Almost every great story follows a fundamental structure that captivates readers and viewers alike — the three-act structure. Act 1 establishes the world and characters, Act 3 concludes the story, but it’s Act 2 where the real magic happens: the midpoint. This pivotal moment in your narrative can make or break your story’s momentum. In…
Editing a book may seem difficult, but it doesn't have to be if you're structured. In this blog post, I will go through the different steps I go through when editing a manuscript.
Editing Step by Step
Take a break from the manuscript. Preferably for four weeks so that you can distance yourself from what…
To master the art of storytelling you have to understand the structural elements of a story. That is why I am breaking down all the beats of the three act story structure, and today we’re taking a closer look at the first pinch point. The first pinch point is a critical milestone in story structure…
Character development is something that drives a lot of stories.
A well-crafted character arc adds depth and resonance to your story, making it memorable for your audience. In this video I go through some of the basics of three common character arcs: The positive change arc, the negative change arc, and the flat arc.
Character arcs…
It's preptober, which means that many of us who intend to participate in NaNoWriMo 2023 are planning and preparing the stories that we are going to write during November. In this post, I will go through how I prepare for the competition.
How do you best prepare for Nanowrimo?
Choose which writing project you want…
When it comes to the world of thrillers, few authors have made as much of an impact as Dan Brown. Known for his gripping narratives, intricate plots, and spellbinding mysteries, Dan Brown has become a household name in the literary world. For aspiring writers looking to master the art of thriller writing, there's no better…
My answer is: no, not yet! When Chat GPT was launched last fall, many creators and authors panicked and thought that AI would take over! But so far these fears have not been realized. Sure, the occasional book created by Chat GPT has been released, but so far the quality of these books is quite…
Writing the perfect book is something a lot of aspiring writers strive for. I've been a writer for more than ten years and have gained some valuable insights over the years that transformed not only my writing process but also my perspective on what it means to create something truly exceptional. In this blog post,…
How do you become a fulltime writer?Is it possible to go from being a fulltime employee to becoming a fulltime writer in just one year? Let's find out in A Year of Writing, a podcast about writing, productivity, and marketing. My name is Natalie and I am your host.
This year, I've decided to go…
Writing good dialog is an art that requires practice and finesse. In this article, I will go through four things that are important to make the dialog feel believable.
If you want to become better at writing dialog, listen to strangers talking to each other on the bus or in a coffee shop. What I…
"Write the first thing you do, before the tasks of the day pile up. Eat the frog, the first thing you do." A few weeks ago I read Chris Fox's book 5000 Words per Hour and it inspired me to start writing every day, the first thing I do in the morning.
Why should you…
Almost everyone I know say that they want to write a book at some point in their life. But almost no one writes a book, or even tries to. What is the appeal of writing? Why do we as humans love stories?
I have always loved writing. When I was young I wrote diaries and…