drafting
Keep writing
Why finishing chapter one twice is not wasted time
You've rewritten chapter one twice mid-draft and it feels like failure. It isn't. Here's why revising your opening is normal, and when to stop and write forward instead.5 min read
Keep writing
The draft you abandoned isn't dead, it's dormant
That file you haven't opened in months isn't finished, it's just further away than usual. Here's how to actually get back into it without rereading everything.4 min read
Keep writing
Why you should stop rereading what you wrote yesterday
Opening every session by polishing yesterday's pages feels like warming up. It's actually the most reliable way to turn a writing session into zero new words.4 min read
Craft
Show, don't tell is bad advice half the time
Show, don't tell gets treated as an absolute rule. It isn't. Here's how to tell which moments in your novel actually need to be shown, and which ones are better told.4 min read
Keep writing
Why editing while you draft is why you're stuck
You reread, tighten a sentence, reread again. Weeks pass and the word count hasn’t moved. You’ve been working the whole time, just at the wrong task entirely.4 min read
Guide
How to write an opening line that hooks a reader
An opening line is not there to be quotable. It sets a contract with the reader about what kind of attention to pay, and most fail by promising the wrong thing.4 min read
Craft
The false start you throw away isn't wasted work
Abandoned first chapters aren't failures. They're how a writer finds the story before committing to it, and refusing to let them go is what stalls page one for months.5 min read
Craft
The case for writing a bad first draft
Perfectionism doesn't fail novels for lack of talent. It fails them by revising sentence three before sentence four exists. The two jobs have to stay separate.4 min read
Keep writing
Why rereading yesterday's pages is stalling your draft
Rereading yesterday's scene feels like progress, but it usually means editing instead of writing. Here is a simpler way back into a draft you have not opened in a while.4 min read