“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” Octavia Butler
A Writing Tool
Are you ready to start a novel and write through to "The End"? A new tool to help you build the foundation you need to write strong to the end is the Next Step Novel Prep online course. This self-directed course has exercises and questions to help you envision your book, build robust characters, and create a meaningful story. Feedback and coaching upgrades are available.
Craft Tip
Before you start writing your novel, ask yourself who your audience is. The easy answer - and one new writers love to give - is that their novel will appeal to everyone. It is so much more powerful to write your novel to a small group of people, moms with autistic kids, your book club, even one person in your book club. When you can write with that person in mind, you write a book that is specific and personal. A book like that will have appeal to many readers. A book written for everyone often appeals to no one.
There's a Story Here: Baja California, Mexico, 2001
What story would you write about this photo?
Next Step Book Coach - If you're ready to start your novel, are stuck in the middle, or have finished and need to know what to do next - we can help.