Tag: writing process

• Writing: If your brain keeps stewing, you probably aren’t finished.

  As a rule, I typically do this: if my brain keeps stewing about a work you completed, it’s not complete and you need to revisit it. I’m not talking about the revision process when a writer is still in the mode of improving a work. I’m talking about after the writer thinks the work is…

  sassevn

  October 1, 2016

  Writing Process

  playwriting, revising, when to finish writing, writing, writing process

• Getting More Excited about the Release of Novel #5

  As I wrote last week, I’m working through my post-edited novel one last time – “Which Half David” releasing on September 15. The more I read and put the final touches to it, I’m getting more excited about it. Not that I know how it will be received by readers because I absolutely have no…

  sassevn

  August 9, 2016

  Indie Author

  books about asia, cross-cultural, new release, novels on asian culture, writing process

• Creative Anchors. How to choose a direction for your story.

  This is my term (as far as I know): Creative Anchor. I use that term to describe the first time an idea pops in my head which will “anchor” or force a story along. It’s a crucial creative idea which will make or break a chapter, sometimes even a story. Once you plop an anchor…

  sassevn

  June 23, 2016

  Writing Process

  brainstorming, creative anchors, generating ideas, tips for young writers, writing process, writing tips

• Where will the ideas come from?

  Writing is such a mind game. The creative process toys with the writer to such an extent that I sometimes wonder who’s in control – do I control the creative process or does the creative process control me? Ok, I’m already confused. But this I know: I have 10 dramatic sketches to write in the…

  sassevn

  June 6, 2016

  Indie Author, Writing Process

  brainstorming ideas, creative writing, creativity, play-writing, writing, writing process, writing tips

• Hey Writers: How Varied Are Your Interests?

  Some people have commented that I’m a little out of the ordinary. As a writer, I think that is to my advantage. Writers are a strange breed – I’m starting to think. I’ve had some people call me a renaissance man. I take that as a high compliment whether it’s true or not. But I’m…

  sassevn

  April 9, 2016

  Writing Process

  expanding your interest as a writer, improving your writing, renaissance man, writing, writing process

• What I Learned by Re-Re-Writing My New Novel

  A while back, I posted how I decided to re-write my new novel which I had previously re-written and re-vised enough. (or so I thought) But once I started getting some feedback from readers, I realized that I had made some mistakes, and regardless of how painful and time-consuming it would be, I needed to…

  sassevn

  March 29, 2016

  Indie Author, Writing Process

  beta readers, literary critique, novel writing, taking criticism, writing process, writing revisions

• 97,000 Words. Where did my succinctness go?

  When I first got in this long-story-writing business, I had to look up the definition of novel to see how many words it took to create a novel. Well, the general consensus I found was 50,000, so as I was writing my first novel, I obsessed over that number thinking how it would be impossible…

  sassevn

  March 20, 2016

  Indie Author

  novel writing, word count, writing, writing process

• My Book is Much Better. Would Endless Delay Improve It More?

  I recently put the brakes on the novel I had “finished” because I realized suddenly that I don’t know what the word “finished” means. I thought it was the novel I wanted to write, but it wasn’t. It was incredibly flawed. I was introducing an author’s voice that I didn’t want to introduce and some…

  sassevn

  March 6, 2016

  Uncategorized

  book editing, editing, novel editing, novel writing, writing process

• Re-Writing a “Finished Book” is Actually Quite Fun

  A few days ago, I posted how after receiving feedback from some beta readers, I decided to do a complete overall of my newest novel. I was dreading this, actually, thinking that it would be a complete drag to watch chapters be gutted, characters be re-written, and storylines be overhauled. But I was wrong. I’m…

  sassevn

  March 2, 2016

  Indie Author, Writing Process

  beta readers, novel writing, writing, writing process, writing revisions

• Indie Authors: Are You Listening to Your Beta Readers?

  I’ve recently run into something as an author I previously haven’t encountered: Beta readers who are less than enthusiastic about my new novel. In my four previous novels, the reviews were excellent. They bought into what I was doing, gave good insight, but were always very positive. And these aren’t “yes-people” either. They were being…

  sassevn

  February 29, 2016

  Indie Author

  accepting criticism, beta readers, novel writing, rewriting, writing process