There are two types of people when it comes to NaNoWriMo: the plotter and the pantser. I am proudly a pantser, so I have spent a lot of my writing time trying to let my freedom flag fly while also trying to not write myself into a corner. Earlier this year, I was introduced to Save The Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. This book has revolutionized my writing life and I believe that it can help even the wildest pantser. Today, I’m sharing how you can use the principles of Save The Cat Writes a Novel even if you don’t plot.

How I Prepared for NaNoWriMo 2020

Preptober is in full swing over here in Shelby writing land. This past Saturday, I took the time to do my own prep for NaNoWriMo. In order to prep though, I had to decide what project I was going to do for NaNo 2020.

How to Have a Successful NaNoWriMo

It’s one of the best times of the year! Fall is in the air which means it is almost time for NaNoWriMo. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. This is a yearly event where writers attempt to write 50,000 words during the month of November. During the month of October, in honor of Preptober, I will be sharing a blog post every week to get you ready for NaNoWriMo. This week, I’m sharing five steps to have a successful NaNo.

I Tried an ENFJ Writing Routine

A few weeks ago, I was inspired by Bree Buonomo and Hudson McCarthy to try a writing routine based on my Myers-Briggs personality type. I have a lot of experience with the Myers-Briggs personality types from when I wrote my blog post, “How to Use Myers-Briggs Types to Create Characters,” but I never thought about applying the personality types to my own writing routine until I saw Bree’s YouTube video.

Finding Beauty in the Brokenness

For the past two years, I have shared a blog post for my birthday. At 23, I described the lessons of life and writing I had learned over the years. At 24, I shared 24 things I was grateful for. But coming up with an idea for my 25th year has been a struggle.

Three Things I Learned From Camp NaNoWriMo July 2020

I have officially won Camp NaNoWriMo for the first time!

3 Reasons Why You Should Have A Playlist For Your WIP

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I can’t stand writing in silence. I need some sort of noise to get myself to focus. This is why I created 3 playlists to get through my writing time in my blog post, “Try These 3 Spotify Playlists To Bring Excitement Back To Your Writing Life.”

Even though this sounds like a great idea, you may still be on the fence about spending precious time worrying about creating a music playlist. Today, I’m going to give you three reasons why you should give it a try for your own work-in-progress.

How to Write Your Novel in a Year

I have always wanted to write a novel. It has seriously been my dream since reading other indie authors and going through workshops in college. I have always felt like it was my calling. However, I am a writer that struggles with imposter syndrome and time management. I needed to find a way to set and accomplish goals, so I could finally fulfill my dream.

5 Proven Strategies to Get You Writing

Writing is the love of our life. It is the passion that keeps our spirit alive. However, with anything, writing gets hard too. Writer’s block and blank page anxiety takes us over, causing us to end up killing time with Netflix, rather than accomplishing our writing goals. But, it doesn’t always have to be this way. Today, I will be outlining 5 strategies, tested by yours truly, that will have you writing in no time.

Everything You Need to Know About My New Project

I recently reached over 100 followers on Instagram! Before I made it to 100, I promised a special surprise for when I reached my goal. So here it is! Today, I’m unveiling my current work in process, The Midnight Huntress. In this post, I will be answering all of the questions I believe people would have, but if you have any others, please leave a comment down below. 

Audiobook Review: Reflections by Briana Morgan

I received a free audiobook review copy from StoryOrigin in exchange for an honest review. Even though I received this copy for free, I’m treating it the same way I have discussed any other audiobooks I have reviewed. Now, let’s get to the review!

Reflections by Briana Morgan has been on my list since last year, when I posted my “10 Audiobooks I Want to Listen To in 2019.” Unfortunately, it didn’t make it into my reading schedule. Therefore, when the opportunity came my way to receive a review copy of Reflections, I cleared my reading schedule and jumped on it. One of my goals for 2020 is to read and review more indie authors, so it only made sense to start with Briana Morgan’s work. I’ve known Morgan since I was a freshman in college and have beta read her novel, Livingston Girls. Honestly, I couldn’t be more thrilled to do a book review than I am now.

Choosing My Word of the Year for 2020

This will be my third year choosing a word of the year instead of doing a new year resolution. In 2018, I chose “Progress.” Last year, I chose “Authentic.” It was an interesting word of the year choice because, at the time, I wasn’t sure how I was going to live by authenticity all year long. When I chose progress, it was easy to measure with goals or life events. Authentic is much more of an abstract concept to think about. But somehow, I lived by the word authentic for an entire year.