#NovelMaker
Week 6-7: Dialogue
I am so sorry I missed last week. My niece got married in an actual barn and I spent a huge chunk of the weekend helping with that. It was beautiful, but very different than hosting at a catering hall. I didn’t even make my word count goal which makes me crazy (my husband would say crazier), but that’s okay. I crushed it this week!
This week’s newsletter is inspired by my book club’s last selection. I normally would not criticize another author’s writing but there were some teaching moments in this book that I have to share. The book is Jeneva Rose’s The Perfect Divorce, and before I get to anything critical, I need to list some of Jeneva Rose’s incredible career highlights.

• She is a #1 NY Times bestseller known for her psychological thrillers like The Perfect Marriage and the sequel, the book my club read last month.
• Together the books have sold over a million copies and are being adapted for film and television.
• Leveraging social media (which I am terrible at) is notably one of her greatest strengths. She’s known for using TikTok to create viral content and boost the sales of these books.
• Her acknowledgements in The Perfect Marriage were some of the most real and authentically vulnerable I’ve ever heard an author share. I assume that’s also part of her appeal on TikTok.
• She received over 400 rejections before achieving success.
• Simon & Shuster UK just acquired four new thrillers from Rose in a 10-publisher auction. (An auction is always great for an author.)

Follow Jeneva Rose (@jenevaroseauthor on Instagram) for social media and marketing if for nothing else, especially if you’re writing genre fiction (thriller, romance, historical, etc.)

🔎 Last Week’s Recap

• Key Takeaway 1 → Think of a scene as a mini story with its own arc.
• Key Takeaway 2 → Goal, Conflict, Stakes, Change

• Key Takeaway 3 →There is power in micro-tension.

📚 Next Week’s Focus - Dialogue
If you need a refresher on dialogue formatting, check out this video.
Dialogue is my favorite thing to write. In speaking with other writers, you either love it, or you don’t. Either way, for most stories it’s imperative that you include dialogue and like every other craft element, your dialogue must be exceptional. 
The Purpose of Dialogue
>Reveals Character
How a character speaks shows their personality, background, and emotions.
“I ain't goin' back there,” he muttered. “No way, no how.”
>Moves the Plot Forward
Dialogue can introduce conflict, give information, or create suspense.
“The map isn’t in the safe,” she whispered. “It’s gone.”
>Creates Realism and Voice
Characters who speak like real people help readers stay immersed.
“Seriously? That’s what you wore to the party?”

Dialogue gives us an easy way to show, not tell. We can provide the readers with back story weaved into present day interactions. Instead of writing paragraphs about the horrible divorce your protagonist endured, she could say something like, “I should have killed him when I first thought of it. I’d already be out of jail.” We not only get the picture that the relationship ended horrifically, but it shows us so much about your character and wow, what a voice!
Think, too, about a time you’ve sent a text to someone, and they’ve responded exactly how you knew they would. It’s because you know them so well. Our characters will speak in a way that makes sense for them and on the occasion that a character speaks unusually, it begs the question why the deviation?
Dialogue, like every other word in your manuscript should have a purpose. 
Lastly, do not overlook the use of subtext in dialogue, or what the character doesn’t say. Check out this Gotham Writers post regarding subtext with some great examples.

Now that we’re all on the same page with regards to dialogue, let’s dig into Jeneva Rose’s novel a little. She wrote The Perfect Divorce using an ambitious five—FIVE—character points of view all of which were written in first person. Each chapter is about five pages long. They rotate through these five characters in an order that serves the story. I found myself often having to look back to see who’s head I was in because switching POVs this is really difficult. We never want a reader to have flip back in our story because they’re confused.
In one chapter, written from the main character Sarah Morgan’s POV, there’s a conversation between Sarah and Alejandro, a parolee her foundation is trying to help successfully re-enter society. He’s a violent offender with tattoos covering his neck and chest. He describes himself as a “bad person” and introduces himself by stating his inmate number (which I thought was a bit much), BUT here’s where she lost me. Alejandro meets up with Sarah in her office and says, “Nice office. It serves you well.”
I don’t know who would say that in 2025, let alone an ex-convict who is programmed to just announce his name and inmate number. This is a great example of why I kept having to turn back and see who’s POV we were in, the characters didn’t have unique, or in Alejandro’s case—believable, voices.
With that being said, be careful of stereotypes. Not everyone from the south should have a twang. Not every formally incarcerated person speaks like a killer, but if you are writing them as this dangerous individual, they shouldn’t speak like a seventy-year-old grandfather unless that is a consistent part of the character. I blame Jeneva Rose’s editor, but my daughter says I’m a tough editor.  


🗂 Additional Resources Related to Dialogue
·      Some tips for writing dialogue from The Center for Fiction.

• NY Book Editor’s Your Guide to Writing Better Dialogue
• Lisa Ferland’s notes from Cassie Gonzales’ Dialogue Workshop at the 2019 Stockholm Writers Festival.

 


🚀 This Week’s Challenge
I “borrowed” this from the Master Class article How to Write Great Dialogue. I once watched an interview with Quentin Tarantino (I can’t find it.) where he said that his memory has helped him write authentic dialogue. He often remembers conversations he overhears.
Try this prompt to hone your dialogue-writing skills.

1. Go to a public place where people tend to talk to one another. Try a cafe, bar, or public transportation. Spend 10 minutes eavesdropping on a conversation. Record everything they say and how they say it as specifically as you can. If this is your first time trying something like this, be mindful and respectful of people’s personal space.

 

1. Transcribe. Later, transcribe this conversation into a word processing document as faithfully as you can. What conclusions can you draw from what you heard? Who has more power? Who wants what? Who was listening more closely? Did someone interrupt the other or ignore them? Start a new paragraph each time you switch perspectives, so it’s easier to track who is saying what. 

 

1. Pick the most interesting bits. In a new document, select the part of the conversation that most interested you— whether it was a few lines, or a particularly charged interruption—and use it as the seed of a fictional scene. Here, you are free to cut filler; condense meaning and change the words; and add gesture, silence, and subtext to reveal these characters and what they want to the reader. 

 

1. Get writing. After answering these questions, did a narrative about these strangers begin to form in your imagination? If so, write a short story about it! And remember, you don’t need to get too creative with dialogue tags (the phrases that follow a piece of dialogue that attribute it to whoever is speaking). If in doubt, aim for clarity. There is nothing wrong with “she said” and “he said.”

Don’t sleep on dialogue! Write it down without overthinking it in your first draft but then go back and rework every word. Read it out loud. Does it sound right? Is it tight? Would that character have said that? I hope you love writing dialogue as much as I do.
Enjoy writing this week!
Best, 
Eliza

#NovelMaker
Week 5: Building Strong Scenes
I’m keeping up. I hope you are, also. This week we’re going to focus on scenes. When I taught sixth grade, many of my students didn’t know how or when to make a paragraph. We’d start with the basics of, if we change locations or jump ahead in time, let’s start a new paragraph. Sixth graders are lucky. They write entire stories in just a few paragraphs; we’re going to need a lot more.
Writing these emails every week reminds me of how intricate the craft of writing is. I love it so much and I know if you’re reading this, you do, too.

🔎 Last Week’s Recap

• Key Takeaway 1 → Voice is what readers fall in love with.
• Key Takeaway 2 → Voice makes the familiar feel new.
• Key Takeaway 3 → The only way to discover your voice is to write honestly. 

📚 Next Week’s Focus: Scene Structure & Micro-Tension
Scene Structure Basics – Think of a scene as a mini story with its own arc.
A strong scene usually contains:

1. Goal – What does the character want right now?
2. Conflict – What gets in their way?
3. Stakes – Why does it matter?
4. Change – What’s different by the end?

If nothing changes, you don’t have a scene—you have a placeholder.
Let’s take a closer look.
1. Goal
Every strong scene starts with something the character wants—it could be a physical goal (“Get the letter”) or an emotional one (“Earn their trust”).
Without a goal, your character just drifts—and your reader drifts with them.
Ask: What does my character want in this moment?


2. Conflict
Something (or someone) gets in the way of the goal. This doesn’t always mean a fistfight—it could be:

• A misunderstanding
• A delay
• Inner hesitation
• Competing desires

Conflict is where drama lives. No conflict = no tension = no reason to keep reading.
Conflict doesn’t have to be loud—but it should matter.


3. Stakes
Why does the goal matter to the character? What do they stand to lose?
The higher the stakes (emotionally or physically), the more the reader cares.
Big external stakes: “If I fail, the mission is lost.”
Personal stakes: “If I tell them the truth, they might leave.”


4. Change
By the end of the scene, something has shifted. The character might:

• Learn something
• Make a decision
• Lose hope
• Gain power
• Reveal a secret
• Be forced onto a new path

A flat scene (no change) feels forgettable—even if it’s beautifully written.


You can enrich scenes by adding:

• Setting with emotional resonance (weather, lighting, objects)
• Subtext (what’s not being said)
• Foreshadowing (hints of what's to come)
• Micro-tension (moment-to-moment unease)

How to Test Your Scene
After drafting, ask:

• What does the character want?
• What stands in the way?
• Why does it matter to them?
• What has changed by the end?

If you can’t answer these, the scene might need more structure—or doesn’t belong.


Scene Structure in Action 
Character’s goal: Confess love
Conflict: The other person keeps venting about their ex
Stakes: If they wait too long, the moment will pass
Change: They stay silent—choice made, tension unresolved
Even without action, the scene moves. Emotionally and narratively.


🗂 Additional Resources Related to Scene Structure & Micro-Tension
·      For some great ways to increase tension, check out “Writing Tension: 8 Ways to Ramp Up Tension in a Scene” on The Write Practice.·      For some tips on revision check out “5 Easy Tips to Strengthen Your Scenes” by James Scott Bell.·      Go deep with “How to Use Subtext and the Art of Dramatic Tension in Fiction” by Zeeva Bukai. (I love this article!)

🚀 This Week’s Challenge
Write a scene where nothing dramatic happens on the surface, but there’s emotional tension simmering underneath.


Setup:
Two characters are having a seemingly ordinary interaction:
Scene Option 1:
A parent picks their teenager up from school.
Scene Option 2:
Two coworkers make coffee before a morning meeting.
Scene Option 3:
Ex-partners run into each other at a dog park.
Your Goal:
Make the reader feel the tension, even if:

• No one raises their voice
• No conflict is directly stated
• Nothing “big” happens

Use tools like:

• Conflicting internal emotions
• Subtext in dialogue
• Hesitations, interruptions, or silence
• Shifts in power or control
• Uneven investment in the moment

Reveal something important through what's not said—a lie of omission, a loaded silence, a deflected question.
Tip:
When you reread your scene, highlight:

• Every moment of emotional friction
• Every sentence where you feel something’s off.
  If those aren’t there—you may need more micro-tension!

Well-structured scenes don’t just fill pages. They build momentum. They carry your characters (and readers) deeper into the story, step by step, change by change. Make every scene earn its place.
Big tension grabs attention.
Micro-tension holds it.
Don’t wait for your climax to build suspense--bake it into every scene, every line, every look. That’s how you keep readers turning the page, even when “nothing is happening.” I learned so much about subtext while writing a script. Those tiny gestures and what is not said are sometimes heavier than the action in the scene. I’m going to use this week’s focus as I revise the hot mess of words I’ve been getting down.
Enjoy writing this week!
Best, 
Eliza

#NovelMaker
Week 4: Check-In
This was a crazy week! I did hit my writing goals, but it wasn’t pretty. I noticed that after next week, I’m supposed to be getting 7,000 words/week and I’m going to have to be much more consistent with my time management. 
You would be so proud of structure work. My book has morphed into a dual timeline/dual POV story (because why make it easy), and I’m working hard to make sure both stories are rich. I’m still not sure of the ending, though. Thursday night in bed, I made my husband discuss whether the husband should kill the wife. He hates to talk at this time of day, so he was already in tune with the subject. This decision brings me back to genre again. Am I writing a thriller? If so, it’s a much different story with different expectations about the entire book, not just the ending. I’m really hoping all of you have a better handle on your story than I have on mine. 

🔎 Last Week’s Recap

• Key Takeaway 1 → There are no unnecessary characters. Every single one should serve a purpose in your story.
• Key Takeaway 2 → It’s the inconsistencies between what a character says they want and the actions they take to get it and what they really want that make for a compelling story.
• Key Takeaway 3 → Publishing books is a business. This was on here last week, too, but I’m going to leave it because it’s so important to keep in mind.

📚 Next Week’s Focus: Voice
What is Voice?
In fiction, voice is the distinct personality, style, and tone of your writing. It’s what makes your story sound like you—and no one else. I relied on it so heavily in my first book, my close friends all said they felt like I was talking to them the whole time. Voice is also what keeps readers coming back book after book. No matter the plot or characters, they love your voice.
There are two key types of voice:

1. Authorial Voice – This is your natural storytelling style. It's shaped by your vocabulary, rhythm, sentence structure, humor, and perspective.
2. Character Voice – This is how individual characters "speak" in dialogue or internal monologue. It should reflect their background, mood, and personality.

Why Voice Matters

• Grabs attention – A strong voice hooks readers from the first sentence.
• Builds immersion – Voice creates a mood and tone that draws readers into your characters’ world.
• Makes stories memorable – Even a simple plot can feel fresh with a unique voice.

🔥 The Power of Voice in Fiction
1. Voice Is What Readers Fall in Love With
Plot hooks your curiosity. But voice? Voice hooks your heart. It’s the soul of a story, the thing that makes a reader lean in, sit back, and say, “I’ll follow this narrator anywhere.”
Consider this example:

• “We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold.” — Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

You don’t just get information—you feel the attitude, the rhythm, the presence of a unique narrator. That’s voice.

2. Voice Creates Intimacy
Whether it's first person or close third, a strong voice creates emotional closeness. It makes readers feel like they know the narrator or character—like they're sitting across from them, hearing the story over coffee or confessions.
This is especially powerful in:

• Coming-of-age stories
• Psychological fiction
• Literary and character-driven works

When done well, voice bridges the gap between fiction and real life. The reader forgets they’re reading. They’re just experiencing.

3. Voice Makes the Familiar Feel New
Think about how many books share similar plots: love stories, hero’s journeys, mysteries, and how, as we’ve discussed, most share just a few proven structures. But each author’s voice makes their version feel fresh.
It’s how the story is told that matters.
You can write a "chosen one" fantasy story or a small-town romance—and with the right voice, it becomes wholly yours. That’s why readers return to their favorite authors, even when the genre or themes are familiar.

4. Voice Is the Key to Memorable Characters
Characters don’t become iconic just because of what they do—they become unforgettable because of how they sound. The voice of Holden Caulfield or Elizabeth Bennet isn’t just in their dialogue—it’s woven into the narrative tone.
strong voice = distinct personality.
Readers don’t just observe these characters—they hear them, and our goal is always to put our readers right inside the stories with our characters.

5. Voice Builds Trust
An authentic voice makes readers trust you—even if the narrator is unreliable. Why? Because voice signals control. It shows you, the author, know exactly what you’re doing.
It whispers to the reader, "Relax. I’ve got you. You’re in good hands."
 
🗂 Additional Resources Related to Voice
One of the most common reasons given in agent rejections is not connecting with the voice of your novel. But this can be very tricky to interpret as feedback. Consider the following:
 

• Jane Friedman’s take on what is voice in our writing.
• Literary Agents Not Connecting with Voice – What That Actually Means by Matt Malatesta

• The power of writing honestly considered in Robert Lee Brewer’s article, How Do I Find My Voice in Writing?

🚀 This Week’s Challenge
Write a paragraph describing a rainy day—twice:

1. First, in your natural author voice. Be honest. Be you.
2. Then, write the same scene from the POV of a sleep-deprived teenage barista who's late for their shift.

Notice how word choice, tone, and rhythm shift? That’s voice in action.

 
Don’t chase trends or try to sound like someone else. Developing your authentic voice takes time and practice. But once you find it, readers will recognize your stories anywhere. Enjoy writing this week!
Best, 
Eliza

​#NovelMaker
Week 3: Writing Check-In
I’m very happy to report that I made my writing goals this week. But for some reason I got derailed and this email wasn’t completed until this morning. Yesterday, my dog and I watched Pride & Prejudice and then Notting Hill, both of which I’d never seen before, and both made me want to write a love story. I was struck by how the films followed the simple three-act structure. It was a good reminder not to overthink what already works.

🔎 Last Week’s Recap

• Key Takeaway 1 → Word Count Matters!
• Key Takeaway 2 → Know your genre (if you’re writing commercial fiction) and what your readers expect.
• Key Takeaway 3 → Publishing books is a business.

📚 Next Week’s Focus: Creating Characters Readers Love, or Love to Hate
There is always a huge debate as to whether the characters or the plot makes a story. I fall in love with characters, even the terrible ones, but without the plot…
This week we’re going to look at your characters. Every single one of them should be in your story for a reason. I’ll say this over and over, but every word is a choice, and every word serves a purpose—either to reveal something about the character or move the plot forward.
A compelling main character is one who feels real, evokes emotion, and makes the reader invested in their journey. The following elements contribute to that:


1. Desire: What Do They Want?
A strong character has a clear goal or desire, even if they don't fully understand it themselves at first.

• External Goal: What are they trying to do? (win a competition, find a lost sibling)
• Internal Desire: What do they really want? (belonging, forgiveness, love)

Readers don’t need to agree with the character’s goal—they just need to understand it. This is where things get fun, when we want to throw the book across the room because we disagree so vehemently with the character’s wants and/or actions.


2. Stakes: What Do They Stand to Lose?
Stakes make us care. What happens if the character fails?

• Are the stakes personal? Emotional? Physical? Social?
• Are they urgent or escalating over time?

3. Flaws and Contradictions
Perfect characters are boring. Real people are messy. There is nothing worse than the love interest that is perfect in every way. (rolls eyes) I know we’re reading to escape reality, but please… This writing only makes us feel bad about ourselves and the person we’ve ended up with.

• Give them flaws that affect their relationships or choices.
• Let them hold contradictory traits (brave in crisis, but insecure in relationships)

Be strategic when creating your character’s flaws. (Remember, everything is a choice.) Think about how a character’s flaw might create conflict in the story or with other characters.


4. Change: Are They Capable of Growth?
Character arc is often what readers connect to most. I shared my character arc a few weeks ago. She starts the story closed off, bitter, and guarded. The story ends with her emotionally open and much happier because of it. This isn’t the plot, but the plot causes the character to get from Point A to Point B.

• Will they change? If so, how and why?

The other key element is voice, but I’m going to save that for next time because I could talk about a character’s voice for six weeks straight.
 
🗂 Additional Resources Related to Character Creation

• Creating Believable Characters—Five Key Requirements by Nancy Christie. I love this post because it explains why characters need to be consistent in their actions and how to deal with their inconsistencies. Like, if your sister never ever wants to eat outside, but today she does. Why did this happen and how does it affect the plot?

• 5 Quick Ways to Create Vivid Characters by Gillian McAllister. I like the one physical trait rule here. We don’t need to know everything about a character’s appearance; we can imagine our own hero or villain. 
• Ready to go deep? Writers Helping Writers has many free worksheets to help define character and develop your plot. You can find them all here.

🚀 This Week’s Challenge
Character Sketch – Answer the below questions about your main character to create a sketch of who they are.
Basic Info

1. What is your character’s full name?
2. How old are they?
3. Where do they live (and what does their living space look like)?
4. What is their occupation, role, or place in the world?

Desire & Motivation

1. What does your character want more than anything right now?
2. Why do they want it? (What’s the deeper emotional need behind the goal?)
3. What are they willing to sacrifice to get it?
4. What’s standing in their way (internal or external obstacles)?

Conflict & Stakes

1. What happens if your character fails to achieve their goal?
2. Who or what is their main source of conflict?
3. How do they typically respond to conflict—fight, flee, or freeze?

Flaws, Fears & Secrets

1. What is your character’s biggest flaw?
2. What fear holds them back (consciously or unconsciously)?
3. What’s one secret they hope no one ever discovers?
4. What lie do they believe about themselves or the world?

Personality & Perspective

1. How do they see the world—cynical, hopeful, pragmatic, idealistic?
2. How would their best friend describe them? (love this one)
3. What habits, quirks, or mannerisms set them apart?
4. What are three words they would never use to describe themselves—but others might?

Backstory & Transformation

1. What’s one defining moment from their past that shaped who they are today?
2. Who hurt them—and how does that affect them now?
3. Who loved them well—and what did they learn from that love?
4. What do they need to realize, change, or let go of by the end of the story?

Bonus: Visual & Sensory Details

1. What do they look like—and how do they feel about their appearance?
2. What’s always in their pockets/bag/car?
3. What smells, sounds, or sights trigger strong emotions for them?
4. If they had a theme song, what would it be?

 
I began this email by celebrating getting to 7000 words in my WIP (work in progress), but I must admit, when I read these first few chapters, they were quite horrible. That might have been the catalyst for watching Pride & Prejudice with my dog on Friday afternoon. For this novel, I’m trying to write during the week and revise on the weekend. I still think that’s a good idea, but after reading what I have so far, I understand why I’ve never done it before. First drafts are fun. Revising is not. Enjoy writing this week.
Best, 
Eliza

Week 2: Writing Check-In
I got a late start this week because I finished up some work on a script I’ve been excited about. Both the script and my novel are about two women who share a close friendship, and I wanted to complete one before starting the next. Today (Thursday as of writing this) I wrote the first words of my novel. They are, of course, quite terrible, but we must begin somewhere. I won’t fall in love with the story until I get to know the characters a little more. As it is, I’ve already changed one’s name from Rosalie to Caroline, and I’m not completely sold on that yet.
All of this is to say, if you’re feeling scattered overwhelmed, or lost—you’re in the perfect spot. It takes about 30,000 words before I go back and read what I have so far and start to make sense of it all.

🔎 Last Week’s Recap

• Key Takeaway 1 → Setting up formatting from the start will save you tons of time in the long run.
• Key Takeaway 2 → POV is a tool, some say it’s the engine of the narrative. Choose wisely.
• Key Takeaway 3 → Give yourself the gift of time.

📚 Next Week’s Focus: Word Count & Genre Expectations
Here’s something I wish I knew before I wrote my first book—Genre Matters. I sat down and wrote a book I loved and then hired an editor to help me with it. It was from her that I learned it was a romance novel. I didn’t even read romance. I still don’t… But reading within your genre, interacting with readers and other authors, and knowing the genre expectations are all keys to the success of your book. This includes finding representation for it, landing a publishing contract, and then marketing before and after the release.
Once you know the genre of the book you’re writing, you’ll have an idea of what your total word count should be. These aren’t set in stone, only guidelines. Reedsy has a great article outlining word count here. You can also look at the latest book you’ve read. The rule is: Number of Pages x 250. So, if you’re reading a 300-page book, it’s about 75,000 words.
Need help identifying your story’s genre? Check out the articles below.

• Literary Fiction vs. Genre Fiction by Sean Glatch
• What’s Your Genre? A High-Level Overview for Writers by Jane Friedman
• What are the Different Genres of Literature: A Guide to 14 Literary Genres at Masterclass

 


🗂 Additional Resources Related to Genre
It’s far too soon to start querying agents, but it’s never too soon to think about it. Some even recommend writing the back cover copy prior to writing the novel to focus the story. Check out these randomly selected agents’ request pages and note the genres. When your manuscript is complete, this is the information you’ll look for because not every literary agent represents every genre of writing.
Agent Requests – Note the genres.

• https://maassagency.com/jennifer-goloboy/
• https://www.corvisieroagency.com/marisa-corvisiero.html
• https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/dconaway/
• https://www.tridentmediagroup.com/agents/amanda-annis/

🚀 This Week’s Challenge
Find a literary agent and follow them on social media. It can be as simple as googling, “Who is the literary agent representing [insert author’s name of the last book you read here]?” You can also generally google something like, “literary agents representing literary fiction set in Scotland” or whatever hits near your story idea.

 
I’m trying to be much more intentional with this novel. In fact, in writing to you about genre this week, it has me second guessing my story premise. Which is preferable to second guessing it 50,000 words in. I hope you’re enjoying the writing journey. It can be challenging, but I promise, it’s worth it. Enjoy writing this week.
Best,
Eliza
​

#NovelMaker
Week 1: Let’s Start at the beginning but have some idea of the middle and end.

🔎 Last Week’s Recap

• Key Takeaway 1 → Brainstorm, take notes, talk to people, flush out your idea whenever and wherever you can.
• Key Takeaway 2 → Take some time to learn about story structure. Star Wars, The Hunger Games, Barbie, A Beautiful Mind all follow the classic monomyth structure. We can use structures that readers already love to frame our stories and still be original.
• Key Takeaway 3 → Be ruthless with your time. You deserve this.

📚 Next Week’s Focus: The Set Up
Next week we’re going to focus on the basics you need to review before typing, Chapter One. I’ll post these on the blog, but wanted you to have links here, too.

• Point of View & Tense: One of the things I love about writing is that everything is a choice, and the author gets to make them all. POV and Tense need to be considered before you begin. I can’t promise you won’t get halfway done and decide to rewrite and change everything but give it some thought now and try to come up with the best option. Link to YouTube Video
• Dialogue Formatting: If this novel will be your debut, you might benefit from a reminder about how to format dialogue. You learned it in fourth grade and may not have used it since. If you do it correctly from the start, you’ll save yourself and your editor tons of time in revisions. Link to YouTube Video
• How to Set Up Your Document: You don’t need a fancy laptop to write a novel. I wrote my first on an iPad without an external keypad. (not recommended) But if you can get access to Microsoft Word which is the industry standard or Google Docs, you should use these settings from the start. Link to YouTube Video

🗂 Resources & Tools
A few other things I find helpful…

• The app Milanote can be downloaded on a computer or mobile device. I have both. It organizes things in a vision board system which is typically not my style, but it comes with tons of templates including a novel planning one and a character profile. It’s free until you reach a certain amount of content, and the amount is plenty to judge whether it’s helpful to you or not. I’ve included a screenshot of a sample template with this email.

• Pinterest – This is old faithful for me. If I’m writing a scene for say, a wedding, I have a wedding Pinterest board to help visualize it in my head. Jewelry, locations, flowers, all the tiny details I might want to use in some way are explored on Pinterest. You can keep the board a “secret” until you publish and then you can share it with your readers if you choose.

🗂 Additional Reading on POV

• https://www.writersdigest.com/how-to-choose-the-best-pov
• https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/6-tips-to-choosing-the-right-point-of-view
• https://www.scfarrow.com/choosing-your-storys-pov (I love this blog entry because it shows that even after writing multiple novels, authors have a lot to consider when it comes to POV.)

🚀 Writing Challenge
As I work through my own POV options, I try a scene starter in two different options. Write a scene you’ve been thinking about two different ways. Play with POV when it comes to who is telling the story and how you’re writing it, whether first or third person. 

Closing Note
I’ve been on the fence regarding how much is too much information to provide. I want to set you up in the best way possible without overwhelming you. Drop a comment on the blog with any suggestions on content or capacity. Writing is just about the only area I appreciate critical feedback. Enjoy writing this week.
Best,
Eliza
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