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2015 NaNo Encouragement

October 23, 2015 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Encouragement and tips for taking on the 2015 National Novel Writing Month (NaNo) challenge.

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Drive, Passion, and Creativity

September 16, 2015 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

The last couple of articles I’ve written have focused on grammar and punctuation. On rules. And while learning rules is important, sometimes we need to focus on other writing concerns. Sometimes we need to immerse ourselves in the power of our passions. Just recently I was dramatically reminded of this need once again. PBS stations in the […]

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Everybody Doesn’t Like Something . . .

July 29, 2015 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Every writer and every book gets negative reviews, whether deserved or not. A lighthearted look at reasons why some readers won’t like your fiction.

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“Wasting Time” on a Practice Novel

July 23, 2015 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

It’s not a waste of time to finish a first novel, to practice your writing skills with that first novel manuscript, even if it will never be published. But know that the first novel will not be a masterpiece.

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Fiction Writers Can’t Be One-Trick Ponies

July 5, 2015 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

While a single skill might have prompted you to begin a novel, begin writing for fun or as a career, that single skill is insufficient for preparing you to write novels. Encouragement for writers to branch out and learn new skills.

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Reader Saturation—Dealing with Changing Reader Tastes

July 2, 2015 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Even your most avid fans may hunger for a different protagonist, a different story world, or even a different genre. Consider options for when readers become saturated by elements of your stories.

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Don’t Shortchange Those Second and Third and Tenth Books

November 25, 2014 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Invest as much in books one, two, and ten as you did in book one. That is, don’t shortchange books beyond the first one.

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Push Yourself to New Heights or Explore the Depths

October 12, 2014 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

I haven’t written an article of encouragement recently, but since the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo or NaNo) is next month, I thought I’d take a few minutes to encourage you to begin a new project, maybe push yourself into trying a new genre or writing style, if only as an exercise and only for […]

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(Stop) Comparing Yourself to Successful Authors

May 25, 2014 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Encouragement for when you feel you’ll never be as good as other writers.

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Feed the Reader Within the Writer

May 14, 2014 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Take the time to read something for yourself—encouragement for writers and editors caught up in their work.

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