, a man is at the kitchen sink washing dishes one night. As he finishes, he notices a tiny spider crawl out of the drain. He turns on the faucet to drown the creature or force it back down the drain. Seconds later, the spider returns, this time a little larger than before. The man turns on the faucet again to shove it back down the drain. This happens several more times, each time the spider grows a little bigger. Panic and fear sets in. The man’s eyes grow large and he begins to sweat. At the end, you see a close up of the man’s face as he stares up at the spider off screen. Then the screen goes black as the man screams.

The audience is left to wonder: Did the spider kill the man? Or did his fear of the spider kill him?

There was no blood or gore in this scene, but it was still scary (to me, at least) because it fed on my imagination – and the man’s fear. Logically, we know it’s not physically possible for a spider to grow so quickly under the rush of running water. Yet we saw it happen on the TV screen over and over. The man may have been afraid of spiders, but it was our imaginations that filled in the blanks.  
I believe that is the appeal – and the power –  of a truly scary story. It’s usually not the blood and gore that scares people; it’s the hint that something awful is about to happen.

Writing scary stories – whether about oversized spiders, brain-eating zombies or ghostly hauntings – can be a challenge for some writers, who may find it easier to conjure a creepy creature than follow the elements of good storytelling. How do you scare the bejesus out of readers when you have to pay attention to mundane things like plot structure, character and dialogue? Fortunately, there are ways to write spine-tingling scenes that readers will rave about.

1. Tap into your own fears. Horror author Shirley Jackson believed tapping into your deepest fears made the best scary stories. Think about all the things that scared you as a child, and what makes you afraid now. Most people admit to being afraid of snakes or spiders. Others fear drowning, being buried alive, thunderstorms, enclosed spaces, and suffocation. Any of these things can be the basis for a scary story. Tap into your fears and see what comes out from them.

2. Get inside the narrator’s head. Author R.L. Stine liked writing his teen horror stories from the first person POV so readers could view the action through the protagonist’s eyes. When the protagonist and her friends explore an abandoned warehouse late at night, readers see what they see, what they hear and what they feel, just as they do.

3. Create a good hidden monster. Sometimes the best monsters aren’t creepy-looking at all, but look like normal people like you and me. It can be the boy next door, a teacher at school or even the family pet. On the surface, they seem innocent, but maybe they possess a strange, magic power or worse, a diabolical, evil streak that no one else sees. Even more compelling is the evil being that never dies. It keeps coming back to life no matter how many times a protagonist tries to kill it – like the poor homeowner who couldn’t drown the ever-growing spider. One of the creepiest ways to end a story is by hinting that the monster is alive and well, and is prepared to kill again.

4. Write about your own obsessions. Is there an experience you can’t quite forget? A relationship you can’t get over? A friend who betrayed you? We all have our obsessions, things we can’t let go of. We all have those dark places within us where anger, jealousy and greed reside. Use those obsessive dark places to create your scary stories.

5. Make the story relevant to your reader. Think about the setting of your story. Sometimes seeing the story take place in a familiar place can be unsettling for readers. Instead of the overused haunted house, set the story in a library, school, a public park or the local coffee shop. Add modern elements too, such as cell phones and social media. There’s nothing more terrifying than getting a threatening text message from an evil adversary or someone who supposedly died long ago.

6. Take your ghostly and weird creations seriously. Not everyone will appreciate the scary beings born out of your imagination. That’s okay, as long as you do. Sci-fi author Ray Bradbury says the strangest, weirdest beings you create represent fear in some form. Furthermore, writers should be selective about whose criticisms they believe.

“I have never listened to anyone who criticized my taste in space travel, sideshows or gorillas,” Bradbury once said. “When this occurs, I pack up my dinosaurs and leave the room.”

The scariest stories aren’t necessarily about blood and gore, although for some people, that’s enough. Sometimes the mere hint of something mysterious or creepy can scare readers. Anything that draws on their personal fears and overactive imaginations may be enough to scare the heck out of them.

Honor Your Inner Writer During November National Writing Challenge

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Whether you’ve been a writer for some time or you’re just starting out on your writing journey, you likely have heard about National Novel Writing Month, which takes place every November. While the organization that started this event has shut down, the mission still holds true: to encourage writers of all levels of experience to amp up their productivity. The aim is to write 50,000 words during the month, or approximately 1,666 words per day.

That’s a hefty load for any writer. It’s much like aiming to walk 10,000 steps that doctors recommend (or about five miles). Who has time to do that? Both activities require more time than most people have available to them. 

The way I see it, the November Writing Challenge can be about any goal you want to achieve. It doesn’t have to be about 50,000 words if that goal is too steep. The Challenge is about finding new ways to fit writing into your life, whether that’s writing for one hour per day or writing only 500 words per week. It’s about stretching yourself beyond what you’re used to doing in your writing life. Plus it just feels better knowing other people are going through the challenge too. There’s power in numbers, and it’s empowering when you know you’ve got other writers beside you. Remember, the November Writing Challenge is whatever you want it to be.

Several writing communities offer their own writing challenges and support systems for writers. For example, Story Forge’s challenge is 30,000 words, or about 1000 words per day. That’s a more accessible goal for many people. You can find quite a few others like Reedsy, ProWriting Aid and AutoCrit. 

No matter which challenge you follow or if you make up your own like I’m doing, the key point to remember is to stretch yourself. Aim for more words. Longer writing periods. Or do something different. Consider these other possibilities:

* Draft one flash fiction story (about 1500 words) or a short story (up to 15,000 words) per week
* Commit to writing 500 words per day, the equivalent of two pages.
* Write for 30 minutes per day, especially if you’re used to writing sporadically.
* Write your current work-in-progress from a different character’s point of view.
* Write in a different genre than you’re used to. If you’re used to writing fiction, try writing essays.

You might consider some non-writing activities too.

* Read the first draft of your current work-in-progress, noting changes you want to make in the margins. But don’t make the changes just yet.

* Read about the writing craft. If you’re new to writing, this might be a good time to become familiar with the tools you need to craft your story. Learn about plotting, story structure, character development, conflict, etc.

* Got a story dancing in your head? Sketch out several scenes to get your creative juices flowing.

* Do background research. Is there a subject you know nothing about but is imperative to your current project? Spend a few minutes each day researching that topic.

* Spend some time world-building. What do the settings in your story look like? Whether you’re writing a fantasy in a make-believe world or a mystery set in a small town, take time to convert the setting from your imagination to the paper or screen.

* Work on character development. Get to know your characters by writing profiles of the main ones. Describe more than their appearance, but their desires, their personality quirks, their strengths and weaknesses.

The beauty of the November Writing Challenge is to make it whatever you want it to be depending on your goals and what you’re working on. You set the goals and how you’ll measure your success. Just remember to ramp up the activity so you’re challenging yourself to do something different or to improve your productivity.

For example, I plan on using November to draft a holiday romance novella. I’m already prepping by sketching out scenes I plan to write later. My goal is to draft five pages per day, or roughly 1000-1,2000 words. If all goes well, my rough draft should be complete by the end of the month.

If you’re creating your own challenge, it might be helpful to follow these basic rules:

* Establish your goal for November. What do you want to accomplish by month’s end?

* Make sure your goal is measurable. How do you know you’ve achieved success? Set a specific time limit or number. For example, aiming to write 1000 words per day or writing for 15 minutes before bedtime.

* Track your progress. Using a calendar, mark a symbol or star on the days you write or jot down how many words/pages you finished.

* Be sure to ramp up the difficulty. If you’re used to writing three days a week, what can you do to increase that output to five days?

* Reward yourself. When November ends and you can see the progress you’ve made, celebrate your accomplishments. Perhaps treat yourself to a low-cost writing webinar or a book about the writing craft.

You don’t have to target 50,000 words to be successful during November Writing Month. Whether you commit to writing one page per day or 1000 words per day, simply by sitting down to write, you’ve already achieved success.

 

Why Writers Need to Celebrate Their Failures

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As you might have heard, the Chicago Marathon took place last week, winding its way through the streets of our grand city. Watching the coverage on TV, one comment stood out–that just starting the race is a victory and success in itself.

It’s often said that writing a novel is a lot like running a marathon. The two activities have much in common:

  • Both require hard work to prepare for the long haul. While a writer’s legs may not be moving as they write, their brains are to conjure up plots and dialogue. 
  • Both require commitment of time and energy to keep training and working toward the end goal.
  • Both require continuous learning and dedication. Athletes continue to learn about how their bodies respond to the physical demands of running a race, while writers continue to learn about their craft and how their creative minds work. 

Perhaps the biggest similarity is this: Success comes by getting to the starting line or by sitting down to write. Because the only true sign of failure is not showing up. 

That’s why we must honor our successes AND our failures. After all, failure has a lot to say about our success.

For runners, failure might look like pulling up lame during a race and having to quit, or it might mean an injury or illness sidelines them. For writers, failure might mean never finishing a story you started writing or receiving rejection letters for a story you poured your heart and soul into. 

The Rome Business School in Italy outlines several benefits of embracing failure in our work, no matter what kind of work that might be. Failure can help you:

  • Develop resilience – the ability to bounce back from setbacks and challenges.
  • Encourage creativity – It forces you to consider other solutions to your writing problems and think outside the box.
  • Foster a growth mindset – It helps us view challenges as opportunities, which we use as a stepping stone toward our main goal
  • Build confidence – Failure doesn’t have to define you. Instead, it can set the stage for figure efforts.

Thomas Edison, who invented the light bulb, phonograph, and movie camera, among other things, failed many times. He was noted for saying: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

The lesson to be learned from Edison is this: If we find something that doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean we failed. It simply means that we need to explore other possible solutions. 

Since failure can be instrumental in our career growth, it might be worthwhile to celebrate and honor your writing failures as much as your successes. Here are some possible suggestions:

  • Compile all your rejection letters and save them in a file. Occasionally read them to remind you of how far you’ve come in your writing journey. Seeing the feedback can spur you to keep working toward your goal or to find solutions to some of your nagging writing issues. Some writers even frame their rejection letters so they can see them all the time.
  • Light a candle and read each rejection letter out loud. Alternatively, if you’re working with beta readers or an editor, read aloud any of their negative feedback. Try not to react viscerally to comments, but allow their meaning to sink in. Maybe they didn’t get the message you were trying to convey in your story, in which case you may need to rewrite the message differently.
  • Journal your reactions to failure and rejection. As you write, you might discover why rejection makes you feel like a failure or why it has such a strong hold on you.
  • Rethink the role of failure in your work. Sometimes you have to view it as a stepping stone toward your ultimate goal rather than a dead end. What can you learn from the failed experience? Failure can teach us many things–courage, perseverance, resilience. It can coax you to try new techniques and pull you out of your comfort zone.

Whether you’re an athlete training to run in the next marathon or a writer working on their first (or tenth) novel, it’s okay to embrace failure. It has a lot to teach us if we’re willing to listen to its lesson and learn from it. The only true failure is not trying.

What Is a Hybrid Genre, and Should You Write One?

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In a recent issue of Novel Suspects, the weekly newsletter from Simon & Schuster featuring mystery and thriller releases, a contributor wrote about a unique hybrid genre: mystery and humor. 

Who doesn’t like a little humor with their murder and mayhem, right?

At first glance, combining mystery and humor wouldn’t seem to work well together. But they can and they do, judging from the list of titles the writer included as examples, such as Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano and Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack. (That title alone makes me laugh out loud.).

That got me thinking about all the other hybrid genres I’ve come across in my reading. I was practically weaned on romantic suspense which has been around for decades, popularized by Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney. Their books evolved from gothic romance novels of the early 20th century.

Other hybrids have become popular, such as paranormal romance, historical mystery and romantasy, combining romance and fantasy.

Genre blending works by combining key elements, tropes and conventions that you’d find in each genre. Hybrids act as a gateway to new reading experiences. Readers who might not pick up a book in the fantasy genre might be inclined to read one when it’s combined with a little bit of romance. 

It’s become popular because hybrids cater to different reading tastes. It allows authors to experiment and explore complex themes, characters and world-building. Hybrids, because of their combined genres, can be promoted to wider audiences too, create more buzz and attract media attention. Once readers learn about these titles, word of mouth through social media is also possible. Here’s a great piece about hybrids at the Dabble blog.

So what blended genres are hitting the bookshelves these days?

  • Science fiction and romance  (They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera)
  • Cozy fantasy  (Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree)
  • Historical horror (Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia)
  • Humor and mystery  (Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano)
  • Romantic fantasy (A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas)

I’m sure there are others I’ve missed. Do you have a favorite hybrid genre that you like to read? Is there one you’d like to see more of on bookstore shelves? Would you consider writing one?

The Path from Journalist to Fiction Writer

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Writers come from all walks of life. Many have had previous careers, such as lawyers, doctors and journalists. No matter our background, we have one thing in common: a desire to tell stories. However, the journey to get published isn’t the same. In fact, it’s a struggle for most. That shouldn’t stop us from trying however.

I came from a professional background in association publishing. I knew how to string together complete sentences to present clear ideas. But how that would translate into a fiction writing career remained to be seen.

For me, writing an 85,000-word novel was a huge challenge. But did I have the patience and determination to see it through? That was the question. One I was itching to find out.

I started on this writing journey for several reasons.

* To determine the next chapter in my career. I was at a crossroads and wasn’t sure what was next for me. I had just left a full-time job after eight years and I wanted to take time out to consider other options. One thing I knew for sure was that writing was the core of my being, and it would play a significant role in my career in some shape or form.

* To fulfill a fantasy. I had toyed with the idea of writing a novel earlier in my life, but did nothing with it, likely because I didn’t know what I was doing. I knew nothing about story structure or scene development back then, nor were there the amazing number of sources available to help a newbie like me to learn the ropes.  

* To meet my accountant’s challenge. While getting my taxes done about 10 years ago, I updated my accountant on my job search woes. I confided that I wasn’t sure what to do next in my career. Her response? “I think you should write a book.” The challenge was on. My dear accountant has since retired, but I still hear her words of encouragement in my head.

* To sow the creative seeds that were sprouting in my brain. I don’t know if it was all the free time I had after I left my job or the writing classes I took, but my creative muse started working in earnest, spitting out story ideas like a factory. I had no choice but to work with them. I started to see story ideas everywhere, and there were too many to ignore. I saw them as a sign to take my dabbling to the next level.

Even though I wanted to take my writing to the next level and explore different genres, I knew there was plenty of work I needed to do. How did I move from corporate writer to aspiring novelist?

* I signed up for writing workshops and classes. It was at a local writing studio that I was able to unleash my creative writing juices. Being around other writers and getting their feedback helped me to hone my craft. 

* I subscribed to Writer’s Digest. Each issue is chock full of articles about the writing process, author interviews, agent profiles, news about the publishing industry, and tips for new writers. It also explores different genres, and gives a clear-eyed view of the writing life. There are other similar publications, like The Writer, Poets & Writers, Publishers Weekly (about the publishing industry) and Script Magazine (about script writing).

* I ramped up my novel reading. Since I had more time on my hands, I dove into my favorite hobby in earnest. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed reading. The more I learned about the writing process, the more I started paying attention to how the stories played out in the books I read. Reading was part of the self-education process.

* I started reading books about writing. The two best I’ve come across are by Stephen King (On Writing) and Anne Lamott (Bird by Bird). Though there were two very different approaches to writing, both provided the inspiration and motivation to support my writing goals.

* I started following authors, editors and publishing pros via newsletters and social media. I especially enjoy the insights shared by Jane Friedman, a former editor of Writer’s Digest, and book coach Janice Hardy. There are plenty of blogs and writing communities online covering the publishing business too.

* I joined a writer’s group. Though our group is small, only three people, we meet monthly to share best practices and motivate each other. The group is more about accountability and socializing than anything else. Still, it’s fun to talk shop with people who share my interests.

Though I started this journey in 2014, I’m still learning and growing. The more I have learned about writing fiction, the more I realize I need to learn and the more it feeds my determination to succeed. I hope one day to become published, and while I have accomplished a lot, that first completed novel to show editors and agents remains elusive.

For my readers and fellow writers who are in the midst of their own transitions or are considering one, here are a few tips based on my experience:

* Learn about creative writing and story structure as much as you can. No matter how much you think you know, there will always be something new to learn.

* Read as much as you can in your preferred genre. Notice how those authors crafted their stories and learn from their writing styles. It also helps you see what people are reading in that genre.

* Be patient with yourself. Learning about the writing process takes time and you will certainly make missteps along the way. Don’t beat yourself up when that happens. Instead, take a deep breath and start over. But don’t give up.

* Ask for help and support when you need it. Find a support group, not necessarily a writer’s group, but one or two people who will listen to your writing woes and be your biggest cheerleaders.

* Be consistent with your writing practice. That way you won’t lose momentum. Take breaks when you need it or when you feel stuck. Most importantly, have fun.

For more about this topic, check out these articles:

Navigating the Road from Journalist to Novelist
From Astrophysicist to Author: Tips for Making the Transition to Career Author
15 Tips for Starting Your Writing Career Later in Life

I’ll leave you with this wonderful tidbit of wisdom from science fiction author Mark Alpert: “Don’t worry about how long it takes to reach your dream. The long road just gives you more life experiences to enrich your fiction.”

Amid Chaos, Stories Matter Even More

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Imagine if we lived in a world where there were no stories–no stories to write, to tell, to read, to enjoy, to make us laugh and to make us cry. Where would we as humans be? How could we live? What would we know and understand about our lives?

Writing stories matters. But for those stories to matter, they need to be conceived and written.  That’s where writers and creatives come in. The world–as chaotic and uncertain as it may be–needs us.

If you’ve ever stopped to wonder why you’re putting yourself through the emotional and physical turmoil of writing stories, think about all the good you’re doing for the world, for your audience, and most importantly, for yourself.

Tiffany Yates Martin said it best in the latest issue of Writer’s Digest (print version, so no link is available to the article.) We may feel overwhelmed by the chaos happening around us to the point that we can’t find the motivation to write. Yet that is exactly when writing stories matters the most. 

Yates Martin outlined five reasons that stories matter through turbulent times:

  • Stories offer solace and hope. Stories offer comfort, especially during times of unrest. They not only offer an escape from our troubles and worries, Martine writes, they remind us of what’s important and what’s worth fighting for.
  • Stories connect us in a divided world. Because stories provide insight into the human condition through alternative perspectives, we can learn to understand the universal longings and struggles that others experience. We might understand what motivates people we might disagree with, and perhaps see them as just as complex, flawed and wounded as we are.
  • Stories make sense of the senseless. Our world is often messy and complex. Stories can help us make sense of the chaos by offering logic and cohesion. It may offer a big-picture view that we may not have considered.
  • Stories give a voice to the voiceless. Stories can highlight the injustices and oppression that others might experience, and thus heighten our awareness of it. Consider The Diary of Anne Frank which put a human face on the plight of Jews during the Nazi regime.
  • Stories can change the world. Stories can broaden and impact people’s views, which in turn can spark needed change. For example, Uncle Tom’s Cabin fueled the abolitionist movement that ended slavery. While our own writing won’t necessarily change society on a grand scale, it might change individuals in some way by providing inspiration and insight that they might not have had before.

While Yates Martin speaks about the collective reasons for writing stories, there are personal ones too. We all have our personal reasons for writing and telling stories. I’ve compiled my own list of reasons below:

  • Writing stories presents a new challenge to my skillset. I’ve always been a competent business writer, but writing fiction is a totally different animal. It wasn’t enough to be a good writer and string a series of sentences to create a cohesive thought. The question I wanted to answer for myself was: Could I become a good storyteller? Storytelling requires a different skillset than business journalism. Learning how to tell a good, compelling fiction story was a new challenge.
  • Writing stories calms me and keeps me grounded. With so much turmoil and uncertainty in the world, writing stories gives me a safe space away from all that. When I can put those disruptive news stories out of my mind, I can focus on what really matters to me–my writing.
  • Writing stories is one thing I can control. With everything happening around us–from weather-related disasters to social and political strife–it can feel like the world is out of control or that we have no control over our environment. And in many cases, we can’t. I may not have control over the unsettling changes taking place in our world, but I do have control over the stories I write. I can control the direction of the plot, the narration, the dialogue, the way the characters may grow and change. I can control how the story ends–usually in a peaceful, happy way.
  • Writing stories allows me to give free rein to my imagination. Otherwise, those brilliant ideas dancing in my brain will only remain trapped there. By writing them down, I’m bringing them to life.
  • Writing stories enables me to communicate a message to others. This is usually through the story’s theme or a character’s words of wisdom. I might be too afraid to speak for myself, so through stories, I can let a character do the talking for me.

The next time you feel tempted to walk away from your desk and give up on your story, or if you have trouble finding the motivation to write, think about why you do this. Why do you write stories? Why are you writing this particular story? Because writing stories not only can change the world, it can change you. 

What Is The Best Format for Your Story Idea: Novel, Novella or Short Story?

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Imagine that you’ve come up with a great idea for a story. You haven’t seen it published anywhere else, and you’re sure that people would read it. Only question is: should you write it as a short story, a novella or a novel?

“What’s the difference?” you might ask. 

Word counts is the short and easy answer. Depending on the length of your story, it may fall into one of several story categories:

* Novel–70,000 to 100,000 words (although some novels have been less than 70,000 words and others have exceeded the upper limit, depending on genre.)

* Novella–17,500 words to 40,000 words

* Novelette–7,500 words to 17,500 words

* Short story–Less than 7,500 words

With short stories, there’s an economy of words and action. Since you don’t have a lot of space, descriptions, backstory and exposition are limited, and there are no subplots. Full-length novels allow more time and space for exposition and backstory, setting and character development. Short stories are like a weekend getaway while novels are a month-long retreat at a luxury spa. Novellas, which fall in between, are more like your typical one-week vacation.

To learn more about these differences, check out this helpful resource from Reedsy about word counts for different genres.

How do you know where your story idea fits? Should it be a short story, a novella or a novel?.

To answer this question, I recommend fleshing out your story idea as much as you can. Jot down scene ideas, characters, plot points using post-it notes or index cards. The more details you have about your story will determine what type of format you’ll need. 


Once you’ve plotted your scenes and made your character list, consider these questions:

1. What is the main problem the characters are trying to resolve? Is it a complex problem with layers of complications? Or is it fairly simple and straightforward?

2. Are there any subplots? A full-length novel might have one or two subplots while a short story and novella won’t have any.

3. How many characters are featured in your story? If there are a few characters, it’ll most likely be a short story. Longer sagas like historical fiction or science fiction/fantasy will likely have a cast of several dozen, while a short story will be limited to a handful of people. Romance novels are roughly a dozen or less.

4. Are you writing this story in multiple POVs? More likely, it’ll fall into the novel category. You won’t see multiple POVs in a short story. You might find one other POV in a novella.

5. What is your story’s genre? Historical fiction and fantasy tend to run longer, around 100,000 words. Romance novels tend to be between 70,000 to 90,000 words. Understanding your genre will help you determine whether your story should be a novel, novella or short story.

If after answering these questions, you’re still not sure what format your story should take, try this exercise. Write the story first as a short story with one point of view, a few essential characters and limited backstory. Keep to the necessary action. Then set it aside for a few weeks. Come back to it later with a fresh eye or have a friend or writing colleague review it with you. Decide what works and what doesn’t. 

If the story seems complete as is, then it probably works best as a short story. But if you feel there’s more to the story than what you wrote, rewrite your story, this time as a novella (up to 40,000 words). This time add the elements you think are missing, whether that’s world building, setting or characters. Maybe present a second point of view. 

When you’re finished, review it again. Does the story work better? If in doubt, ask a couple of beta readers to review the manuscript and give you feedback. If, based on their feedback, you still want to expand the story, perhaps add a subplot, then you can rewrite it as a full-length novel. 

The point is to start small and work your way up, testing out your story idea at each phase to see which format works best.  

Here’s another exercise to try: Visit your local bookstore or library, or browse your own collection. Note the size and length of certain genres. Some genres simply work better as shorter pieces. Historical fiction and fantasy tend to be longer while romance works well as a novella. .

Throughout this creative process, trust your instinct. More often than not, your gut will tell you what format will work best for your story idea. When you close your eyes and visualize what the story looks like, sometimes you just know what format your story should be. 

Deciding what format your story should be isn’t as difficult as you might think. The magic comes when you begin to see your story come to life on the page.

Seven Excuses Writers Make to Avoid Calling Themselves a Writer

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When I first started writing fiction in earnest several years ago, I would call myself an “aspiring writer.” I still occasionally call myself an “aspiring novelist.” Only after hearing a published author suggest dropping the qualifier “aspiring” and simply say “I am a writer” did I feel brave enough to do that. When I did, something funny happened. I felt liberated and empowered, like I had grown wings and could fly whenever I wanted to.

Adding a qualifying term like “aspiring” to your writing title is like riding a bike with training wheels. Those wheels might help you learn to ride the bike, but at some point, you have to take them off and start pedaling.

“Adding ‘aspiring’ may feel small and inconsequential, but it’s not,” writes Lisa Fellinger, author of Write with Confidence: Shatter Self-Limiting Beliefs and Finish Your Book, at the Jane Friedman blog.  “It reinforces the belief that you’re not quite there yet, that you haven’t earned the title. Every time you call yourself an aspiring writer, you’re feeding the imposter syndrome that keeps you stuck.”

It doesn’t matter how much experience you have with writing either. Published authors struggle with this as much as novice writers. For example, at the KillZoneBlog, thriller writer James Scott Bell admits that he struggled to call himself a writer even after he had several published books under his belt. 

So why are so many writers reluctant to call themselves a writer? Fellinger hinted at one reason: imposter syndrome. But I can think of several other possible reasons for this avoidance tactic. 

  1. I haven’t published anything yet.”

    Maybe your current project is a work-in-progress. Never mind that you’ve been working on it for the past five years or longer, and you have nothing published to show for your  hard work. You believe that only published writers are worthy of the title. But the reality is as long as you show up and put in the effort, you’ve already earned the title of writer. So don’t shy away from it.

  2. “I don’t get paid for my writing; it’s volunteer work.”

    Many writers believe that they haven’t truly arrived as a writer until they’ve been paid for their work. Payment legitimizes their writing, and by extension, legitimizes the title of writer. Again, it’s about showing up and making the effort, not the final product or the reward. For many writers, writing is the reward.

  3. “My writing is a hobby, nothing more.”

    Maybe you already have a full-time job that pays the bills, such as accounting, teaching or fixing cars. That’s how you identify yourself. Writing may only be a hobby and you have no desire or expectation of publishing success. Perhaps you write for fun and relaxation. The belief is you can’t truly call yourself a writer if you’re only writing as a hobby. But in life, we wear many hats. Who’s to say that you can’t identify with several personas–a teacher, a mother and a writer? It’s okay to call yourself a writer, even if it is a hobby or side hustle. It’s the effort that matters.

  4. “No one knows I’m writing. This is a secret passion and I haven’t told anyone.”

    If no one knows that you’re writing, then you don’t have to explain yourself to anyone and you don’t have to openly call yourself a writer. Perhaps you believe no one will understand this strange compulsion to write. But the truth is that as long as you’re putting in the work–even in secret–you’re still a writer. What you’re lacking is confidence. If this sounds like you, try this experiment. Stand in front of the mirror and tell yourself, “I am a writer.” Keep saying it until you feel comfortable. Then reach out to your closest friend or family member, someone you know and trust, and speak those words to them too. With repetition and practice, you may eventually believe you are a writer.

  5. “I’m not a very good writer.”

    An inability to call yourself a writer may stem from a belief that your writing isn’t good.  The belief is that only the best writers deserve to be called writers. The truth is that no writer starts out their careers at the top of their game. In fact, many of them aren’t very good at all. But they became successful by working at their craft. Most writers produce really bad first drafts (sometimes even second and third drafts). That doesn’t make them any less of a writer. Through persistent, hard work, their writing improved. So will yours. It’s the effort that counts.

  6. “I’m afraid that once I call myself a writer, I will have to take this writing habit of mine more seriously.”

    Yes, that is likely true. Calling yourself a writer means making a stronger commitment to the writing journey and becoming the best writer you can be. It means doing the things that will improve your craft. Saying “I am a writer” shows confidence in your talents, even if you don’t necessarily feel that way inside. Sometimes you have to fake it to make it. Start calling yourself a writer and see what follows.

  7. “I was told when I was younger that writing is not a suitable, respectable or legitimate career path.”

    Sadly, many writers have heard this criticism. If someone has convinced you that writing  is a waste of time, you’ve got some work to do. Thanks to this brainwashing (because that’s what this is), you’ve avoided calling yourself a writer to prove to critics that you’re toeing the line. Worse, you’ve probably avoided writing at all. But deep down, that urge to write is still strong. I say, write anyway. What matters more is how you feel about writing. So the next time you take a shower, prepare dinner or lie in bed before sleeping, tell yourself “I am a writer.” Keep repeating it like an affirmation. Before long, the words will sink in

Many writers have overcome these mental obstacles to create satisfying, respectable and legitimate writing careers. Think about your own excuses for not calling yourself a writer. What’s holding you back? What can you do to change your mindset and proudly say, “I am a writer?”