I can’t believe that, for the second time in under 8 months, I’ve written a completely new book...and I did it in only 18 days! This time, it was for my dark academia adventure, nicknamed Project Dice, and I wrote those amazing words “the end” on the first Saturday of the month. In my previous… Continue reading Writing a Book in 18 Days: Now What?
Author: valeriecnorton
Writer, Gamer, Candidate for Ruler of Westeros
Winter Writing Goals
Winter is in full swing, and I’ll admit I have a love-hate relationship with the season. I’m already prone to hibernation, and with its cold temperatures and dark days, winter is practically begging me to curl beneath a fluffy blanket with a cup of tea and a book until spring appears, goals be damned. And… Continue reading Winter Writing Goals
Holiday Vibes and Bookish Goals
It’s officially the holiday season! This is my favorite time of year -- pumpkins are still plentiful, the weather is crisp, and the holidays are before us. We’ve watched so many spooky movies and shows (The Fall of the House of Usher and Totally Killer were top notch), and for our fourth anniversary, we enjoyed… Continue reading Holiday Vibes and Bookish Goals
Autumn Fun and Bookish Goals
Hello! We’re right on the cusp of my favorite time of year: autumn! The leaves are slowly changing, the temperatures are mercifully starting to lower (though they’re holding on to summer as best as they can), and there’s a bit of magic in the air. Maybe that’s pumpkin spice, who can say. This summer was… Continue reading Autumn Fun and Bookish Goals
Drafting a Novel in 18 Days
HEAR ME OUT. Okay, yes, this is by far my most ambitious drafting schedule ever. My previous fastest first draft was 28-29 days, which was already lightning speed. But I have several reasons for wanting to draft even faster. The biggest reason comes down to the fact that I have multiple bookish irons in the… Continue reading Drafting a Novel in 18 Days
Starting a New Story: the Basics
One of my favorite parts of any project is the very beginning. That moment where you have the first real spark of a new story, one that makes your heart race and sends you stumbling toward a pen and paper to get the idea down before it disappears. It’s a time full of possibility, and… Continue reading Starting a New Story: the Basics
Top 10 Tips for Surviving and Thriving on Sub
Yes oh yes, I am indeed on sub! Also known as being ‘on submission’ to editors, who are currently considering my manuscript for publishing. Cross your fingers for me! Before I went on sub, the process was a complete mystery to me, despite searching for blog posts about the process. From the outside, it seemed… Continue reading Top 10 Tips for Surviving and Thriving on Sub
Tips for Queries and First Pages
Once upon a time, I was absolutely horrible at writing query letters, which was worrisome as they're an essential part of securing agent representation. I can’t tell you how many times I would write, rewrite, tweak, light the draft on fire, start fresh, and do the whole process all over again. I couldn’t seem to… Continue reading Tips for Queries and First Pages
My Top Five Writing Craft Resources
Hello and happy holidays! As we approach the end of the year, I wanted to share some of my all-time favorite writing resources. It took me years to find a few of these, and I wouldn’t be at the level I’m at now in my writing craft if I didn’t learn from these resources. Whether… Continue reading My Top Five Writing Craft Resources
NaNoWriMo, Meet MiniWriMo
Happy November! This is my absolute favorite time of year, and I can’t wait to do something I haven’t done in years: participate in NaNoWriMo! Nine or so years ago (wow), I dove into my first NaNoWriMo...and missed my goals spectacularly. I had no idea what I was doing, I’d gone in with absolutely no… Continue reading NaNoWriMo, Meet MiniWriMo
valerie c. norton 