P.S. Hoffman's Blog, page 4

Cover Reveal for The Last Human (Bonus: Map Inside)

It's finally here.

I've been working on The Human Gods series since late 2020. After writing three books in the series, it's finally getting published.

After extensive edits, additions, polishing, and commissioned art...

...it's time.

Here's the cover, crafted by the talented David Lahey who helped me bring these ideas to life:

And as promised...

Here is the map that features the main city of The Last Human.

This is a hand-drawn creation, designed to mimic the cartograp...

The Top 10 Ways to Write Better Right Now

Today, you’ve decided to get better at writing. 

General wisdom says there are only two ways to do so: 

Write moreRead more

Reading develops your taste and your sense of what makes a good story. And the only way to actually create a story or a book, or whatever you’re working on, is to write.

Fine. But what if you want to write better, right now?

How can you become more creative instantly? How can you write with a sense of passionate urgency, and make the most magical words flow f...

The 7.5 Best Books to Become a Great Writer

What are the best books on writing?

There are three things that make a book a must-read for authors:

The advice must be timeless, like how to craft a good storyOr the ideas must be hyper-relevant, like how to sell books through specific platformsLast, the best writing books will grow your mindset, like how to fall in love with the process of writing

Every book on this list contains at least two of these elements, and each one has fundamentally changed my writing life for the better.

...

My 2022 Writing Goals (and How I Made Them)

I’m about to show you my 2022 writing goals.

I'm doing this for a few reasons: I want to give insight into my writing life, I want to show you how to create your own writing goals, and maybe - maybe - to encourage you to be more ambitious with your own life. 

Want the short version? In 2022, I aim to...

write or edit 697.5k wordscomplete 4.5 new drafts of major stories (I started the year with half a novel)publish 24 new or updated blog posts

How did I arrive at these numbers? What a...

The 13 Best Fantasy Books of 2021

Looking for the best fantasy books of 2021? 

I am in LOVE with this year's top picks:

Mythical heroes and magnetic villainsGrand fantasy adventures with epic twistsHeartwarming stories about love and the meaning of lifeGrimdark tales with blood and tragedy and fatal romance

Yep. It’s all here. Let’s find your next favorite fantasy book:

Best Fantasy Books of 2021 1. The Shadow of the Gods

By John Gwynne

This book is awesome in every sense of the word.

An epic tale of ...

The 13 Best Science Fiction Books of 2021

The best science fiction books will hook you on the very first page. They are brimming with unusual characters you can't wait to read about - aliens, androids, and humans with supernatural abilities, gifted through the power of science.

Whether you're looking for the best Hard Science Fiction, or epic Space Operas, or desperate Apocalypses...

Or, if you just want a soft, cozy read, there's a mountain of new SF this year. So I compiled this list to help you find - and fall in love with - y...

How to Kill Your Inner Perfectionist and Write More

In the spring of 2021, I lost my mind. 

I was stressed to my eyeballs, and couldn’t write a damn thing. This madness had nothing to do with the global pandemic, and everything to do with the Perfect Tyrant living in my head. 

At the end of last year, I decided to get serious about writing my own novels. After only a few weeks of hard work, I was already gaining traction on a few public forums. I put out my first book for free, and it gained hundreds of thousands of views in the first month...

The 7 Best Ways to Outline Your Novel (with Templates)

There is no “right way” to outline your novel. Every writer has their own outlining method. In some cases, writers will use a different outline process for each novel. 

But if you understand all the outlining methods available to you, you can take the pieces you like and craft your own process. I’m about to you the 7 best outline strategies that yield novels your readers will love. Read this, and you will know exactly how to outline for your next novel.

Should You Outline Your Novel?

Ye...

How to Set Smarter Writing Goals in 2022

What is the smartest way to become a better writer in 2022? 

Set goals that give you the CONFIDENCE you deserve.

This is one of my favorite parts of the year. When else do you get to DREAM about all your great ambitions for 2022? It's so tantalizing to think about what you might accomplish...

Over the last decade, I’ve worked out a very helpful (and forgiving) strategy for setting my own writing goals. The key is to balance your ambition with actual success.

I'm about to show you: 

...