Novels -

06Oct 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

10 Articles to help you perfect that synopsis

[caption id="attachment_2277" align="alignleft" width="640"] How I feel about writing a synopsis (From https://pixabay.com/en/stress-man-hand-flame-burn-fire-864141/)[/caption]Writing a synopsis for your novel is a daunting task. You have to summarize an entire novel in two-four pages. Shorter novels (200 pages or less) shouldn't have a synopsis longer than two pages. A synopsis for a longer novel can go all the way up to four pages. Still, that's one page of synopsis for every hundred pages--or even less if your novel is more than four hundred pages long. I've been hammering away at the synopsis for my own novel, Moonshadow's Guardian, for about a week now and while I'm proud of what it looks like now this has been an incredibly painful process. And, like any part of writing I struggle with, I've done a…

29Sep 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

Why I’m NOT nervous to submit my novel to publishers

Inspirational, Novels, Writing

This past weekend I finished my most recent edit of Moonshadow's Guardian, a YA fantasy originally written as a Nanowrimo novel. I've already edited this novel several times--it's faced the most drastic changes of anything I've ever edited--and am mostly finished my query letter and synopsis. As I told my best friend the other day, it's time to send this novel out to publishers. And then she asked me the question: "Are you nervous? I might have stared into the phone like it was an alien for a while, because here's the thing: I'm not nervous. I already know some of the publishers I send my novel to will reject it. In fact, I know most of them will reject it. That's part of the gig. They might all reject…

02Jun 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

Why patience is particularly important for writers

Novels, Writing: The Process

[caption id="attachment_2170" align="alignleft" width="450"] I waited 10 years to get back to Scotland and it was totally worth it![/caption] To write a great book, one that leaves emotional impact, you need a great many tools, but one of the most important tools is patience. In fact, patience is as important as passion. Why is patience so important? Well, I think this quote explains it nicely: “A good book isn’t written, it’s rewritten.” ~Phyllis A. Whitney Rewriting is a natural part of the process, and every book needs a different number of rewrites to be transformed from a first draft into a great novel. Even the best writers sometimes go through seven or eight rewrites. And these rewrites often take varying amounts of time. Your first rewrite might take six months and…

26May 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

Great writing isn’t about structure, it’s about emotions

Novels

[caption id="attachment_2159" align="alignleft" width="200"] I read this book in London![/caption] What separates a great novel from a good one? What makes one book stand out in your mind forever while countless others drift off to be forgotten? What keeps you coming back to an author, time and time again? Your first instinct is probably to say something very writer-y. Something about the kind of plot, the worldbuilding, the characters. But it isn't really any of those things. I mean, it is--these things are all important--but these are the superficial things. What really makes a great book stand out from a good one is deeper than that. It's emotion, the emotion being poured out of the book and into you. The best books can make us laugh in one chapter…

24Mar 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

The first page of my novel — Care to critique?

Editing: The Hard Part, Novels

I was having a hard time coming up with a blog post for today, then I remembered that I haven't posted any of my personal fiction or poetry here in a long time. I debated sharing some of the background work I've done for the novel I'm editing right now, Moonshadow's Guardian--I've actually shared some of the work done on my main character--but then I had a brilliant thought: Every writer needs critique, preferably from writers with varying skills and experience. And my readers happen to be writers, all with different skills and experience levels. So today I'd like to ask you, my loyal readers, to critique the first page of the YA fantasy novel I'm editing right now in the comments below. If you want, I'll even critique the…

24Mar 2014 by Dianna L. Gunn

Before you finish that draft

Novels, Uncategorized, Writing: The Process

After an excruciating process taking anywhere between a few weeks and several years, your first--or second, or third--draft is almost finished. Your adrenaline's pumping and you're ready to power through to the finish line. As antsy as you might be to finish it, I suggest instead you pause and take a deep breath. It's time to create a plan for after you've crossed the finish line. Start by scheduling a couple says off. You can write, of course, but jumping straight from one book to the next isn't a great idea. Give your brain some time to relax and refill the creative well by enjoying somebody else's book or doing something fun. You might want to focus on stories very different from your current WIP so you can get out…

18Nov 2013 by Dianna L. Gunn

3 Solutions to hating your Nanowrimo novel

Inspirational, Nanowrimo, Novels, Writing, Writing: The Process

It's more than halfway through the month and your novel's middle is sagging, your characters are refusing to co-operate, and you wish you'd never started it to begin with. Or maybe your characters are doing exactly as they're told, and you've simply realized that you can't stand them--or your story idea. Don't panic. As anyone who's done Nanowrimo a few times will know, it's bound to happen eventually. It's perfectly natural to get frustrated with your novel. Writing a book in a month is hard, writing daily is hard, and sometimes an idea turns out to be less interesting than you originally thought. Characters can be impossible to work with and if the wrong one decides to die it can ruin everything. All of that is perfectly natural, and it's…

04Nov 2013 by Dianna L.. Gunn

3 Ways to make yourself write

Inspirational, Nanowrimo, Novels, Writing, Writing: The Process

Everybody has their own tricks for winning Nanowrimo, and today I've gathered a few of these to help you get through the first full week of Nanowrimo: 1. Reward system-- I usually reward myself with stickers for daily goals and sugary treats for weekly goals, and I save the nicest sticker I have for the end of the month. Other people reward themselves with new pencils or pens, fun excursions or plain and simple relaxation time. Everybody likes different things, so pick rewards that are meaningful to you--something small for your daily goal, something a little bigger for your weekly goal, and something truly rewarding for reaching your final goal. Of course, having written a novel is its own reward, and you need to keep that in mind too. Just…

16Oct 2013 by Bethlyn Bechtel

Words of wisdom from Nanowrimo veteran Bethlyn Bechtel

Inspirational, Nanowrimo, Novels, Writing

Hi! My name is Bethlyn and this will be my second year participating in NaNoWriMo. My friend has asked me to “impart wisdom” upon her readers by sharing my tips, experiences, encouragement and anything else I can think of. This task has proven more difficult then I imagined and I have been sitting here, thinking, trying to come up with a good message for days. I haven’t done much Nanoing before, and although I did win my first attempt, I failed miserably at Camp Nano. What ideas could I share to encourage any newbies? My first thought was to share with you how I plan out my story ideas. I have a strange way of corralling those plot bunnies, however. I call it “dream writing.” When I have an idea…

04Oct 2013 by Dianna L. Gunn

Finding a novel idea where none exists

Novels, Writing: The Process

"It's all well and good that Nanowrimo is next month," you say, "but how does that help me if I have no idea what to write?" In spite of what you might think about arduous novel planning, many people start Nanowrimo each year with literally no idea what they're going to write, and others start with only the most basic concept. While this isn't the approach I'd recommend, it works for some and even the most basic—or non-existent—concept can be the foundation of a winning 50, 000 word novel. What I'd recommend is to devote every spare moment of this month figuring out exactly what you're going to write in November. If you can choose a genre you'd like to write in, that makes your life a whole lot easier…