Writing Tips and Inspiration | The Scribbler Blog

5 Ways To Tackle Revisions

Revising after that initial dump of creativity is hard, but a few techniques exist as a starting point when facing the seemingly insurmountable task of turning — as Jessica puts it — your beloved dumpster fire into the brilliant gem it’s destined to become.

Everything You Need To Know About Writing Coaches (From Real Writing Coaches)

A writing coach might be a good fit for you depending on what you need help with in your writing. And what better way to explain what a writing coach is, then directly from the source! Connie reached out to a fellow Scribbler and writing coach, Kim Lozano, and her own writing coach, Mary Adkins, to learn more about what a writing coach does, and how they can help you accomplish your writing goals.

How to Write a Synopsis

If you plan on traditionally publishing your novel, you will need several other materials in addition to your  novel when starting to query. One of those items is a synopsis. What exactly is a synopsis, why is it an important marketing item, and how can you make yours the best it can be? Let’s dive in!

1, 2, 3, Activate: The Secret To Writing Setting

Setting is not just a place in which characters are pinned down to keep them from floating off into the ether. And writing setting should not be a static description of the characters’ surroundings. If you want your setting to help forward the plot, reveal character, convey mood, or any number of other narrative functions it can perform, you need to activate it. Here are some ideas that will keep your setting from amounting to mere backdrop or scenery.

How To Get Your Book Rights Back And Why You Should

For years, Katlyn was a contracted author who had little control over her books after they were published. The lack of marketing for her books after their “season” and low royalties made her feel like a failure, but when she got the rights back to her book, she had a new sense of purpose to keep these books published on her terms. Her article explores the ins and outs of rights reversion and why it is important for the long-term vision for your book.

5 Things I Learned Pitching An Agent Via Zoom

On January 30, 2021, I took the plunge and pitched live to a literary agent for the first time! It was a huge rush and I’m so glad I did it….The event came and went and I ended up getting a full request! That’s not the only good thing to come out of my pitch event, though. Below, I’ve gathered the top five things I learned from pitching an agent via Zoom.

How to Edit Your Book: Tips from Bestselling Authors

Imagine this, you’re sitting in your favorite writing space, frantically scribbling on the page until you finally see it, the words you’ve been waiting to see you since you began writing: “The End.” Reaching the end of a manuscript can be a thrilling, cathartic experience, but for many, it invokes new anxieties. In this article we’ll be addressing these concerns.

How to Get the Most Out of Professional Editing

Other than a writer’s time, editing services can be one of the costliest purchases for a manuscript. However, paying an editor will increase your final project’s value. Whether you are considering hiring a copyeditor for your fifth published book, or you are halfway through your first experience with an editor, here are five steps to help you get the most value out of your editorial experience.

How To Read Like A Writer

The process of improving your writing through reading is cyclical: more engagement means more opportunities to see the world through a different lens, which leads to a desire to engage more. As a result, you learn to write engaging material for your readers, and who doesn’t want that? So let’s take a look at a few things you can start doing now to improve your writing through reading.

How to Write a Query Letter: Tips from Bestselling Authors

It’s time to turn that story crafted from months of blood, sweat, and tears (and love, of course) into a book on the shelves, but where to even start? If you’re pursuing the traditional publishing route, the first step is to find yourself an agent who loves your story as much as you do. In order to land an agent, however, you must craft the perfect query letter.

5 Great Self-Care Tips for Writers

I don’t know about you, but self-care can be a challenge for me. It’s an oft-neglected part of our busy lives anyway, and then you add writing goals, and self-care moves ever further down the list of priorities. For the sake of all of us (myself included!), I’m here today to share my best self-care tips for writers.

Tips for Querying Literary Agents Every Writer Must Know: Part Two

My first five tips, Embrace Being a Newbie, Be 100% Certain You’re Ready to Query, Celebrate Rejections, Do Not Give Up, and Be Professional all dealt with the process itself. The final five tips, however, really focus on self-reflection. After all, writing can be a very lonely process and it’s important to know yourself and what you want out of your career before taking this next step!

Tips for Querying Literary Agents Every Writer Must Know

On July 25, 2019, I sent my first-ever query for the first book I’d ever written. I was positive it would sign in a heartbeat. Five months later, I received the 22nd rejection on that book and shelved the project. Less than half a year of querying doesn’t seem long—and in the grand scheme of a writing journey it’s merely a blip—but it was more than enough time to learn valuable lessons I needed to advance my writing career.

Ready to take the next step in your writing career?