What Dreams May Come
Dreams are open to interpretation. Do they have a meaning at all or is it just a random method of our brains firing off broken synapses as it slows down for the night? For writers, dreams can spark an entire...
Category: Words and Phrases
All things writing. If it has to do with you putting words on paper (or the screen) you will find it here.
Voice, On!
Voice is imperative. It’s essential. It is everything. It is quite possible to have one of the greatest storylines ever created, the vast lands, the adorable and lovable characters, the perfect plot twists and the greatest ending ever penned by...
Abandoned Houses Make Great Stories
Old houses make great inspiration. Allow me to tell you a little tale. A personal experience of sorts, if you will. Following a government-backed reason for having to leave the UK, I find myself sleeping on the floor in a...
Research: The Conundrum
Research is touchy. Especially for writers. Women don’t like to feel made a fool of, or gullible. Men know everything and want to prove it. Readers, in general, don’t like being data dumped upon. There is a fine line between...
Hemingway and Other Things You Shouldn’t Talk About
Hemingway Said, You Do Not Talk About Writing Rule number one: You do not talk about writing. Rule number two: You do NOT talk about writing! I always picture Brad Pitt walking around telling a group of authors all the...
What The Hell Just Happened??!!
Not One to Believe Fear in Dreams, I Find Myself Wondering Eleven minutes ago, I was fast asleep. Cozy, comfortable, and snuggled down in a blanket (with one leg hanging out). Ten minutes ago, I was rudely awoken, and now...
Overcoming The Dreaded Blank Page
If there is one thing that every single writer faces it is the blank page. We can’t help but come across it. Every new project starts the same way: a new, shiny, blank page. Sometimes, we writers sit there, staring...
Archetype or Arc?
Story Arc and Archetype, Explained Today I will discuss story arc and story archetype. Wait. I hear you say. Aren’t they the same thing? I mean, arc is just an abbreviation of archetype, right? Well… no. They do have some...
Character-Driven Plot: Should You Be Writing This Way?
If you are pondering using a character-driven plot in your story, you have come to the right place. If you don’t know what the writing types are; you have come to the right place. Also, if you are looking for...
The Importance of Beta Readers
Do You Need A Beta Reader? No. You Need a Team of Beta Readers! Games have testers, books have readers. The idea behind them is the same: find a problem before it’s sent out for the masses. Beta-readers are the...
How Long Should A Chapter Be?
Chapter Length, Does it Matter? I ask myself this often. How long should a chapter be? Is there an optimal chapter length? The true answer is that there is no answer. The truth is realized when you understand… there is...
Playing God Is Torture
As a writer I have seen and heard it all. Everything from the mundane stereotypes all the way to the awkward assumptions. As a reader, I have read it all. Just like in movies, in a book everything has been...
Feb. 26 Writing Prompt
Another week’s worth of writing prompts gone and another weekend ahead. The shortened month has seemed to go really fast at times and slow to a crawl at others. Which brings me to today’s lesson/prompt. Time is a relative thing...
Introducing: 5-Draft Method Contributor, Hannah Bauman
Hannah Bauman is a professional, freelance literary editor. She is responsible for editing more books than I can count. Hannah was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to provide you with a fantastic Q&A session for...
Introducing: 5-Draft Method Contributor, Samantha Heuwagen
Samantha Heuwagen is a bilingual therapist and best selling author of The Starless Series. Not only was she kind enough to contribute to the Extra Draft Writing Method Masterclass (along with her cohort Dr. B), she also provided an insight...
How You Can Earn $1 Million (Part Two)
As we continue to look at how your particular skills can earn you money, we also remind you to keep thinking in terms of larger numbers. Your mindset is more important than you realize. Did you miss the first post...
Feb. 16 Writing Prompt
As the week is getting going, we are trying to defrost and thaw out, it is time to write, once again! Today’s prompt will be quick since I know we have a lot of real-life things to get to (apparently,...
Feb. 15 Writing Prompt
The Snopocalypse 2021 is upon us (and now I am dating myself for future releases of this DWP). Much of the US is frozen with rolling blackouts in some areas to help maintain electric power. Plus snow, sleet, freezing rain...
Feb. 12 Writing Prompt
TGIF! At least this year. In the future when you read this post on the 12th of February, it may not be a Friday. So let’s pour a drink for future us who will most likely be in the middle...
Feb. 10 Writing Prompt
This week we have been working on our character arcs. I know that the writing prompts have been more lesson and less prompt lately (except for this weekend), but I feel it is important to keep up on these things....
My Rough Draft is Perfect! Right?
The Rough Draft is a Perfect Draft, for What it is Is your rough draft perfect? Of course it is! Most writers think of the rough draft as the start, but it begins far sooner than that. Every writer is...
Creating Word Count Goals
Word Count Goals and How to Make Them It’s all around you as a writer: set your word count goals and stick to them. Writing goals, words per day goals, hours per session goals, and on and on and Scooby...
Feb. 03 Writing Prompt
I am letting you in on a little secret of mine that I use to lure readers in. I expect you to harness this power and use it only for good. Also, I expect you to keep it to yourself.
Do You Have to Write Every Day?
There are a couple of adages running around the writer’s community. “If you want to write better; read a lot.” Also, “if you want to write better, write a lot.“ “Write every day.” That is what they tell you. The...
Jan. 28 Writing Prompt
A little late today, but it is still today. For today’s writing prompt we will look at more practice opportunities to build up your scenes and develop your characters. Just a simple one today as it is getting late. But...
Want to be a Better Writer? Name Your Characters
Why name your characters? Characters aren’t just some random made-up beings that do our bidding. Okay, so they truly are. The problem is a lot of writers out there treat them as such. Doing so makes them unbelievable. Just like...
Knowing Your Characters – Why I Do it and so Should You
What do I mean, “Knowing Your Characters?” Have you ever watched a movie and cried when a character gave a long, emotional speech, or when two characters finally realize they are meant for each other and hug and kiss? Knowing your...
Jan. 24 Writing Prompt
Character development. That is the second theme of the year, following our scene building practice. Today is the final day for character development practices. Let’s recap. We started by learning how to take the time to develop every character that...
Jan. 23 Writing Prompt
Next to scene development, character development is the other most crucial aspect of your story. It is so important in fact, that you can have a best selling novel that has absolutely no plot or action as long as the...
Jan. 21 Writing Prompt
As we gear up for the weekend, let’s see if we can’t start something new. All this week we have worked on prompts that help us build and perfect scenes. We capped it off with a post all about setting...
Setting a Scene
Setting the scene is as important as creating real-to-life characters. It is an art form and you are the artist. As an artist, we have a plethora of ways to interact with those that wish to be entertained. We act,...
Jan. 20 Writing Prompt
In the last few prompts we have covered scene building, piece by piece. In case you missed it, here is the breakdown: Jan 16 – Focus on a perfect scene Jan 17 – Using only dialogue Jan 18 – Using...
Jan. 19 Writing Prompt
This week has started a trend in the writing prompts to get you to practice certain aspects of scene building. Today, we will continue that trend. So far we have built a scene using only dialogue and we have built...
Jan. 17 Writing Prompt
In yesterday’s prompt we talked about perfect practice. Today, we continue the trend but in a slightly different way. Today we will take something we aren’t good with and practice making it better. Because this prompt is generic and I...
Creating Characters, Building Lives
Creating characters isn’t just about putting a name to some random text speaking entity. As the author, you play God. You breathe life into these paper dolls. More goes into even that though, at least for me. When I first...
Jan. 16 Writing Prompt
Hello kids! Today’s writing prompt is a little more straight forward. While there is still an element of teaching involved (as always) it is more about repetition. Practice. There is an old saying that practice makes perfect. But this isn’t...
Jan. 15 Writing Prompt
Today we mark the half-way point of the month! Congratulations on making it this far into the new year. I hope that you are still working on your goals, resolutions, plans or whatever changes you told yourself you would make...
Jan. 14 Writing Prompt
The weekend is coming and it is time to start thinking about your stories. One of the most difficult things to do when writing is to build your scene. Scene building is actually a simple thing. You have a character...
Writer’s Block Doesn’t Exist??
First and foremost, please forgive any semblance of attitude this post may bear. I have been taken out of my sorts by a recent article I read about writer’s block. In short: it pissed me off. I will not link...
Jan. 12 Writing Prompt
On the 12th day of writing prompts, my true love gave to me, 12 writing prompts, 11 writing lessons, 10…(trails off). Not only am I starting today’s prompt with some silliness, I am also going to read your mind. Ready...
Jan. 11 Writing Prompt
Shall we continue our New Year’s tradition with the 11th writing prompt of the year? Yes! Okay, then. This lesson is geared to ALL writing types. I don’t care if it is poetry, copywriting, novels, those notes you make on...
Why You Should Read Your Work Out Loud
As writers, we tend to have this belief in ourselves that can only come from the inside. It is a great thing. That little voice inside that tells us “You can do it, this is fantastic, keep going!” It’s that...
Jan. 10 Writing Prompt
For the 10th, the writing prompt will focus more to the screenwriter. However, the novelist will get a good challenge from it, too. One disadvantage that screenwriters face (compared to novelists), is that they have a much more limited area...
Jan. 09 Writing Prompt
I am a little late to the party today guys, I apologize. But, since it is still technically the 9th where I am (at least for a couple more hours) it still counts! Today’s prompt is another specialized one. It...
Jan. 08 Writing Prompt
For the second Friday of January (If you are reading this in 2021), the writing prompt is going to be a little crazy, a little zany, a little… Well, you get the idea. There aren’t a lot of rules today,...
Jan. 07 Writing Prompt
A week into the new year and we are still going strong. If you haven’t been following along, there is still time to catch up. Just click here to see all the writing prompts and get to work! Your stories...
The Biggest Killer: Self-Doubt
Literary agents, publishers, editors, synopses, query letters… all scary things, all demanding, demeaning. Sometimes they can be daunting, haunting, loathing as well as loathed. Oftentimes heartbreaking, disconcerting, dispiriting. None of them hold a candle to yourself. You truly are your...
Jan. 06 Writing Prompt
Today’s prompt will be something fairly easy for a lot of you. If you are a creative writer, then it will be a huge advantage. On the other hand, if you struggle with writing, then the prompt may be more...
Jan. 05 Writing Prompt
For today’s prompt I want to go in a little different direction. Instead of writing whatever comes to your mind, I want to tell you exactly what to write. In doing so, I hope to convey a few truths. Even...
How to Get Organized, Be Productive, Overcome Struggles
Get Organized! Boost Productivity! Overcome Struggles! Does this sound like some sales pitch? It should. I’m trying to sell you some good shit. No need to meet behind a convenience store and swap brown paper bags, though. What I have...
Jan. 04 Writing Prompt
I could have done anything once a day for this blog and for my readers. So why did I choose writing prompts? Writing prompts server several purposes, depending on your needs. If, for example, you run a blog and need...
Jan. 03 Writing Prompt
People ask me about the daily writing prompts (well, okay, no one asks me – BUT, I figure it is at least worth mentioning). “What happens if I miss a day?” I assume they are talking about themselves, but since...
Jan. 02 Writing Prompt
A new day, a new prompt. I am excited. So no long-winded set of rules or superfluous introductions. Let’s just get on with the prompt. January 02 Everything is rubber! You knew your day was going to be weird, how...
Daily Writing Prompts
New to the blog this go round is the daily writing prompts. The idea here is that I will stop in once a day and post a prompt for you to work with. I will write to that same prompt...
A Synopsis, After A Query, Starting With a Hook
Write me a synopsis. But first, write me a query. Make sure you start your query letter with a hook. Writing about what you have written about makes as much sense as skinning a lion before it is dead. Synopsis,...
A Brief History of the Masterclass
Where did The Extra Draft Writing Course come from? Here is a brief history of its conception through today (Plus a BONUS SURPRISE announcement!!). Are you ready to get personal? It All Started About 10 Years Ago… It all started...
Measure Success
How does a writer measure success? The easy answer is in number of books sold. After all, that is what the publishers look for and what they return to for a second book or more. What about those writer’s that...
What You Said…