Day 5 – 30 Days of Writing Advice – Why Now

 

DAY 5

This month of daily writing advice will include tidbits, tips, and sometimes tricks. This isn’t a replacement for editing or book coaching, it’s meant as a jumping off point for exploration and thought! I hope it helps! ~Amy

WHINE LIKE A TODDLER AND ASK WHY

I like to say that the not so secret ingredient for good fiction is WHY.

Especially if you’re a dedicated pantser, like me, it’s a good way to keep things consistent in your manuscript.

Ask WHY?

Why is your main character doing what she’s doing? In the book. In the chapter. In the scene. Heck, even in the sentence. If you can’t answer WHY then you might want to backtrack and figure it out, or maybe your character needs to be doing something else.

Ask WHY NOW?

This question is key — and it was great advice from my superstar agent that I’ve taken to heart. The urgency or reason something in your novel MUST HAPPEN NOW is imperative. If this story could happen to anyone at any time, well, that’s not super compelling, is it?

What are some important questions you ask yourself while you’re writing?

See you tomorrow!

Amy xo

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