revising your novel | Writers In The Storm

How to Fix a Weak Novel Midpoint

Jenn Windrow — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 08:45:00 +0000

Before you cut scenes from Act Two, test whether your midpoint is doing its job.

The post How to Fix a Weak Novel Midpoint first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

Not What I Had Planned

Guest Blogger — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 08:45:00 +0000

How a mid-year goal checkup helped me to realize what I needed to do to push myself to finish writing my story. Read more here.

The post Not What I Had Planned first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

Complete Guide to Revising Your Novel: Part THREE—Analysis

Lynette Burrows — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The third (and final part) of this in-depth look at how to revise your novel, helps you analyze your characters, setting, plot and pace of your story.

The post Complete Guide to Revising Your Novel: Part THREE—Analysis first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

Take Advantage of Your Reader’s Expectations

Guest Blogger — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 09:38:00 +0000

We study plot and structure, pace and tension, character and dialogue, but how often do we think about how the reader is going to react to our story?

The post Take Advantage of Your Reader’s Expectations first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

3 Easy Tips to Help You Revise Your Novel

Guest Blogger — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 10:33:00 +0000

Revising your story can turn a literary lump of coal into a diamond. Janice Hardy shares three tips to help you make your novel shine.

The post 3 Easy Tips to Help You Revise Your Novel first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

How Specifics Make Your Stories Universal

Guest Blogger — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 08:50:40 +0000

Just as we as writers can’t address the possible weaknesses in our stories until we understand exactly what they are, readers can’t fully engage with those stories without a clear, concrete, granular sense of detail.
Yet one of the observations I most frequently make with authors’ manuscripts in my editing work is that key elements may lack impact because they feel vague or generalized.

The post How Specifics Make Your Stories Universal first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

Editing For Theme: Search-and-Employ

Guest Blogger — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 11:01:00 +0000

Barbara Linn Probst shows how editing your work for theme can strengthen your book. In summary, "Search and Destroy" can be swapped for "Search and Employ."

The post Editing For Theme: Search-and-Employ first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

When Rejection Becomes Connection

Kris Maze — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 12:00:15 +0000

The alternate title for this post could have been "How I Found My Publisher Through Rejection." K. Maze shares the lessons she learned on her path to publication.

The post When Rejection Becomes Connection first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

Are You Sick and Tired of Editing Your Book?

Julie Glover — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 12:00:58 +0000

I'm currently working on yet another edit of my young adult book that managed to eke out an RWA Golden Heart final in 2015. You'd think this baby would be in pretty good shape. When I entered my novel into that contest, it was hardly a first draft. More like Draft #72. I think I'm […]

The post Are You Sick and Tired of Editing Your Book? first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

Struggling With Your Plot? Here's a Fun Way to Learn Story Structure

Guest Blogger — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 11:00:21 +0000

Janice Hardy When I was first learning how to write a novel, I read tons of how-to books and tried every piece of writing advice I came across. Some of it helped, some of it didn't, and some of it did more harm than good. Luckily, I survived the experience and maintained not only my […]

The post Struggling With Your Plot? Here's a Fun Way to Learn Story Structure first appeared on Writers In The Storm.