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