by Ali | Feb 12, 2026 | Fiction
What Experience Do You Need Before You Start Writing Your First Novel? A lot of writers wait for years to start on a novel because they feel like they’re not ready. They want to do more writing first, or take another course, or even get a creative writing...
by Ali | Feb 6, 2026 | Fiction
Write Fast and Rewrite a Lot … or Take Your Time Drafting and Edit Lightly? Should you get your first draft down as fast as possible … or take more time over it? My own writing process has always been to draft fast (I can easily hit 1,000 words in an hour, often in 45...
by Ali | Jan 23, 2026 | Fiction
How to Add Tension and Pace to a Scene That’s Sagging Some novel scenes speed along, taut and tense, and full of energy. But others drift, with your characters ambling around, chatting or thinking, not really doing anything much at all. The pace sags … and the tension...
by Ali | Jan 15, 2026 | Motivation
How Long Does it Take to Write 1,000 Words? This post was first published in April 2020 and updated in January 2026. How long does it take to write 1,000 words? If you’re writing a novel … the answer matters! If you’re aiming for an average-ish novel...
by Ali | Jan 8, 2026 | Motivation
My Annual Writing Goals for 2026 (Tell Me Your Goals, Too!) Happy New Year! We’re just over a week into 2026 … and there’s a good chance you’ve been thinking about your writing, and what goals you might want to set for the year. I’d love to hear what you’re working...
