There is no shortcut. And if you’re desperate for one, you might not truly be in love with the process.

I’ve been doing this since 2012, and I still consider myself a massive newbie. After all that time, I’ve just got my first book coming out into the world. And I’m stoked with that, because I love the process so much and I love all the challenges ahead of me. Writing makes me feel alive. If it does the same for you, then it won’t matter that there isn’t a shortcut – because the long road will be worth it.

Don’t ask, ‘what’s the least I can do?’

Instead, ask, ‘what’s the most I can bare?’

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Website: https://jedherne.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/61535985-jed-herne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JedHerne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jedhernewriter [use my automated messenger bot to play a choose your own adventure story right in the app 😉 ]

As tempting as it may be to discuss your story ideas with friends, you have to be careful. In my experience, I’ve sometimes found that talking about stories you’re going to write can delude you into thinking you’ve already written them. After all, if friends say that your story sounds cool, you might feel like you’ve done your job as an author – this, your motivation to actually write the darn thing may decrease. If you keep it pent up inside you, however, and only start talking about it once you’ve done the first draft, it will motivate you to write that first draft as quickly as possible so that you can share it with the world. For instance, I almost always only talk publicly about stories that have moved beyond the first draft.

Plus, there’s the other downside of talking about stories you haven’t yet written: your walk probably won’t match your talk. I see so many people talking about all the great stories they’re going to write, and how they’re going to be an awesome author … but their actions don’t map to their ambitions. They’re taking the talk, but not walking the walk – not actually getting into the grind of pumping out that story.

On the other hand, selective and careful discussion of your story can help improve ideas and spot errors before you waste time writing them. Like with so many things, this is about intentions. If you’re telling someone your story idea to seek approval, it will probably be counterproductive. If you’re telling them with an open ear for critical feedback, you will win.

Ultimately, you have a choice: talk about the stories you want to write, or actually write them and then talk about them. I suggest you do the second.

Read my debut fantasy novella! https://amzn.to/33yyvn7

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Join my Reader Club email newsletter for free sci-fi & fantasy stories, and to keep updated about my writing!

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Website: https://jedherne.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/61535985-jed-herne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JedHerne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jedhernewriter [use my automated messenger bot to play a choose your own adventure story right in the app 😉 ]

For over a year and a half, I’ve used a spreadsheet to keep track of basically everything I’ve written. It’s become a valuable habit that encourages productivity. Particularly in the first draft phase of a project, it helps me stay focused and make substantial daily progress. It can do the same for you!

Read my debut fantasy novella! https://amzn.to/33yyvn7

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Join my Reader Club email newsletter for free sci-fi & fantasy stories, and to keep updated about my writing!

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Website: https://jedherne.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/61535985-jed-herne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JedHerne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jedhernewriter [use my automated messenger bot to play a choose your own adventure story right in the app 😉 ]

Don’t ask ‘did you like it?’

Instead, ask:

1) What bores you
2) What confuses you
3) What don’t you believe
4) What’s cool? (So I don’t accidentally “fix” it.)

These questions come from Mary Robinette Kowal, who uses them for early beta readers (http://maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/how-and-why-i-use-online-alpha-readers-while-writing-novels/). What’s great about them is how they focus readers on giving big picture feedback, which prevents them obsessing over micro details that will probably change anyway (I.e. spelling errors).

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Join my Reader Club email newsletter for free sci-fi & fantasy stories, and to keep updated about my writing!

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Website: https://jedherne.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/61535985-jed-herne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JedHerne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jedhernewriter [use my automated messenger bot to play a choose your own adventure story right in the app 😉 ]

Read my debut fantasy novella! https://amzn.to/33yyvn7

1. Prefer free indirect speech over direct thought
2. Avoid tricky punctuation and formatting
3. Take regular breaks
4. Voices are hard, so work them out beforehand.
5. You can do this yourself – even on a budget.

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Join my Reader Club email newsletter for free sci-fi & fantasy stories, and to keep updated about my writing!

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Read my debut fantasy novella! https://amzn.to/33yyvn7

When writing fantasy novels, we often think that world building = making cool creatures, religions, and societies. That’s certainly part of it. But it’s also useful to consider the subtler ways you can create an interesting world for your characters to inhabit. That’s what today’s episode is all about.

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Website: https://jedherne.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/61535985-jed-herne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JedHerne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jedhernewriter [use my automated messenger bot to play a choose your own adventure story right in the app 😉 ]

Read my debut fantasy novella! https://amzn.to/33yyvn7

What if? This powerful question recently helped me take a character from bland to great – and you can use it in your own stories.

My favourite ‘what if’ questions:
1. What if your protagonist’s goal is the opposite of their current one?
2. What if the antagonist is more sympathetic than the protagonist?
3. What if you remove the most interesting character?
4. What if your character does something no one expects them to do?
5. What if your protagonist gives up?
6. What if your antagonist wins?
7. What if your main plot finishes at the midpoint (a la ‘The Moon is a Harsh Mistress’) and the second half is all about the fallout and consequences?

Let me know your ‘what if’ questions!

My podcast on ‘The Moon is a Harsh Mistress’: https://anchor.fm/novelanalyst/episodes/4—The-Moon-is-a-Harsh-Mistress-by-Robert-Heinlein—Writing-an-Amazing-Midpoint-e3ubug

jed.herne1@gmail.com

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Join my Reader Club email newsletter for free sci-fi & fantasy stories, and to keep updated about my writing!

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Website: https://jedherne.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/61535985-jed-herne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JedHerne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jedhernewriter [use my automated messenger bot to play a choose your own adventure story right in the app 😉 ]

Read my debut fantasy novella! https://amzn.to/33yyvn7

WIN: What’s important now? It’s such a valuable question to deal with feeling overwhelmed – because as an author, there’s a lot of reasons to feel overwhelmed.

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Join my Reader Club email newsletter for free sci-fi & fantasy stories, and to keep updated about my writing!

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Website: https://jedherne.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/61535985-jed-herne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JedHerne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jedhernewriter [use my automated messenger bot to play a choose your own adventure story right in the app 😉 ]

My Ender’s Game podcast: https://anchor.fm/novelanalyst/episodes/30—Enders-Game-by-Orson-Scott-Card—Writing-Twists-e4iau2

Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game is a fantastic demonstration of how you should consider foreshadowing big twists, by providing micro twists earlier in your story.

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Join my Reader Club email newsletter for free sci-fi & fantasy stories, and to keep updated about my writing!

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Website: https://jedherne.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/61535985-jed-herne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JedHerne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jedhernewriter [use my automated messenger bot to play a choose your own adventure story right in the app 😉 ]

Check out my debut fantasy novella! https://amzn.to/33yyvn7

Whilst working on my upcoming book, I made a big mistake that I want you to avoid.

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Join my Reader Club email newsletter for free sci-fi & fantasy stories, and to keep updated about my writing!

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***

Website: https://jedherne.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/61535985-jed-herne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JedHerne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jedhernewriter [use my automated messenger bot to play a choose your own adventure story right in the app 😉 ]