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Julie L. Cleveland

5 of My Favorite Books for Novel Writers

8/18/2022

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I will read anything, but I love non-fiction (which might be why I am primarily a non-fiction writer), but I do have a list of favorite fiction authors whose books I never miss. Somewhere in the last two years I decided that I wanted to write the fiction that I loved to read. I got tired of waiting years between books and was craving more stories.  Maybe it was being locked away working at home for a couple of years, or maybe it was just time, but I decided to try my hand at fiction.

I try to learn as much about something that I can before I start it; I’m the one at the library with 30 books on rock painting. So, I started looking for instructions on how to write a novel, and I spent time reading everything I could get my hands on. From freebies on Kindle to manuals on how to write, I was trying to find my place in the fictional world.

It turns out that there are bad instructions, and there are great instructions, but there are a lot of mediocre instructions in between. I do agree that the best way to write a novel is to read as many of them as you can, and never stop reading. At some point, you have to put pen to paper.
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Here is a list of my favorite books on novel writing that I used to help me write my two novels:

Outlining Your Novel - Map Your Way to Success - K.M. Weiland 
Outlining Your Novel by K.M. Weiland was not my first choice when looking for advice, but only because I didn't know what I was even looking for. Once I read this book, I knew what I needed, so I bought all of her books in Kindle format.

Then I realized that I needed all of her books in print, so I bought those, too. Her whole series of Helping Writers Become Authors is a cornerstone of my reference library. While I do not write Sci-Fi or Fantasy, her tips on world building and story outlining kept me from spinning out of control while putting my book together. 

​The word OUTLINE tends to make people squirm, but your outline doesn't need to be complicated. The first Act / Chapter can be something as simple as 'the main character went shopping and found out she had a long-lost sister'. 
The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing - Writer's Digest 

​The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing is a compilation of notes, hints, helpful ideas and tips from many of the top authors of today, as well as from editors and agents. It helped me to get an idea of the process of writing, as well as the importance of making your first draft a unholy mess! 

It helped me see writing from a different perspective by seeing the parts of a story and how the parts all work together in the end. I found it so much easier to sit down and craft a chapter with the knowledge that it was just a part in the overall plan. There's a lot less pressure that way. It's from Writer's Digest, and I have been reading their magazine and using their annual marketing list since the 1970s.

I have this in softback, so I can reference it easily. 



The Writers Helping Writers Series of Books by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi
Or you can buy all 8 of the books in this series here: https://amzn.to/3bXxfDg

​The Writers Helping Writers Series is an amazing tool, and I have all of them in Kindle format. They are not expensive, and they will add so much more depth and reality to your characters. 

Learn how the body language helps to portray an emotion, how to create conflict, or how to write rural or urban settings. The possibilities are endless, and each book will help you craft a character that we want to care about or hate with a thousand rays of sun. 



On Writing by Stephen King 

​On Writing by Stephen King is on everyone's list of books that actually help a budding novelist get started. This book offers a blueprint for the way that stories develop, and in Stephen King's mind, there is nothing normal about that blueprint. 

Since I had spent months reading about structure, outlines, building blocks and more, this book was a cold blast of water that made me want to write even more. I do not write by the seat of my pants, but I do write by the seat of my pants. This book gave me permission to just throw it all up in the air and go with it. What I also learned was that approach didn't totally work for me! 

I wrote my first novel with a loosely structured outline and seat of the pants writing. (For some reason, I hate the term 'pantser', so I refuse to use it.) When the first draft was done, I realized that maybe I should have had a bit more structure, so I sat on it.

Then I wrote the second book in the series with more structure and less seat of pants, and it went along smoothly. Now, I am tearing apart my first book to completely rewrite it with less pants and more structure. So, it is up to you as to which method defines you, but this book reminds you that not everything needs to be so uptight!

I also discovered that I am better at editing as I go along rather than letting it simmer like a really stinky stew!

Conclusion

I hope that my writer's tool recommendations help you get from aspiring to slogging through your first draft. I know that all of these and more helped me get past the stage of wanting to write fiction to actually writing fiction. Now, if only someone would come along and unscramble my first draft, that would be awesome!
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​Why Does a Copywriter Need a Creative Brief?

8/4/2022

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My day job requires me to write and write and write some more. Of all the words I write, most of them are written for a purpose other than to amuse myself. My day job is to write ad copy and content articles for clients who want to use my words to sell their products. I am cognizant that as a copywriter and a content writer I need to write words that mean something to the company I am working with and reach the customers that will buy their products.

Automotive content writing and email marketing copywriting have basic formulas to follow, but what those formulas do not give you is answers to what the client wants.

There is nothing more frustrating for everyone than a lack of instructions, having to do multiple rewrites and having no clear direction for the copy or content. You should always have a content brief when you take on any writing project. It will save you and your client time.

Copywriters, if your client does not have a brief, then supply them with one and help them fill it out. I am including a free content brief template at the end of this article.

What is a Content Brief Template? 

A brief is, well, brief. It is a set of very simple instructions from the client to you, the writer, that lays out their goals, their desires, their favorite keywords and their audience. Briefs can be as simple or as complicated as the client needs. It consists of a series of questions that can be answered in short sentences or notes. All you do is fill in the blanks, and you are ready to outline your article.

There are many creative brief templates on the market, as well as free content brief templates that you can download.

Why Do I Need a Content Brief? 

A content brief is a time management tool that keeps your writing on track.

Since all of the questions will be answered upfront by the brief, you can start writing immediately and submit the finished project to the client for review.

A brief makes it easy for you to edit your article, check off your keywords and make sure that you have followed all of the client’s instructions as to what content they wanted to include.

How Important are Keywords? 

Anyone who has been writing during the internet age is fully aware of the purpose and importance of keywords. Only a client who knows their business inside and out will be able to give the writer the keywords they want to use to drive their traffic. You might have suggestions for them, but the keywords should be something they provide. They should know which long-tail keywords will drive sales to their site.

A brief includes keyword information to be used in the article.

Your brief helps everyone stay on track and is a written reference for everyone involved. If the brief is clear and concise, the ad copy will also be on point and an effective marketing tool.

Here are some tools that might make your next projects a little easier: 
  • Grammarly checks your grammar and spelling. It has a freebie edition, as well as a paid edition. 
  • The One Hour Content Plan by Meera Kothand is a number 1 bestseller for all of us scribblers. 
  • The Kindle Unlimited link may allow you to read the book for free. Her book has been in the Kindle Unlimited library in the past, and may be again. If not, there are many other books that will help guide your content writing career. 
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    I am a manic writer who has to write all the time about something, even if it is a detailed 'To Do' list. 

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