The path I took to become a full-time writer, I don't think, is all that unique. But one of the biggest things that helped me was reading posts like this from authors who were where I wanted to be. I've mentioned it before in tons of my craft articles, but I used other authors' careers as a guide map.
Category: Advice
How I Write: Scheduling My Writing
I write and edit ... a lot. It's my all-time everyday oxygen-blood. It is what fuels me. Yes, it's also my work, but writing is the thing I would do even if my career was in some other industry. Creating stories and thinking about them ARE the things I do instead of most other things. But it's also something that doesn't just happen.
How I Write: A New Story a Day
August is my short story challenge month, where I attempt to write a short story (+1,500-words) every day. I wanted to share how I'm able to write a new story within an hour a majority of days.
How I Write: Using Scene Cards to Tell a Story
On index cards sometimes just on a dry erase board or poster board, writers build a story just by its scenes. Instead of writing it out word by word, they draw or sketch it with images or words. Sometimes it'll just be something as simple as 'The Bad Man Dies' and some sketch of how the scene should look or take place.
How I Write: Spreadsheeting a Novel
One of my favorite steps in the writing, editing, and revising process is spreadsheeting my story. Spreadsheeting a novel is when a writer or editor takes a story and breaks it out into a spreadsheet summarizing the story on the scene level.
How to Organize Your Desk as a Writer
Are you optimizing your space for success?
My Method for Selling Over 200 Stories
Examples of pitches that have landed me up to $28,000
8 Stellar Outlining Techniques for the Smart Writer
Outlining processes for the beginner, intermediate, or advanced writer.
Top Performing Subject Lines for Creative Writing Newsletters
These 5 subject lines have the best open rates and performances for authors and writers with newsletters.
100 Lessons I Learned Writing 321 Stories
In 6 months, I've done a lot of writing, learning, and growing. I want to share some of that with you.