Tag: writing
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Writing Chaos
They say writing a novel is like running a marathon. I disagree. In a marathon, no one questions whether your protagonist has “sufficient emotional depth” or tells you your pacing is off halfway through the course. Writing a novel is more like running a marathon with endless hills. First, you get the brilliant idea hill.…
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It’s Okay to Take a Break
When a writer’s muse sings, there’s no stopping the inspirational train and the mania that follows. Minutes turn into hours, and hours into days. Before you know it, you’ve been living off coffee and crackers, your characters are making decisions without your permission, and your plot resembles a spaghetti diagram. Nothing, though, tops this creative…
C.M. Rachels
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Tips for Worldbuilding
Creating immersive story worlds without overwhelming readers is a crucial aspect of writing a compelling story. I’m currently busy building my fictional world in my sequel, and I thought I’d share a few tips I was given that helped me sharpen my worldbuilding skills. Start by laying the foundation for your world: Culture, history, environment,…
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It’s Never Too Late
People keep asking me why I waited until my forties before I published my first book. The simplest answer is that I listened to the wrong people. I’ve been writing since I can remember: cartoons, stories, poems, songs. My biggest dream growing up was to become a writer or a journalist. In senior high, I…
C.M. Rachels
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Writing with Pets
Most of us authors have pets at home, and writing with these furry babies hanging around can be quite challenging. There are the headbutts, the biting of laptop edges, the stretching over the keyboard, the climbing over the desk or shelves, the constant falling of objects, the chair scratching, and of course, the never-ending meowing…
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Keep Going
When I started my writing journey years ago, I was often told that it was a waste of time by other people. Unfortunately, I listened and put off my dream of becoming a published writer and mostly wrote for myself, which I now deeply regret. If it weren’t for my parents and my late sister,…
C.M. Rachels
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Writing a Novel isn’t easy
I’ve always been a fan of certain types of romance books and thrillers. When I started writing my first novel, I decided why not combine the two? How hard could it be? Man, was I in for a roller coaster ride. My first editor: “Not enough romance. Make it less thriller and more romance.” Beta-reader:…
C.M. Rachels
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My Five Big Mistakes In Writing My First Novel:
Ignorance I thought writing your story was the most significant part of the journey and that I was relatively good at writing. I was wrong. Editing, paperback interior design, marketing plan, marketing research, searching for and finding the right book cover design or designer, etcetera. I thought I was drowning, and when I got my…
C.M. Rachels
C.M. Rachels 