Archive of Posts | Aliventures

You can find all the past posts on Aliventures here:

2025

(04 Apr) Annual Writing Goal Progress in Q1, 2025 (What’s Working and What’s Not?) (Motivation)
(27 Mar) What is Plot … and is it the Same Thing as Story or Narrative? (Fiction)
(21 Mar) How Does Editing Best Fit Into the Writing Process? Four Key Options to Consider (Editing)
(14 Mar) Is First Person Point of View Right for Your Story? Five Approaches (+ Examples) (Fiction)
(06 Mar) Everything You Need to Know About Developing (and Writing) Characters (Fiction)
(28 Feb) How to Write Character Descriptions That Work (With Examples) (Fiction)
(13 Feb) Five Creative Uses of ChatGPT for Writers (Which Don’t Involve AI Doing the Writing For You!) (Creativity)
(06 Feb) What is a Character Arc? Positive, Negative, and Flat Character Arcs Explained (Plus Examples) (Fiction)
(30 Jan) What is an Omniscient Narrator and Should You Use One in Your Story? (Pros, Cons, and Examples) (Fiction)
(24 Jan) Mastering Third Person Limited Point of View: Four Options and Four Examples (Fiction)
(17 Jan) Will AI Write Novels? Here’s What I Think (Plus Examples from ChatGPT) (Fiction)
(09 Jan) Choosing Viewpoint Characters: What’s Right for Your Story? (Fiction)
(03 Jan) My Annual Writing Goals for 2025 (Plus Support for Your Writing Goals) (Motivation)

2024

(19 Dec) Annual Writing Goal Progress in Q4, 2024 – What’s Worked This Year and What Hasn’t? (Motivation)
(05 Dec) Indirect Characterisation: What Is It and How Is It Different From Direct Characterisation? (Fiction)
(21 Nov) What is Writer’s Block? The Myth, the Reality, and How to Overcome It (Creativity)
(15 Nov) Stop Procrastinating, Start Writing: 3 Situations That Trigger Writing Procrastination (& What You Can Do) (Fiction)
(07 Nov) Writing Voice: Finding Yours and Loosening Up When Your Writing Seems Stilted or Dry (Creativity)
(18 Oct) Three Act Story Structure (Including the Seven Key Plot Points Your Novel Needs) (Fiction)
(10 Oct) Annual Writing Goal Progress in Q3, 2024 (Plus When to Quit a Writing Goal) (Motivation)
(03 Oct) Outlining for Pantsers: Three Key Stages of Wrestling Your Rough Draft Under Control (Fiction)
(26 Sep) The Right Way to Expand a Too-Short Piece of Writing (Editing)
(19 Sep) The Eight Best Free Writing Tools to Help You Write More and Earn More (Creativity)
(12 Sep) How to Write When … You Have So Many Emails to Deal With (Motivation)
(26 Jul) Aliventures Summer Break 2024 – 10 Posts to Catch Up On (Motivation)
(18 Jul) Ten Sentence-Level Mistakes to Watch Out for When Editing Your Fiction [With Examples] (Editing)
(12 Jul) How to Get Your Characters Right As You Rewrite Your Novel (Fiction)
(04 Jul) Annual Writing Goal Progress in Q2, 2024 (Plus What’s New on Aliventures) (Motivation)
(27 Jun) How to Wrap Up a Writing Session Effectively – and Leave Yourself Ready for Next Time (Creativity)
(20 Jun) What Can You Write About if You Don’t Have Any Ideas? (Creativity)
(13 Jun) How to Write When … You Feel Drained by the Demands of Daily Life (Motivation)
(06 Jun) What Bad Writing Looks Like … and How to Fix It [With Detailed Examples] (Fiction)
(31 May) Seven Masterful Techniques to Build Tension in Your Fiction (With Examples) (Fiction)
(23 May) 22 Tips for Writing Fiction (Whatever Stage You’re At) (Fiction)
(16 May) Five Different Ways I Use Timers to Stay Focused When I’m Writing (Motivation)
(13 May) Imagining the Perfect Writing Space … and Announcing Writers’ Cafe (Motivation)
(09 May) How to Write When … You Can’t Seem to Get Started (Motivation)
(02 May) How Much Should You Plan Before Starting a Novel? (Fiction)
(26 Apr) Understanding the “Show Don’t Tell” Rule (With Examples … And Exceptions) (Fiction)
(18 Apr) Five Tips to Help You Rewrite Your Story After Beta Reader or Editor Feedback (Editing)
(12 Apr) What Comes Before and After Your Story? Character Backstory and Living Happily Ever After (Fiction)
(04 Apr) Annual Writing Goal Progress in Q1, 2024 (What’s Working Well?) (Motivation)
(28 Mar) Turning Your Inner Critic into an Inner Coach … and Growing Your Writing Confidence (Motivation)
(21 Mar) How to Meet Your Freelance Income Goals in 2024: Six Steps to Success (Freelancing)
(14 Mar) Six Practical Ways to Handle the Passage of Time in Fiction (Fiction)
(08 Mar) How to Write When … You’re Not Making Any Money Yet (Motivation)
(01 Mar) How and Why Unanswered Questions Draw Readers Through Your Story (Fiction)
(22 Feb) Seven Useful Tasks to Tackle as a Freelancer When You’re Waiting for More Client Work (Freelancing)
(15 Feb) Why Readers Might Not Make it Past Your First Few Pages: Five Reasons (and Five Fixes) (Fiction)
(09 Feb) Seven Common Obstacles on Your Writing Journey (and How to Overcome Them) (Motivation)
(01 Feb) How to Write When … You’re Afraid (Motivation)
(25 Jan) Batch Writing: How to Streamline Your Freelance Writing Process in 2024 (Freelancing)
(18 Jan) How to Write Difficult Scenes: Five Tips for Stretching Your Writing Muscles (Fiction)
(11 Jan) My Annual Writing Goals for 2024 (Plus Learning From Last Year’s Goals) (Motivation)
(04 Jan) Six Ways to Track Your Freelancing Time and Income (and Why You Should) (Freelancing)

2023

(14 Dec) Aliventures Winter Break 2023 – Six Posts to Enjoy (Creativity)
(07 Dec) How Much Should You Revise Your Work Before Sending it to a Beta Reader? (Editing)
(30 Nov) How to Set the Stage Now for Writing Success in 2024: Five Things to Do During December (Creativity)
(23 Nov) Developing Your Creative Process as a Writer (Instead of Working Against Yourself) (Creativity)
(16 Nov) What is Pacing in Fiction? (And Is Your Pace Too Fast, Too Slow, or Just Right?) (Fiction)
(09 Nov) Morning vs Night Writing Sessions: Which is Right for You … and How Can You Tell? (Creativity)
(12 Oct) External Conflict: Six Types of External Conflict (With Examples) (Fiction)
(28 Sep) How to Write When … You’re Bored With What You’re Writing (Motivation)
(21 Sep) Internal Conflict: Six Types of Internal Conflict (With Examples) (Fiction)
(14 Sep) Internal and External Conflict: Why Your Story Needs Both (and How to Do Them Well) (Fiction)
(24 Jul) Aliventures Summer Break 2023 – 10 Posts to Catch Up On (Motivation)
(08 Jul) Nine Stages of Writing a Novel (Plus Where You Might Get Stuck and How to Move On) (Fiction)
(16 Jun) How to Find the Courage to Put Your Writing Out There Into the World (Motivation)
(09 Jun) Nine Writing Milestones to Celebrate (and Goals to Aim For) (Motivation)
(18 May) How Long Does it Take to Write 1000 Words? (Motivation)
(28 Apr) Five Options for Telling Your Story in a Non-Linear Way … and Why You Might Want To (Fiction)
(20 Apr) Are Your Writing Dreams Unrealistic? (Motivation)
(24 Mar) Four Powerful Ways to Protect Your Writing Time (From Yourself and From Other People) (Motivation)
(17 Mar) How to Write When … You Have So Many Other Things to Do (Motivation)
(10 Mar) What is a Scene? Understanding and Using the Basic Unit of Story Structure (Fiction)
(02 Mar) When Mental Health Gets in the Way of Your Writing: An Interview With Emma (Science at Your Doorstep) (Motivation)
(23 Feb) Five Powerful Ways to Make Your Novel’s Plot More Complex (Fiction)
(10 Feb) How to Recover Your Writing Confidence (Even if You Think You Never Had Any) (Motivation)
(02 Feb) How to Write When … You’re Tired (Motivation)
(20 Jan) How to Start a Novel: Eight Options Plus Examples (Fiction)
(12 Jan) My Annual Fiction Writing Goals for 2023 (Plus Goal-Setting and Goal-Adjusting Tips) (Motivation)

2022

(02 Dec) Eight Ways to Boost Your Income as a Freelance Writer (Freelancing)
(24 Nov) The Four Essential Qualities You Need for Freelance Writing Success (and How to Develop Them) (Freelancing)
(17 Nov) Never Miss a Deadline: Seven Foolproof Techniques to Stay on Top of Your Writing Assignments (Freelancing)
(01 Nov) How to Write When … You Feel Discouraged (Motivation)
(17 Oct) Choosing the Right Viewpoint and Tense for Your Fiction [With Examples] (Fiction)
(10 Oct) How to Stay Focused When You’re Writing Something Uninteresting (Motivation)
(03 Oct) What is Content Writing … and How Can You Make Money From It? (Freelancing)
(26 Sep) How to Write When … You Don’t Have a Good Writing Space (Motivation)
(12 Sep) How to Set Yourself Up For a Great Writing Day Tomorrow (Motivation)
(22 Aug) How to Raise Your Rates as a Freelance Writer – Here’s Everything You Need to Know [Includes Email Template] (Freelancing)
(01 Aug) Why Do We Procrastinate About Writing When We Love to Write? (Motivation)
(11 Jul) Summer 2022: The Year So Far … and What’s To Come (Creativity)
(13 Jun) Why Repetition Can Be Powerful … and How to Get it Right (Fiction)
(30 May) Easier, Better Writing: Harnessing Inspiration and Motivation (Motivation)
(23 May) Seven Crucial First Steps for Your Writing Career (Freelancing)
(25 Apr) Five Different Approaches to Developing Characters (Fiction)
(12 Apr) Staying Motivated to Finish a Novel … or Even a Short Story (Motivation)
(04 Apr) How to Get Your Writing Done … When You Have Lots of Other Responsibilities, Too (Motivation)
(28 Mar) Freelance Content Writing: How to Find Paid Blogging Jobs (Freelancing)
(21 Mar) Between Projects? Six Things to Do While Waiting for More Freelance Work (Freelancing)
(14 Mar) Academic Writing: Should You Ever Write for an Essay Mill? (Freelancing)
(14 Feb) Seven Things to Do When You Feel Like Giving Up on Writing (Motivation)
(07 Feb) How to Be a More Disciplined Writer (Motivation)
(31 Jan) Getting Apostrophes Right: From the Easy to the Tricky Cases (Editing)
(17 Jan) Split Narratives: Dividing Your Story Between Two or More Narrators (Fiction)
(11 Jan) Character Flaws: Why They’re So Important to Your Story [With Examples] (Fiction)

2021

(06 Dec) How to Write When … You Just Can’t Stick to Your Writing Plans (Motivation)
(08 Nov) How to Choose and Develop a Writing Idea [With Examples] (Creativity)
(01 Nov) Seven Simple Tips for Writing Great Dialogue (Fiction)
(26 Oct) How Do You Divide Your Novel into Chapters? (Fiction)
(11 Oct) How to Stop Procrastinating … and Start Writing (Fiction)
(27 Sep) How to Have Confidence in Your Writing: Eight Powerful Tips (Motivation)
(20 Jul) Summer Reading: Seven Posts You Might Have Missed (Motivation)
(05 Jul) What Are Dialogue Tags and Dialogue Beats? (And Why You Should Use “Said” Frequently) (Fiction)
(29 Jun) How to Get Writing Experience (Without Wasting Your Time) (Freelancing)
(22 Jun) How to Be a Writer: Ten Important Steps to Becoming a Writer (and Living Your Dreams) (Motivation)
(14 Jun) Get Re-Excited About Your Writing Project: Seven Ways to Stay Motivated to Write (Motivation)
(07 Jun) How to Come Up With Lots of Great Ideas for Your Writing [With Examples] (Creativity)
(24 May) The Writing Process: Five Essential Stages for Anything You’re Working On (Creativity)
(18 May) How to Write Faster: Twelve Tips to Get More Words Down (Creativity)
(11 May) The Three Stages of Editing (and Nine Handy Do-it-Yourself Tips) (Editing)
(03 May) How Long is a Novel … and How Long Should YOUR Novel Be? (Fiction)
(26 Apr) Seven of the Best Freelance Writing Websites: Tips, Insights, Jobs, and More (Freelancing)
(19 Apr) Get Paid to Write: How to Become a Freelance Writer (Freelancing)
(05 Apr) Seven Habits of Serious Writers to Help You Go Further (Motivation)
(22 Mar) How to Write When … Your Partner Isn’t Supportive (Motivation)
(15 Mar) Nine Powerful Ways to Motivate Yourself to Write (Motivation)
(08 Mar) How to Write Stronger Scenes: Add More Depth and Detail (Fiction)
(01 Mar) 21 Ways to Grow as a Writer (Whatever Stage You’re At) (Motivation)
(22 Feb) Seven Ways to Make More Progress With Your Writing (& How to Track It) (Motivation)
(09 Feb) How to Write a Book: 10 Crucial Steps to Writing Your Book (Creativity)
(01 Feb) How to Write When … You Feel Like You’re Not Good Enough (Motivation)

2020

(20 Dec) Taking a Writing Break for the End of 2020 (Motivation)
(16 Nov) Three Types of Self-Confidence That Will Help Your Writing Career (and How to Boost Yours) (Motivation)
(02 Nov) How to Make Faster Progress on Your Writing Project: Ten Crucial Steps (Creativity)
(19 Oct) What to Do When Your Writing Goals Seem a Long Way Off (Motivation)
(13 Oct) Getting Out of Your Writing Slump: Part #2 – Re-entering the Writing Zone (Motivation)
(05 Oct) Getting Out of Your Writing Slump: Part #1 – Get Re-Energised to Write (Creativity)
(28 Sep) When to Give Up On Your Writing Project … and When to Keep Going (Motivation)
(21 Sep) Nine Different Ways Writers Can Make Money by Writing (Freelancing)
(14 Sep) Five Straightforward Ways to Create Stronger Characters (Fiction)
(19 Aug) Should You Ever Edit While You’re Writing? (Editing)
(04 Aug) Are You Too Old (or Too Young) to Become a Writer? (Motivation)
(07 Jul) How to Start Writing a Novel: Get Inspired and Get Going (Fiction)
(29 Jun) Anti-Heroes and Villains: How They’re Different & Tips for Writing Them Well (Fiction)
(22 Jun) Three Things to Do Before You Start Freelance Writing … and Three Things Not to Bother With (Freelancing)
(16 Jun) What if You’re Just Not Good Enough To Be a Successful Writer? (Motivation)
(08 Jun) Why Some Writers Are Much Faster Than Others: Four Quotes and Six Key Reasons (Creativity)
(02 Jun) How to Write When … Your World is Upside Down (Motivation)
(19 May) Getting Paid for Your Writing: Three Types of Writing Job to Consider (Freelancing)
(11 May) How Can You Keep Writing if You Work Long Hours? (Motivation)
(04 May) How to Write When … You Keep Getting Interrupted (Motivation)
(27 Apr) What’s the Best Time of Day to Write (And Does it Even Matter)? (Creativity)
(13 Apr) Best Software for Writers: Seven Apps to Help You Get More From Your Writing Time (Creativity)
(06 Apr) How to Write When … You Have Kids (Motivation)
(30 Mar) It’s Okay to Take a Break from Writing (Motivation)
(16 Mar) How to Fall in Love With Writing All Over Again (Creativity)
(09 Mar) How Much Writing Can You Realistically Add Into Your Week? (Motivation)
(02 Mar) How to Write When … You Don’t Feel Inspired (Creativity)

2019

(09 Dec) Can You Edit Something You’ve Already Published? (Editing)
(02 Dec) Five Signs That You Might Be Over-Editing Your Work (Editing)
(18 Nov) How Much Time Should You Spend Drafting vs Editing? (Editing)
(28 Oct) Twelve Useful Tools for Freelance Writers (Freelancing)
(21 Oct) Where to Find Freelance Writing Jobs (and Where NOT to Look) (Freelancing)
(14 Oct) Eight Mistakes to Avoid as a New Freelance Writer (Freelancing)
(07 Oct) Seven Reasons to Try Freelance Writing (Even if You’ve Never Considered it Before) (Freelancing)
(16 Sep) How to Get Back On Track When Your Writing Plans Go Awry (Motivation)
(09 Sep) What to Do When Your Writing Isn’t Working Out How You Hoped (Motivation)
(02 Sep) Five Handy Ways to Patch Plot Holes in Your Novel (Fiction)
(26 Aug) Novel Structure: Seven Plot Points You Should Know (Fiction)
(19 Aug) How Much Research Do You Need for Your Plot to Hold Together? (Fiction)
(29 Jul) What’s “Real” Writing – and Does Yours Count? (Motivation)
(22 Jul) 17 Ways to Make the Most of Your Writing Time – Even When It’s Limited (Motivation)
(15 Jul) Stuck on Your Novel? Here’s How to Get Moving Again (Fiction)
(07 May) I’m Launching a New Blog (So Things Will Be Quiet on Aliventures This Month) (Blogging)
(22 Apr) Seven Common Problems Writers Have With Characters (Fiction)
(16 Apr) Making Bad Things Happen to Good Characters (Fiction)
(02 Apr) Four Fantastic Tools and Resources to Help You Stop Procrastinating and Get the Writing Done (Motivation)
(25 Mar) Have a Great Writing Session: Five Ways to Focus … and Five Ways to Refocus (Motivation)
(18 Mar) Allow Yourself Time to Write … Even if There Are “More Important” Things to Do (Creativity)
(11 Mar) Three All-Too-Common Writing Fears Holding You Back … and How to Beat Them (Motivation)
(25 Feb) Seven Ways to Get Other People to Respect Your Writing Time (Motivation)
(19 Feb) How I Write on My Phone … WITHOUT Typing on a Fiddly Touchscreen (Creativity)
(11 Feb) Stylised Talk: Writing Great Dialogue [With Examples] (Fiction)
(04 Feb) Unreliable Narrators: What Are They and Why Might You Want to Use One? (Fiction)
(14 Jan) Is Writing a Novel a “Someday” Dream for You? (Motivation)
(07 Jan) How to Juggle All Your Different Writing Projects (Creativity)

2018

(17 Dec) 2018: The Best of Aliventures (Have You Missed Any of These Posts?) (Motivation)
(10 Dec) Should You Keep Writing Even if It’s Not Fun Any More? (Creativity)
(26 Nov) What it Feels Like When Your Writing is Rejected – and How to Bounce Back (Marketing)
(20 Nov) It’s Not Just About Making Time: How Can You Find the Energy to Write? (Motivation)
(12 Nov) Eight Easy(ish) Ways to Finish the First Draft of Your Novel (Fiction)
(15 Oct) Twelve Excuses Writers Make (and How to Overcome Them) (Motivation)
(01 Oct) Welcome Back to Aliventures: Here’s What’s New (Creativity)
(06 Aug) Your Summer Reading: The Blogger’s Guides, Study Packs, Blog Posts, and Novels (Marketing)
(23 Jul) The Two Scenes in Your Novel That Will Need the Most Rewriting (Fiction)
(18 Jun) 15 Ways to Make Your Characters Suffer (for the Good of Your Novel) (Fiction)
(21 May) Announcing: Blog On – Completely Rewritten for Spring 2018 (Here’s Why) (Blogging)
(14 May) Everything You Need to Know About Writing Brilliant Blog Posts (Blogging)
(23 Apr) “Show, Don’t Tell” Doesn’t Always Apply: Here’s What You Need to Know (Fiction)
(16 Apr) Why You Should Stick to One Name for Each Character in Your Novel (Fiction)
(27 Mar) Why Having Grit is So Important for Writers … and Three Ways to Improve Yours [Guest Post] (Motivation)
(12 Mar) Four More Dangerous Pieces of Advice for (Fiction) Writers (Fiction)
(05 Mar) Four Dangerous Pieces of Advice for Writers (And What to Do Instead) (Fiction)
(26 Feb) Three Different Ways to Approach Blogging as a Novelist [With Examples] (Blogging)
(15 Feb) Could Firmer Boundaries Help You Dramatically Increase How Much You Write? (Creativity)
(05 Feb) Seven Ways to Market Your Self-Published Novel (Marketing)
(30 Jan) Your Website is Always a Work in Progress (Marketing)
(22 Jan) When Can You Call Yourself a “Writer”? (Motivation)
(15 Jan) Three Ridiculous Moans from New Writers … and How I’d Respond (Motivation)

2017

(18 Dec) 2017 Roundup: Did You Miss Any of These Aliventures Posts? (Motivation)
(11 Dec) Twelve Wise and Inspiring Quotes About Writing (Motivation)
(04 Dec) Can You Freelance Just on the Weekends? (Freelancing)
(13 Nov) Short Story Competitions: Are They Worth Entering? (Fiction)
(06 Nov) Has Your Blogging Gone as Well as You’d Hoped in 2017? Announcing Blog On (Blogging)
(30 Oct) Is Your Writing Just an Expensive Hobby (and So What If It Is?) (Creativity)
(16 Oct) How to Find the Time and Energy to Write When You Have Young Children (Motivation)
(09 Oct) Six Simple Ways to Improve Your Writing Environment (and Get More Done) (Motivation)
(25 Sep) How to Set Up an Email List – For Free (Marketing)
(28 Aug) Using Google’s “My Maps” to Keep Track of All the Locations in Your Novel (Fiction)
(14 Aug) Why You Should Join – Or Start – a Local Writers’ Group (Creativity)
(17 Jul) Editing Your Novel on Your Kindle: Creating a .Mobi File and Using Send-to-Kindle (Editing)
(04 Jul) Do You Need to Take (Yet Another) Writing Course? Here’s Why it Might be a Bad Idea (Creativity)
(26 Jun) What Are Content Mills … and Why Should Freelancers Avoid Them? (Freelancing)
(30 May) Why Novel Series Are So Popular With Indie Authors … and Readers (Publishing)
(22 May) How to Create a Free Blog or Website: A Step-by-Step Guide for Writers (Marketing)
(10 Apr) Why Your Self-Published Book Needs a Professional Cover (Publishing)
(18 Mar) Why Novellas are Making a Comeback (and Five Great Posts for Novella-Writers) (Fiction)
(13 Mar) Everything You Need to Know About Writing Great Dialogue (Fiction)
(14 Feb) Is it OK to Use Swear Words in Your Writing? (Editing)
(30 Jan) Ten Book-Level Mistakes to Watch Out for When Redrafting Your Fiction [With Examples] (Editing)
(23 Jan) Is a Fear of Technology Holding Back Your Writing Career? Here’s What to Do (Motivation)
(09 Jan) How I Wrote More Fiction in 2016 than In Any Other Year (Despite Two Small Children) (Motivation)

2016

(13 Nov) Interview with Mark Gottlieb, New York Literary Agent (Publishing)
(07 Nov) A Quick Guide to Formatting Your Microsoft Word Manuscript for Amazon’s Kindle (Publishing)
(25 Oct) Three Different Ways to Name Your Blog or Website [Pros and Cons] (Blogging)
(17 Oct) Why Being (a Little) Selfish Might Be the Best Thing You Do for Your Writing (Motivation)
(03 Oct) How to Take Back Control of Your Time (and Fit More Writing In) (Motivation)
(13 Sep) Freelance Writing: Ten Steps, Tons of Resources (Freelancing)
(05 Sep) Should You Be More Business-Like About Your Writing? (Motivation)
(22 Aug) How to Write a Great Blurb for Your Self-Published Novel [With Examples] (Marketing)
(08 Aug) How to Plan Writing Time into Your Week [With Downloadable Spreadsheet] (Motivation)
(02 Aug) How I Make a Living as an Online Writer (And How You Could Too) (Freelancing)
(25 Jul) When Dialogue Gets Weird: Representing Unorthodox Forms of Speech on the Page (Text Conversations, Psychic Communication, etc) (Fiction)
(18 Jul) Should You Write Faster? Here’s What Four Indie Authors Do (Plus My Take) (Creativity)
(27 Jun) Marketing Your (Self-Published) Novel: Five Books Reviewed (Marketing)
(20 Jun) What Should You Pay for When You Self-Publish a Novel? (Publishing)
(16 May) Are You Planning Your Writing Career … or Winging It? (Motivation)
(09 May) Reviewing Other People’s Writing: How to Use Comments and Track Changes in Microsoft Word (Editing)
(02 May) How (and When) to Develop Multiple Streams of Writing Income (Freelancing)
(25 Apr) Your Two-Year Plan for Writing, Editing, and Publishing Your Novel (However Busy You Are) (Fiction)
(04 Apr) The Getting Things Done (GTD) System … and Why Writers Need It (Freelancing)
(07 Mar) Six Straightforward Ways to Structure a Blog Post [With Examples] (Blogging)
(29 Feb) Ten Ways to Enjoy Networking With Other Writers (However Shy You Are) (Creativity)
(08 Feb) Why You Should Be Blogging … and Why You Shouldn’t (Blogging)
(18 Jan) Is Your Writing Art – and Should it Be? (Motivation)

2015

(06 Aug) If You’ve Only Got 15 Minutes, Is It Even Worth Writing? (Motivation)
(16 Jul) Are Self-Publishing and Traditional Publishing Both Offering a Next-to-Impossible Dream? (Publishing)
(25 Jun) When and Why You’ll Want to Pay People to Help You Write (Editing)
(28 May) There’s Never Enough Time to Write: Here’s Why (Motivation)

2014

(11 Dec) Last Chance to Get All Four Blogger’s Guides For Just $22 (Blogging)
(08 Dec) Get All Four Blogger’s Guides For Just $22 Until Friday 12th December (Blogging)
(06 Oct) Review: Business for Authors, by Joanna Penn (Publishing)
(25 Jul) How Do Readers Choose YOUR Book From a Million Other Choices? The Story of a Book Purchase (Marketing)
(22 May) Why Writers Should Fear Obscurity, Not Piracy (Publishing)
(18 Mar) Can You Call Yourself a “Writer” if You’re Not Currently Writing? (Creativity)
(25 Feb) Do You Want to Make Money Writing? Here’s What You Need to Know (Freelancing)
(04 Feb) Take the Plunge: How to (Finally) Start Your Novel (Fiction)
(15 Jan) Is Social Media a Good Thing for Writers? (Pros, Cons and My Tips) (Marketing)
(08 Jan) How to Create a Writing, Publishing and Marketing Plan for the Year [Includes Template] (Creativity)

2013

(23 Dec) 2013 in Review and Seven Posts You May Have Missed (Motivation)
(05 Nov) Let’s Get Spooky: Writing Workshop Recap (Fiction)
(29 Oct) NaNoWriMo 2013: Are You In? (Fiction)
(15 Oct) Four Ways to Cut Your Novel’s Draft (and Make Your Story Stronger) (Fiction)
(02 Oct) My Guest Post on Positive Writer: Talking About Your Writing (Creativity)
(24 Sep) Write More Easily: Understanding, Embracing and Moving Beyond Resistance (Creativity)
(03 Sep) Failed to Reach Your Writing Targets? Me Too… (Motivation)
(13 Aug) The One True Path to Writing Success? (Motivation)
(06 Aug) Want to Know the REAL Secret of Productive Writers? [Guest Post] (Motivation)
(30 Jul) How to Finish Your Novel (While Life Goes On) (Fiction)
(23 Jul) Four Ways to Fall in Love with Writing (Again) [Guest Post] (Creativity)
(16 Jul) Do You Head-Hop? Getting Third Person Point of View Right (Fiction)
(02 Jul) Finding Time – or Making Time – to Write (Motivation)
(10 Jun) 9 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Started Freelance Writing [Guest Post] (Freelancing)
(03 Jun) The How and Why of Working With Your Inner Critic (Motivation)
(24 May) Seven Common Misconceptions About Writing … and the Reality (Creativity)
(14 May) Eight Ways Writing a Novel is Like Becoming a Parent (Fiction)
(24 Jan) Aliventures Break (While Ali Has a Baby!) (Motivation)
(17 Jan) Six Inspiring Writing Quotes to Boost Your Creativity [Guest Post] (Creativity)
(03 Jan) What Will You Write in 2013? Ten Mini-Resolutions to Get You Started (Motivation)

2012

(20 Dec) Three Reasons Why You Need a Mailing List as an Author [Guest Post] (Marketing)
(18 Dec) Six Powerful Quotes to Get You Writing [Guest Post] (Motivation)
(27 Nov) Starting Your Writing Journey: Two Easy Ways to Get Inspired (Creativity)
(15 Nov) The Delivery Men – Guest Short Story by E.J. Newman (Fiction)
(08 Nov) Is the Kindle the Future of Literature or the Death of Publishing? (Publishing)
(25 Oct) 4 Reasons You Should Do NaNoWriMo … and 4 Reasons You Shouldn’t (Fiction)
(20 Sep) What’s Lurking in Your Desk Drawer? Four Authors’ Success Stories [Guest Post] (Motivation)
(17 Sep) My New Book, Publishing E-Books For Dummies, is Now Available! (Publishing)
(13 Sep) No Matter How You Say It, You’ve Got to Have a Niche [Guest Post] (Marketing)
(24 Aug) 12 Sure-Fire Ways to Find Great Ideas for Your Writing (Creativity)
(10 Jul) Alison Habens on Using Fairy-Tales and Myths to Inspire Your Writing (Fiction)
(29 Jun) John Gilbey on Writing Flash Fiction / Short-Short Stories (Fiction)
(19 Jun) BlogWorld #3: Michael Hyatt’s Session on “Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World” (Marketing)
(14 Jun) BlogWorld #2: Chris Brogan’s “Lessons Learned Over 11 Years of Blogging” (Blogging)
(11 Jun) BlogWorld #1: “Should I Self-Publish or Get a Book Deal?” with Scott Stratten and Jim Kukral (Publishing)
(05 Jun) How Your eBook Provides You With Marketing and Relationship Building Opportunities (Marketing)
(15 May) Changing the World Through Writing: An Interview with Pace and Kyeli Smith (Motivation)
(09 Apr) Have Faith in Yourself and Your Writing (Creativity)
(02 Apr) How to Outline Any Piece of Writing (Creativity)
(28 Mar) Three of my Recent Guest Posts (Blogging)
(01 Feb) Twenty-Five Ways to Come Up With Great Ideas for Your Writing (Creativity)

2011

(01 Dec) 6 Reasons Why I Chose to Self-Publish my Novel (Publishing)
(22 Nov) Six Common Writing Excuses (And How to Overcome Them) (Motivation)
(24 Oct) The Digitalisation of Reading (and Writing) (Creativity)
(11 Oct) Should You Get a Kindle if You’re a Book-Lover? (Publishing)
(04 Oct) I’m Back! And Here’s What I Read On Holiday… (Publishing)
(24 Aug) Extra Reading for August: Five of my Recent Guest Posts (Blogging)
(16 Aug) Three Indie Author / Self-Publishing Ebooks – Reviewed (Publishing)
(11 Aug) Should You Be Writing Shorter Sentences? (Editing, Old post)
(02 Aug) Should You Be Writing Shorter Paragraphs? (Editing)
(29 Jul) Extra Reading for July: Three of My Recent Guest Posts (Blogging)
(11 Jul) Winchester Writers’ Conference, 2011, Part Two: Plot and Other Tips (Fiction)
(07 Jul) Winchester Writers’ Conference, 2011, Part One: Characters (Fiction)
(24 Jun) Extra Reading for June: Six of My Recent Guest Posts (Blogging)
(15 Jun) How to Cut the Waffle From Your Writing – and Grab Readers’ Attention (Editing)
(06 Jun) Writers Aren’t Normal (And That’s a Good Thing) (Motivation)
(24 May) Extra Reading: Six of My Recent Guest Posts (Blogging)
(12 May) 5 Reasons You Should Never Feel Bad When Someone Criticizes Your Writing (Motivation)
(27 Apr) How to Write Thousands of Words Every Single Week (Creativity)
(20 Apr) How to Cope When Someone Attacks Your Writing (Motivation)
(15 Apr) An Interview with I J Black, Author of the Amnar Series (Fiction)
(12 Apr) Eight Secrets Which Writers Won’t Tell You (Motivation)
(05 Apr) How to Get Your Writing Project Started – in Four Easy Steps (Creativity)
(31 Mar) Why I’m Giving Up on My Dream (Publishing)
(23 Mar) Indie Publishing: What I Learned from SXSW (Publishing)
(04 Mar) Why Fiction is So Hard to Write (Fiction)
(28 Feb) Indie Publishing: Self-Publishing Grows Up (Publishing)
(16 Feb) Are You Over-Editing Your Work? (Editing)
(06 Jan) If You Don’t Get Published, Is Writing a Waste of Time? (Publishing)

2010

(16 Dec) Beyond Freelancing: The Shift to Entrepreneur (Freelancing)
(03 Dec) Why Writers Should Blog and Bloggers Should Write (Blogging)
(29 Nov) Find Your Writing Voice – By Starting With Your Heart (Creativity)
(08 Nov) Seven Blogging and Writing Lessons from BlogWorld (Blogging)

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About

I’m Ali Luke, and I live in Leeds in the UK with my husband and two children.

Aliventures is where I help you master the art, craft and business of writing.

Start Here

If you're new, welcome! These posts are good ones to start with:

Can You Call Yourself a “Writer” if You’re Not Currently Writing?

The Three Stages of Editing (and Nine Handy Do-it-Yourself Tips)

What to Do When Your Writing Goals Seem a Long Way Off

Find More Posts

My Novels

My contemporary fantasy trilogy is available from Amazon. The books follow on from one another, so read Lycopolis first.

You can buy them all from Amazon, or read them FREE in Kindle Unlimited.

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