What Decorating Cookies Can Teach Writers About Story Detail
I adore the holiday season. I love the twinkle of lights, stockings hung by the fireplace, the nip in the air (even in Birmingham,...
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Laura McNeill
- Dec 5, 2018
- 2 min
3 Over-Caffeinated Lessons Learned from NaNoWriMo 2018
Yes, I’m one of the (semi) crazy ones. This year, over-committed and over-caffeinated, I joined hundreds of thousands of...
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Laura McNeill
- Oct 24, 2018
- 2 min
Backstory on Writing The World Breaks Everyone
I’m often asked how I created the storyline for my latest suspense novel, The World Breaks Everyone. I’m a huge fan of psychological...
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Laura McNeill
- Oct 21, 2018
- 3 min
Six Writing Lessons Learned from Watching ‘Stranger Things’
My 13-year-old son loves Stranger Things. He sits on the sofa, rapt, as the music starts and the action begins. He can’t wait for season...
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Laura McNeill
- Jan 20, 2016
- 2 min
Writer Wednesday: 4 Reasons Not to Rush Revisions
I’ll admit it. I’m an impatient writer. When I’ve finished the first draft of a book, I can’t wait to get it out into the world. I want...
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Laura McNeill
- Nov 11, 2015
- 3 min
Writer Wednesday: Divergent & The Case for the Semi-Happy Ending
I’ve just finished the first draft of my latest domestic suspense manuscript, and I’ll confess that getting to the end of those final few...
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Laura McNeill
- Oct 21, 2015
- 2 min
Writer Wednesday – Do’s and Don’ts ~ Part 3 (Networking)
This is the third part of three in my series of Do’s and Don’ts for New Authors. I’ve covered Work-Life Balance (Part 1) and Marketing...
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Laura McNeill
- Oct 14, 2015
- 2 min
Writer Wednesday – Do’s and Don’ts for a First Book ~ Part 2 (Marketing)
Happy Wednesday! Last week, I talked about tips for achieving a good “Work-Life Balance.” This week’s topic is Marketing. The...
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Laura McNeill
- Oct 7, 2015
- 3 min
Writer Wednesday: Do’s and Don’ts for a First Book ~ Part 1 (Work-Life Balance)
A few weeks back, I served on a writer panel in Dallas with three wonderful and smart authors — Kristy Cambron, Katherine Reay, and Mary...
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Laura McNeill
- Jul 8, 2015
- 3 min
Writer Wednesday: 7 Ways to Create Stronger Heroines
Every author wants to create a hero or heroine that’s believable, likeable, and relatable. But it’s even better if you can dream up a...
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Laura McNeill
- Jul 1, 2015
- 3 min
Publishing, Pen Names, and Breaking the Rules
When I first began writing, several authors generously shared their unwritten rules for forging a successful career. They unanimously...
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Laura McNeill
- Jun 17, 2015
- 2 min
Writer Wednesday: 10 Ways to Fuel Motivation
A lot of people tell me that they’ve always wanted to write a novel. They have an idea, a synopsis, an elevator pitch, and interesting...
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Laura McNeill
- Jun 3, 2015
- 2 min
Writer Wednesday: Word Count or Word Quality
There is a belief among writers that, every day, authors must put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard and reach a certain word count....
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Laura McNeill
- May 27, 2015
- 2 min
10 Ways to Show You Love a Writer
A few years ago, fellow author Eileen Flanagan penned a fabulous article that I’ve kept bookmarked on my laptop. It’s sound, thoughtful,...
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Laura McNeill
- May 20, 2015
- 2 min
Writer Wednesday: Why Chatting with Strangers Helps Boost Creativity
Writing is a very solitary profession. The glamour to work ratio is relatively low, though every six to nine months, there is the thrill...
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Laura McNeill
- May 13, 2015
- 3 min
Writer Wednesday: 6 Ways Reading Makes You a Better Writer
“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” – Stephen King It’s hard to ignore the...
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Laura McNeill
- May 6, 2015
- 3 min
Writer Wednesday: Defining Platform & Brand
Defining Brand & Platform Can Be Confusing! There are quite a few abbreviations and terms tossed around in the publishing business,...
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Laura McNeill
- Apr 29, 2015
- 2 min
Writing Wednesday: One Million Words
One of my favorite books about writing craft contains a quote that really resonates with me. In On Writing, Stephen King offers this sage...
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Laura McNeill
- Apr 22, 2015
- 3 min
Writer Wednesday: 10 Ways to Promote Your Novel
I’m frequently asked at talks or conferences how best to promote a novel. Promoting, in my opinion, is different than selling. If done...
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Laura McNeill
- Apr 15, 2015
- 3 min
Writer Wednesday – 18.5 Ways to Tackle the Dreaded Edits – Part II
Last Saturday, we talked about the best way to handle edits once you have: 1. Finished your first draft 2. Taken a 4-6 week break from...
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