Table of Contents
Introduction
Become a finisher
Make time to write - Find your method role models, Make the most of thinking time,
When block strikes: reboot your muse
Befriend your inner critic
Strategies to get your critical sense on side
Task 1: shape your inspiration
Origin statement for your book
Task 2: develop your idea
In-depth questions to build protagonists, antagonists, motivations, plot, setting, time period, genre expectations, special worlds, inciting incidents, main twists, originality, endings, conflicts, point of view, removing ideas that don’t fit, refining exercises, research list, instant plot thickeners
Task 3: using your research
The hat game to encourage creative and flexible thinking
Task 4: create story events
The cards game for detailed outlining and resting your plot, checking subplots, topping up your research list, seeking resonance and dramatic contrast, recycling and reincorporating, checking character motivations, assessing an existing draft, brainstorming the right ending
Task 5: your detailed outline
For those who like outlines
Task 5½: an active break
To gain critical distance — and what to do in the meantime
Task 5¾: check your outline
Questions to make sure your outline is robust; prompts to help you discover untapped potential
Task 6: ready to write
Planning where and when you’ll write, how you’ll get in the mood, measuring progress, beating common problems, problems you can safely ignore
Task 7: another active break
Useful tasks to do while your manuscript cools off
Task 8: diagnose the problems
The beat sheet method for smart revision, controlling the timeline, flaws to look for and how to spot them at a glance, getting clarity if the book is different from the book you intended to write, restructuring without stress, assessing an abandoned manuscript
Task 9: rewrite with confidence
Creative decisions to double-check, strategies for smart revision, how to use the beat sheet, important details checklist, discovering your best process
Titles workshop
Now you know the book inside out, test and refine your title
If you have to take a break
How to minimise the loss of flow if you have to put the novel aside
Task 10: reaching readers
Decide your best publishing path, find critical feedback, condense your novel into an effective synopsis, write an impactful sales summary, write a strong pitch letter to agents, publishers, reviewers and other publishing professionals
Ideas to keep for future novels
A proper home for the ideas you couldn’t bear to scrap
Master research list
A planner to keep track of all your research tasks and sources