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Tag: advice

How To Add Unpredictability To Your Story

On November 11, 2022 By K.M. Allan19 Comments

When you think of a compelling read, the fact you couldn’t see any of the twists and turns happening is probably one reason why you couldn’t put the book down. Unpredictability in a story is such a fun feature to come across as a reader, and something any writer will benefit from in their own …

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How To Give Your Characters Conflict

On September 9, 2022September 21, 2022 By K.M. Allan25 Comments

When it comes to penning a story, there are a few essential ingredients to add to the mix, and one of them is conflict. Why? Because humans love drama. That’s the reason reality TV shows are still around and why readers enjoy stories that use conflict to hold their interest. Does that mean your book …

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4 Reasons To Use Internal Thoughts In Your Writing

On May 27, 2022 By K.M. Allan32 Comments

While there are just as many writing tricks as there are ways to tell a story, there are some specific ones that can help make your book something special, and one of those is internal thoughts. If you’ve never heard of the concept, it’s where you let the reader inside a character’s head by writing …

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Taking Stock: Resetting To Hit Your Writing Goals

On December 17, 2021December 17, 2021 By K.M. Allan17 Comments

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 …

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How To Stop Self-Sabotaging Your Writing Progress

On October 8, 2021 By K.M. Allan31 Comments

As writers, we’ve all had those moments when it’s been hard to sit down and write. It could be because other responsibilities have kept us away from our writing desks, or illness has sidelined us. Then there are those times when we’ve been able to write and we just… don’t. When that happens, it’s down …

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Motivational Tricks To Keep You Working On Your Manuscript

On April 23, 2021 By K.M. Allan31 Comments

When you set out to write a novel, you quickly learn that it takes a lot of drafts. There’s the first draft, which is laying down the story. The second works out what the story is missing, and every draft after is refining until it becomes the finished book. How many drafts that takes depends …

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5 Ways To Describe A Character Without Using The Clichéd Mirror Look

On April 9, 2021 By K.M. Allan28 Comments

Just as book trends see certain genres fall in and out of favor, there are certain elements of books that once worked but now no longer do. One such example is the clichéd mirror look, aka when the author has the MC look in a mirror and describe themselves so the reader knows how they …

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The Chapter Checklist

On March 19, 2021 By K.M. Allan17 Comments

If you follow me on social media, you’ll know I’ve spent the last few months editing my latest WIP. It’s book 3 in my Urban Fantasy YA series, Blackbirch, and I’m aiming to have it published in the first half of this year. I spent most of 2020 rewriting the draft I penned back in …

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Writing Do’s And Don’ts: Room Settings

On March 5, 2021March 5, 2021 By K.M. Allan23 Comments

There are so many things to include when penning a book. Not only do you need to create relatable characters, a plot that works, and a world that is believable, but you need to fill that world with details. One thing that can be easy to overlook when it comes to details is room settings. …

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K.M. Allan

K.M. Allan

YA writer and blogger. Author of The Blackbirch Series, The Beginning, The Dark Half, and The Ritual (books 1, 2 & 3) are out now! I'm also an identical twin, but not the evil one.

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Blackbirch: The Beginning

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Did you catch my latest blog post about adding Time Blocking to your #WritingRoutine to help you focus, procrastinate less, & curb time-wasting habits? If not, check out the link in my bio.
And this week’s new read is The Rarkyn’s Familiar by @nikkymlee, an action-packed fantasy full of mythical creatures & revenge. I’m also reading through my 6th #ChristopherPike book for January & it happens to be the very first Pike #book I ever read—Witch. What are you currently #reading?
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