Navigate your
writing journey
Learn how to successfully publish your book.
How to describe setting: 6 ways to bring setting to life
Knowing how to describe setting vividly helps you craft settings that mirror your characters' psychologies and personalities. A character's home, for example, can give readers insightful details about them. Here are six ways to bring setting to life (sign up to Now Novel to get feedbac...
December 19th, 2016
Read post...
10 of 2016's best articles on writing
Read our list of 10 useful and insightful posts on the craft and psychology of writing from the past year: 1. ‘6 Tips for How to Organize your Novel’s Edits’ – K.M. Weiland Katie Weiland shares helpful tips for how to edit your novel methodically. Weiland advises to ‘clear out th...
December 15th, 2016
Read post...
Best writing articles: Top of 2016
As the year draws to a close, we're rounding up the most popular posts from the Now Novel blog in 2016 as well as some of the best writing articles for authors from around the web: 2016's best writing articles on Now Novel 1. How to write a book series: 10 tips for writing smash ...
December 12th, 2016
Read post...
How to end a book: 8 tips for a rewarding read
If you want to become a better author, learning how to end a book well is crucial. After the final page, the reader shouldn't feel how Dorothy Parker did when she (allegedly) wrote in a review, 'This is not a book to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force'. Here are 8 tips...
November 21st, 2016
Read post...
How to write backstory but not bog down your book
Telling character backstory is sometimes necessary to show why your character has a specific motivation or mindset. Yet it's important to learn how to write backstory that will not bog your novel down in constant harking back to prior events that occurred before the present time of your nar...
November 17th, 2016
Read post...
How to find time to write: 9 tips to get words down
Many aspiring authors have to learn how to find time to write with a full-time job. Being a stay-at-home parent also involves roles and responsibilities that can make writing time scarce. Read 9 tips for making time to write despite other tasks and distractions and getting more words on the page...
November 10th, 2016
Read post...
7 ways to stop saying 'my writing sucks' and write a book
'My writing sucks' is easy to tell yourself, but this is a story that all too often ends in writer's block. Instead, use these 7 tips to find a way through self-doubt and just write your novel: List what you need to improve and create your own boot camp Keep realistic expectations of your fi...
November 7th, 2016
Read post...
Novel settings: 7 tips to get setting description right
Setting is the time and place that forms the backdrop for your story. Good novel settings require imaginative and vivid description. Immerse your readers in a mesmerizing fictional world and they will want to turn the page, not close the book. Here are 7 simple tips for getting your setting desc...
November 3rd, 2016
Read post...
Writing your first novel: 10 starter tips for success
Writing your first novel is fun but also a challenge. It helps to put in place the structure, habits and resources you need to keep going until you reach the final page. Whether you're writing your first novel for NaNoWriMo or merely want to start a new novel on strong footing, here are 10 ...
October 27th, 2016
Read post...
How to create a believable character: 8 tactics
Believable characters are the lifeblood of great stories. Get inspired and start creating characters readers love using these 8 tactics: How to create believable characters: Do preliminary character sketches Ask your story's cast of characters questions Give characters wants and needs (go...
October 24th, 2016
Read post...
How to describe eyes in a story: 7 simple tips
Learning how to describe eyes in a story without resorting to cliché helps set your writing apart from amateurish fiction. Describing eyes is a handy literary tool to show your character's complex emotions. Many beginning authors over-rely on eye descriptions and eye color to create an impressio...
October 20th, 2016
Read post...
Now Novel's NaNoWriMo Hub: How to be NaNoWriMo Winners
NaNoWriMo winners who reach the 50,000-word mark learn how to prepare, persevere and finish writing a novel under pressure. Use these resources to succeed and join their ranks: NaNoWriMo Preparation The NaNoWriMo rules don’t let you use any pre-written draft material. You have to start afr...
October 11th, 2016
Read post...
