#13weeknovel

"A first draft. It's finished. It's really, finally finished." #13WeekNovel: Ok, Now What? | @MDellertDotCom http://wp.me/p58Czq-BG

If you’ve not completed your first draft yet, that’s perfectly normal, especially if this is your first attempt. Whether it takes you thirteen weeks or slightly longer, the point of this process is to get you through your first draft quickly.

“But, Mike! I’m only approaching the end of Act Two! I’ve failed!”

No. If this is your first time, chances are, you’ve just written more than you’ve ever…

"A first draft. It's finished. It's really, finally finished." #13WeekNovel: Ok, Now What? | @MDellertDotCom

If you’ve not completed your first draft yet, that’s perfectly normal, especially if this is your first attempt. Whether it takes you thirteen weeks or slightly longer, the point of this process is to get you through your first draft quickly.

“But, Mike! I’m only approaching the end of Act Two! I’ve failed!”

No. If this is your first time, chances are, you’ve just written more than you’ve ever…

Endings can be tricky. #13WeekNovel: Week 13 - The End, My Friend | @MDellertDotCom http://wp.me/p58Czq-Bf #AskAuthor #TheEnd

Welcome to Week Thirteen! This is IT! We’re almost done.

And by now, you’re nearly exhausted, I’ll bet. You’ve put aside birthday parties, bar-mitzvahs, weddings, getting a new job, moving across country, cleaning out the refrigerator, and chasing dust bunnies out from under the couch. Your kids have been parked in front of Dora the Explorer videos for so long, they’ve learned to speak Spanish.…

One more week to go. You can do this. #13WeekNovel: Week 13 - The End, My Friend | @MDellertDotCom #AskAuthor #TheEnd

Welcome to Week Thirteen! This is IT! We’re almost done.

And by now, you’re nearly exhausted, I’ll bet. You’ve put aside birthday parties, bar-mitzvahs, weddings, getting a new job, moving across country, cleaning out the refrigerator, and chasing dust bunnies out from under the couch. Your kids have been parked in front of Dora the Explorer videos for so long, they’ve learned to speak Spanish.…

By surrendering your hero develops wisdom. #13WeekNovel: Week 12 - Beginning the End | @MDellertDotCom #WritingTips

Welcome to Act Three, the Beginning of the End. Take a deep breath. You can do this.

By surrendering your hero’s previous relationship to her goal, she develops “wisdom.” She begins to accept the reality of her situation and is able to at last give herself what she needs. This week, your hero might still encounter conflicts with antagonists, but her approach to these conflicts is shifting. She…

your hero surrenders. Why? Because she has no choice. #13WeekNovel: Week 11 - Surrender | @MDellertDotCom

Week Eleven. We’re getting close now. Can you taste it?

This week, your hero surrenders. Why? Because she has no choice. It’s only through surrendering that your hero redefines her relationship to her goal. Notice how all of your characters have a specific relationship to the goal—no matter whether the goal is love, money, prestige, or angled parking spaces at the mall—and that what separates…

Suffering is a vital aspect of your journey. #13WeekNovel: Week 10 — The Bog | @MDellertDotCom #amwriting

The moment of suffering is a vital aspect of your hero’s journey. Without it, there would be no context for a surrender. This week, your hero questions the possibility of achieving his goal and he begins to suffer.

Getting Out of the Bog

Some writers thrive on middles. They feel the hard part is out of the way. All the characters are launched, the plot is charted, and they’re skimming along under…

#13WeekNovel Writing Challenge: Week Nine — Commitment

This week, you’re reaching the midpoint of your story, when your hero realizes that there really is no going back. This is often where the story turns. As you continue to interrogate your hero’s motivation, you may discover a moment of temptation for him. This moment will keep you in touch with the tension at the heart of the hero’s plight.

The Mid-Novel Crisis

By now, your character is suffering…