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Behind the Scenes of a Bestseller: Rowling’s Revisions for ‘Harry Potter and...
In my previous post we looked at how heavily Rowling revised her outline for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Now in this post I’ll be discussing why those changes strengthened her story....
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Book Giveaway and an Interview with Stuart Horwitz
I’m kicking off Monday with a book giveaway and an interview with Stuart Horwitz. Stuart is the founder and principal of Book Architecture, a firm of independent editors based in Providence, New York...
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Free Book Architecture Download: The Difference Between Formula Writing and...
It’s the last day to get your name in the drawing for a signed copy of Stuart Horwitz’s new writing book, Book Architecture: How to Plot and Outline Without Using a Formula. If you’ve already liked my...
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Spring, a New Beginning: Conquering Your Page Fright
Spring is a sign of hope and new beginnings. Spring is a chance for us writers who have fallen off the bandwagon to dust ourselves off and jump back on. But the scariest part about beginning is simply...
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Monday Motivation: Nathan Bransford’s Ten Commandments for the Happy Writer
Studies have shown that you’re more likely to be happy if you have happy friends, and I think that’s just as true for writers: Surround yourself with happy writers and you’re more likely to be a happy...
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Foreshadowing: Why Some Stories Are Better Than Others
Human beings read stories to make sense out of life—to make sense out of chaos. Stories revolve around “plots” and the simplest definition of plot is cause and effect: “Because this happened, that...
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The Most Important Thing You Need to Be a Writer
J.K. Rowling: The most important thing is to read as much as you can, like I did. It will give you an understanding of what makes good writing and it will enlarge your vocabulary. Stephen King: You...
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Why You Shouldn’t Feel Bad About Being an Amateur Writer
Being an Amateur Writer I’ve been asked before what credentials I have to write about writing: Have I been published? Do people pay me for my writing? Am I a professional? An expert? Modern-day society...
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An Interview with Indie Author Jenny Bravo
I started Write Like Rowling for two reasons: 1) to inspire my work and the work of other writers and 2) to create a writing community that supports and motivates each other. There’s something both...
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Rowling’s Life as an Author: What It Was Really Like Writing Harry Potter
We’ve all heard ad nauseam that the Harry Potter story “simply fell into [Rowling’s] head” and “all of the details bubbled up in [her] brain.” She was “besieged by a mass of detail.” She “[had] never...
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Mentors: The Fastest Way to Get Your Writing Career On Track
A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could. —Unknown I know I’ve been away from this blog for a while. I’ve been flooded with work ever since...
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Four Differences Between Amateur Writers and Professionals
1. Amateurs get ready. Professionals get to work. Amateurs attend workshops, read writing books, get an MFA, build their author website—do anything but write their book—because they don’t feel ready....
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Four Mantras That Will Motivate You to Write
Sometimes you don’t need a long, detailed post on the writing craft. Sometimes all you need is a clap on the back and a few kind words. Today is Monday—a new week and a new slate. It does not matter if...
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Finish Your Book in Three Drafts (Yes, Really)
My mentor (and all-around awesome human being), Stuart Horwitz, has finished his third and final (he swears!) writing book: Finish Your Book in Three Drafts: How to Write a Book, Revise a Book, and...
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MuggleNet Academia Podcast: How to Write Like Rowling
Lesson 47: How to Write Like Rowling This week you can find me at MuggleNet Academia—one of the most popular educational podcasts on iTunes and nominated for four People’s Choice awards. I had a blast...
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