While my latest work in progress is off with beta readers, I turned my attention to another manuscript, the 4th book in my YA series, Blackbirch. The last time I worked on this MS was in 2017. Since that time, the first 2 books in the series have been published (in 2o20) and the 3rd …
Every writer has either a desk drawer or a folder on their computer with a manuscript they started but never quite completed. It might be because the idea was only good for two chapters, they could never dig their way out of a major plot hole, or life became more important than writing the final …
Continue reading Signs You’re Afraid of Finishing Your Manuscript
Some (rambling) thoughts about the MS I have out on submission. Let me know if you can relate... This is the draft where I saw everything that was wrong. This is the draft that broke me. This is the draft where I wanted to give up. This is the draft I learned from. This is …
There’s a reason it’s a good idea to not show anyone early drafts, and that’s because it’s usually full of writing that should be cut. And these cuts aren’t darlings—writing that’s good but doesn’t fit with the story—they’re the parts of your MS that will make it stronger once you’ve removed them. They are the weak …
Continue reading 8 Early Draft Cuts For A Stronger Manuscript
K.M. Allan 