Ten years ago I attended a workshop at the Sydney Writer’s Festival. The author gave us an insight to the industry, but the most important thing I learnt at this session was the art of letting your manuscript rest between drafts. I mean, really rest. Not a couple of weeks, but at least three months. …
I got a bad review
I got a bad review. To be honest, it's a proper critique. The reviewer was honest about what worked for her and what didn't. And it hit me hard because she is a fan of two of my other books. This review was posted a week later than originally scheduled and in that time I …
Impostor Syndrome
How do you deal with Impostor Syndrome? I asked this as part of a social media chat group I'm part of and one particular answer stayed in my mind. "I've noticed it's triggered more by success than failure. Success makes me frightened that I won't make the mark..." Over the past couple of years more …
Plotting using the Snowflake Method – An Update
I previously spoke about the Snowflake Method in this blog. At the time I was working on a Space Opera but for my own reasons, that project has been put on hold. A contemporary novel has taken it's place. And I've now had the chance to use this plotting and characterisation method for longer than …
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What should I write next?
I had this dilemma recently. I began a new book in a genre which had me intrigued - The Space Opera. I have character notes which include motivations, goals, conflicts and epiphanies. I have an interesting plot, and extended story lines from each character's point of view. Then we made a sudden trip north to …
Editing, over and over
I have a new book being released and a new manuscript I'm submitting. First off, with a new book being released by my publisher soon, the process of editing, second edits, proofing, then final edits make an author really fine tune their work. I re-read my work just after the proofing stage, and again when …
When author business gets in the way of writing
I haven't touched my WiP in six weeks. First it was simply a case of a sudden trip north to catch up with family when an invite to Warren's great niece's eighteenth birthday arrived. And even though I took my laptop, I was busy being social after being trapped in my own state due to …
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Plotting using The Snowflake Method
My last post was about a new plotting method I'm using. A few things got in the way of my usual writing days after I published that post, and somehow I didn't feel bad about missing them. It was because I didn't feel like I was working on a book. There were a few times …
Taking time to plot my book
I'm trying something new. Usually when I plot a new novel, I work chapter by chapter having a fair idea of the story and how it will end. I also add notes on the conflict for each scene and every chapter's cliff hanger. But I'm experimenting with a different approach called the Snowflake Method. Right …
Waiting to see if your new book is selling.
There's a unique anxiety after the release of a novel. It doesn't happen straight away. We are on a buzz when our new book is in the public arena. We're busy marketing while finding new promotional possibilities. We're updating our website and searching for new reviews. Then searching for new reviews again. And again. But …
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kevin klehr - author 