Who has come across the writing advice to leave a writing session mid-sentence and make a note of where to pick up the next day? It’s something I heard years ago and have used in the past. Just recently, I was editing my latest draft and not feeling enthusiastic about it. I’m already a few …
While the key to being an excellent writer is practice, practice, practice, getting that practice can be tough. It requires a regular writing habit, which can be hard to forge and easy to drop when life gets in the way. Even if you can consistently write, distractions and interruptions can waste precious writing time. When …
Welcome to the 2021 Blog Roundup! As is the tradition since the start of my blog in 2017, I'm rounding up the year that was, as well as my December! Despite spending the majority of the year in lockdown yet again, the last few months have flown by. In January, I completed a few writing …
Just like handover notes will help when coming back to a project after time away, taking stock as you move from one year to the next is a great habit to get into. It also helps shift you into the right head and physical space to achieve your writing goals, with a reset if you're …
Continue reading Taking Stock: Resetting To Hit Your Writing Goals
Yes, that’s right, we’ve reached December again! That magical time when the weeks fly by in a flurry of to-do lists, gift buying, and trying to finish the goals we wanted to achieve this year before next year’s new ones kick in. It’s a frantic time, especially for writers on deadlines or those fresh off …
Continue reading More Holiday Gifts For The Writer In Your Life
Welcome to the November 2021 roundup! Well, I guess I shouldn't have spent last month's roundup boasting about my latest work in progress being only a few beta reads away from being ready 😂. The feedback showed I still had plenty of work to do, so that's what I've been doing this month for Blackbirch 3—draft …
Recently, I received some feedback from beta readers after sending them what seemed like the millionth version of my latest WIP. Already up to draft 9, I was hoping this was the one where I’d ironed out the problems raised in the previous round of feedback. I had not. The issues were still there, and …
Continue reading What To Do When You’ve Made A Mess Of Your MS
Well, you did it. You took that spark of an idea, fleshed it out into an entire book, edited the last page for the last time, and finished one final read-through. The book is done. At least it should be. As proud as you were, there was a little voice in your head as you …
Continue reading Editing Tips: What To Check When It Feels Like Something Is Missing
Welcome to the October 2021 roundup! After spending 262 (non-consecutive) days of the last 18 months at home, we're finally out of lockdown! Unfortunately, our case numbers here in Victoria are still high (relative to our country, I know case numbers are higher elsewhere), so we still have restrictions in play, but our vaccination rates …
K.M. Allan 