The value of beta readers: how to find and benefit from them

The breakdown of the traditional publishing model and increasing popularity of e-readers has opened up enormous opportunity for self published authors. But with this comes the shift of responsibility for everything from editing to marketing, which used to be done by print publishers. This means t...

Creating your own budget MFA in Creative Writing

Studying for an MFA in fiction writing can be expensive. Even though not everyone can afford to study creative writing at university, you can create your own budget MFA in creative writing. Pool writing resources and build a library of articles and tips to return to when you need ideas and inspir...

5 easy ways to research your novel

Writers tend to be split in their feelings about research with some enjoying it and others dreading it. Almost every writer will need to do at least a little research from time to time, but there are a number of methods available to get you the information that you need. Not every novel requi...

How to self-edit your writing: 8 tips

Learning how to self-edit your writing empowers you to polish your prose. Ernest Hemingway famously quipped that you should 'write drunk and edit sober'. You need a state of mental clarity that allows you to be methodical when editing. It often pays to read what published authors have to say...

Now Novel online writing groups: Improve your writing

Writing groups on the web are so popular because they provide a space to share work and get helpful feedback, wherever you are. This helps you stay focused on your writing goals. Unsure of whether or not you should join an online writing group? Here are five reasons why it could be the best choi...

How can I get help writing a book? 7 tips

If you've always wanted to write a novel but don't know where to start, or you start writing your book and get stuck, you're probably asking 'How can I get help writing a book?' It's easy to find help with each part of writing. 1. Join a writing group or community Writing fiction is sharin...

Being a fiction writing coach: 5 valuable lessons

Being a fiction writing coach gives daily insights into the common and different struggles aspiring authors face. It also helps us find solutions we can apply to challenges in our own creative work. Here are 5 valuable lessons we've learned through working with diverse writers: 1. Beckett was...

Online writing courses: 7 tips to get more out

Online writing courses and workshops have many pros. Improving your writing without having to commute to meet-ups. Completing courses at your own pace and being able to fit when you engage around your own schedule. Use these tips to get the most from the next writing course you enroll in: ...

Updating our online writing tools: 8 lessons and changes

Over the past year, we've spoken to Now Novel members and visitors to better understand your writing challenges and processes.  We've funneled the insights people shared into exciting improvements to our story brainstorming and outlining tools, now live. Here are 8 lessons we learned and ho...

Story outlining: 7 ways to use Now Novel's dashboard

Whether you're outlining a new story idea or finding ways to connect scenes you've drafted into a structured narrative, use the Now Novel dashboard to finish easier. Use our story outlining tool to: 1. Develop and compare multiple story ideas When it's hard to choose between new ideas, cre...

Google Docs add-ons for writers: 6 of the best

Google Docs is already a useful free word processor. But these 6 Google Docs add-ons for writers will help you brainstorm, write and revise further: 1. ProWritingAid Billed as being ‘for the smarter writer’, ProWritingAid is a useful suite of editing tools for revising that messy first dra...

How to research for a book: 9 ways to prepare well

Deciding how to research for a book is a personal process, with much depending on your subject. Read 9 tips on how to research a novel: How to research for a book: Scope, process, tools Define the scope of research List headline research you'll need Do a 'quick and dirty' search ...