Menu

Nick Bailey

Contributor

Nick Bailey writes about anything and everything in the realm of writing and publishing. From articles about honing your craft to launching your book, Nick aims to provide valuable insights and practical tips to the NowNovel community in his posts. Aside from stories, Nick enjoys hiking, electronic music, and filling up his personal cookbook with new recipes.

Recent posts

How to fix passive voice (and other common issues)

Knowing how to fix passive voice and other common grammar and style issues ensures a cleaner, more impactful draft. Read 7 tips for improving weak writing style: 7 ways to make your language more active: Fix passive voice not used for effect Substitute weak verbs Avoid unintended tautolog...

September 7th, 2020

Read post...

Dialogue 101: Using dialogue tags vs action tags

How do you show who's speaking in dialogue? When do you use 'she said'? When do you not? How else can you show a person's emotions or state of mind in conversation? Read definitions clarifying the uses of dialogue tags vs action tags, and examples that illustrate effective dialogue attribution: ...

August 3rd, 2020

Read post...

Plot hole pitfalls: 7 tips to avoid and fix

A plot hole, like a glaring grammar or typographical error, takes your reader out of the story. Read definitions of types of plot holes, plus 7 tips to avoid and fix them: What is a plot hole? A plot hole in a novel, film, play or other story medium is a gap (as the word 'hole' implies) in...

April 6th, 2020

Read post...

9 NaNoWriMo lessons for next year and beyond

Whether or not you participate, there are useful NaNoWriMo lessons and insights to discover each year, in the writing community's discussions, celebrations and lamentations on writing. Read 9 NaNoWriMo insights applicable to all writers: 1. Get a head start on writing while motivated Writi...

December 2nd, 2019

Read post...

The writing process: 10 tips from Writers & Artists

The writing process is something every author finds a way to navigate. Writers & Artists: The Insider Guide to the Media regularly interviews authors about their process. Read tips from 10 established authors' writing routines and approaches: 1. Have a schedule There's truth to the say...

November 11th, 2019

Read post...

How do you start a chapter in a novel? 10 examples

How do you start a chapter in a novel to hook your reader and structure your story? These 10 examples reveal ways to make your chapter beginning count: 1. Introduce urgent current or impending action Consider the opening paragraph to the first chapter of Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer-winning w...

November 4th, 2019

Read post...