Backstory and Exposition: 4 Key Tactics
There’s a good chance that getting these essential elements right are among the biggest challenges you’ll face with your novel.
Author Archives: Susan DeFreitas
The One Thing Your Novel Absolutely Must Do
There’s only one thing that any novel must do if it’s going to succeed, and that’s arouse the reader’s curiosity.
Don’t Hold Out for Publishing to Make You Feel Seen. Here’s Another Goal Instead.
Publication is elusive and in many ways out of your hands, but feeling seen is something that writers can offer each other right now.
Where Novelists Get Stuck: 3 Common Issues with Early Drafts
Writing can be a lonely process, and it’s easy to feel stuck. Editors and coaches can help identify the common problems—and their solutions.
What Your First 50 Pages Reveals
To gauge your manuscript’s pitch-readiness, turn a critical eye to the query letter, synopsis, and first fifty pages.
Developing a Writing Practice, Part 7: Engrained
The science suggests that repetition can make a new practice reach the “second nature” part of your brain sooner, creating a habit that’s hard to break.
Developing a Writing Practice, Part 6: Captivating
Employing the science of captivating rewards is one way to keep yourself excited about and engaged with a big writing project, all the way to The End.
Developing a Writing Practice, Part 5: Neurohacks
In some ways, the idea behind neurohacks is simple: Fake it till you make it. Or, fake it until it feels real, because your brain can’t tell the difference.
Developing a Writing Practice, Part 4: Easy
Many dream of publishing a book, but actually sitting down to write one seems hard. Preparation and limiting your choices can make writing feel easier.
Developing a Writing Practice, Part 3: Important
A lot of the people who genuinely want to write a book never do so, because they never find a reason to prioritize their writing practice.
Developing a Writing Practice, Part 2: Community
Don’t feel like you have to go it alone—others are on the same journey, ready to offer encouragement and applaud your hard-earned victories.
Developing a Writing Practice, Part 1: Stepladders
Studies show that making meaningful progress toward big goals is best served by focusing on the small steps that will get us there.
How to Tell If You Have What It Takes to Succeed as a Writer
A book is often the product of teamwork. The ability to revise—to accept feedback and apply it with diligence and insight—is essential to success.
3 Critical Things You Won’t Learn in an MFA Program
Writing takes grit and so does publishing, but your odds are better if you understand what you’re up against. In this guest post, author and educator Susan DeFreitas shares some “secrets” everyone should know.
When Your Query Reveals a Story-Level Problem
When novelists struggle to pitch their work, it may have more to do with the book itself than the query letter. Editor and book coach Susan DeFreitas discusses three reasons why a promising work never lands a traditional deal.
What It Really Takes to Break Through with Your First Book Deal
In many ways, it’s never been harder to get a traditional book deal. At the same time, there have never been more ways to establish a career as an author.
How to Spot Toxic Feedback: 7 Signs That the Writing Advice You’re Getting May Do More Harm Than Good
If you recognize the following characteristics in the critiques of your work, it may not just be inept—it may, in fact, be toxic.