If not, no worries. Believe me, the second half of a book is always quicker to write, especially with that shining light of “The End” glowing ever closer.

And if you have absolutely no clue what I am talking about then you aren’t neck deep in NaNoWriMo

, or National Novel Writing Month. I’ve been dabbling in it this year, but only from the sidelines as a coach and teacher. No offense, but it is a lot more fun to watch from the sidelines like some NFL coach.

Here’s me:

“Yeah, Writer, I know that hit … Read more »

Are you ready to be off and writing? NaNoWriMo–National Novel Writing Month–which challenges a writer to draft a book in a month–begins next week and so before you begin furiously writing your story, I have three tips to ensure your story keeps moving forward for NaNoWriMo success.

1. Before You Start

Prewrite. Over this weekend, consider jotting down an outline for your story. It can be as simple as setting up your Scrivener files and filling your Corkboard with all the ideas you have brimming around inside of you! You’ll find as you fill out your story, more ideas … Read more »

If you are like me, your writing time is both precious and never long enough. So here are some of my methods to make sure you are getting the most pages out of your limited time.

1) Stop reading email, Tweets, Facebook, Instagram, et al. Okay, maybe that’s a little drastic, but how about printing out this little rule and stick it on your computer screen: Writing first, all the rest second. To make is easier, turn off all your alerts and anything that might nudge you to go take a peek. Stay on target.

2) Do as much pre-writing … Read more »

As you are working towards getting your story idea fleshed out, you will want to get your heroine ready for some Brazen action. Here is a quick checklist for creating the Brazen heroine. Sit down with a notebook or your character sheet and consider the following:

1) Write down your definition of Brazen

2) Look for examples from real life or history

• Determine society’s boundaries
• Research how other women broke those rules

3) Create your Heroine by giving her:

• An insurmountable goal or roadblocks
• Compelling motivation
• Skills and/or help
• Experience to help her deal with the world she’s about to