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Ivy L. James
Oct 21, 20204 min read
10 Ways to Increase Your Words Per Hour
Want to know how to write faster? How to produce more without taking longer? Well, you're in the right place, my friend.
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Ivy L. James
Oct 8, 20205 min read
How to Prep for NaNoWriMo
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo): a writing challenge to produce 50,000 words of a novel during the month of November.
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Ivy L. James
Sep 19, 20203 min read
How Long Should a Book Chapter Be?
What does a book chapter do? How long should it be? How should it start and end? We'll discuss this and more...
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Ivy L. James
Aug 19, 20206 min read
All About Beta Readers
What are beta readers? How do you find them? What should you ask them, and how do you give good feedback if you're the beta reader?
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Ivy L. James
Jul 27, 20204 min read
How to Write a Synopsis
So you've arrived at this dreaded stage of the writerly journey... the synopsis. (Cue thunder and lightning.)
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Ivy L. James
Jul 14, 20204 min read
Don't Give Up on Your Story!
There's been a point in every story where I felt like it would be better to throw it away. I'm here to tell you not to give up.
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Ivy L. James
Jul 3, 20204 min read
4 Mistakes to Avoid When Self-Publishing (and a Bonus for Querying)
Learn from my mistakes, okay? Don't pick yourself the same bouquet of whoopsie-daisies.
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Ivy L. James
Jun 27, 20204 min read
How to Prep for Camp NaNoWriMo
NaNoWriMo whom? It's time for CAMP NaNoWriMo, NaNo's cool younger sibling that lets you choose your own goal. In this article we'll...
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Ivy L. James
Jun 22, 20204 min read
How to Include Active Consent in Romance (Without Killing the Pace)
Consent doesn't ruin a romantic scene. Consent makes the romance BETTER, because both characters know that the other one wants it.
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Ivy L. James
Jun 15, 20205 min read
How to Write a Novel
So you want to write a novel? Yay! Join us! We're a fun group. But where to start? It can seem so imposing. Here's how you can...
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Ivy L. James
May 26, 20203 min read
How to Handle Criticism as a Writer
As a writer, you'll get criticized. It comes from your critique partners, your beta readers, your editors, and even strangers. Sigh.
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Ivy L. James
May 4, 20205 min read
What to Do If Your Family Won't Approve of Your Story
The song “Die Vampire, Die” from the musical [title of show] (yes, that’s the name) describes “the air freshener vampire,” and it’s...
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Ivy L. James
Dec 13, 20196 min read
How to Plot a Ghost Story
Want to write a ghost story, but not sure where to start? Wanna plot it FAST? Well, my friend, have I got some good news for you. It's...
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Ivy L. James
Jul 12, 20196 min read
How to Talk about Your Book with Confidence
For most of my life, if someone asked about my novels, I had two responses: either A) downplay the story so much no one would ever want...
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Ivy L. James
Jun 20, 20196 min read
4 MORE Ways to Instantly Improve Your Writing
Writing classes have their place. Writing workshops have their place. But sometimes ya just need some down-and-dirty tips for a quick fix...
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Ivy L. James
May 29, 20195 min read
4 Ways to Instantly Improve Your Writing
Writing classes have their place. Writing workshops have their place. But sometimes ya just need some down-and-dirty tips for a quick fix...
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Ivy L. James
May 21, 20199 min read
How to Write a Great Kissing Scene
"Is this a kissing book?" Hell yeah it is, son. And we're gonna make it fan-h*cking-tastic. Anyone can write the words "They kissed." But...
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Ivy L. James
May 14, 20197 min read
How to Write an Awesome Beta Male Lead
In both reading and writing, I ADORE every Beta Male lead I come across. My tastes can be summarized as a guy who says, "Yeah, I'm cool,...
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