After much trial and error, I think I’ve finally found the writing method that works the best for me. At least, for short stories. It blends elements of both pantsing and plotting, providing structure and freedom at the same time. It's not wholly original, but rather an amalgam of different advice I've been given over … Continue reading My Short Story Method + Writing Update
writing advice
Training for a Novel (Writing Update)
Recently, I've been putting in 5 to 7 hours of reading and writing a day. I’m in training. Like any athlete, I need to condition, to push myself, to master the skills of the game. This may seem excessive, but Stephen King recommends at least 4 to 6 hours daily and Dean Koontz is known … Continue reading Training for a Novel (Writing Update)
How I Write a Novel
Some of my novel/novella manuscripts I believe that there are very few rules to writing. No one way to do it. For instance, one of the most common designations of writers is plotter or pantser (i.e., outline or no outline). I am firmly (if not obsessively) in the former category, but for every author it’s … Continue reading How I Write a Novel
Too Many Notebooks
Some of the myriad notebooks crammed into my study There are very few things I love more than the crisp, white pages of a new notebook. The massive stack on my shelves (as well as in storage) attests to that. Ever since I became semi-literate, I’ve recorded anything and everything. As a child, it was … Continue reading Too Many Notebooks
10 Favorite Writing Tips
My writing library When searching the Internet for writing advice, you’ll come across a lot of the same information. These are the basics: avoid adverbs, use an active voice, utilize all five senses, etc. And while these are important tips (I don’t like to use the word “rules”), there is so much more out there. … Continue reading 10 Favorite Writing Tips
Zé Burns | Blog 