Back in the summer of 2016, I wrote a very personal article for the blog.

In it, I revealed that I battle depression and shared tips on how to write while living with a mental illness. I never could have imagined how much of an impact that article would have. It's one of the biggest reasons why I want to talk more about writerly self-care on the blog this year!

As writers, our work is so mentally and emotionally draining. It’s not hard to fall into periods of burnout or extreme doubt, which, being so difficult to overcome, can prolong our writing ruts even further and leave us feeling defeated.

This is not a pattern I want you guys to fall into, which is exactly why I want to share ten ways you can learn to care for yourself as a writer today on the blog. Sound like a plan?

Let’s dive in!

So, chapters.

It occurred to me the other week that I’d yet to talk about them here on Well-Storied, despite the fact that I’ve been running this show for well over two years now. How could I have skipped something so crucial to the structure of a good novel?

I'll be honest. For a long time, I really didn't consider chapters to be all that important. Chapters give your novel structure, sure. But over the years, I've come to realize that that's not all they do...

Chapters also create a sense of pacing, of forward momentum, and---if you play your cards just right----a sense of page-turning urgency. Chapter breaks aren’t just places for readers to stick their bookmarks. They’re an opportunity for you, the author, to further captivate them!

So how can you make sure you’re writing captivating chapters in your own novel? Today, I’m going to break this topic down by answering five of your most popular chapter questions. Let’s go!

Whether you’re writing the first line of your book or simply starting a new chapter, opening lines are tough. In the span of just a sentence or two, you must convince readers that your story is worth their time. Scary right? 

Opening lines are your bargaining chips, your siren songs, your bait. And if you don’t master them, you risk turning readers away. So how can we keep that from happening? By hooking them in of course! 

By “hooking” readers, we’re talking about captivating them so wholly in the span of just a few short lines that they won’t be able to put your book down.

It’s tricky business, but here’s a bit of good news: by analyzing popular opening lines from literature, you can get a much better feel of how to go about writing your own. So let's jump in!

Every week, on Wednesdays at 9pm Eastern, I host a Twitter chat called #StorySocial.

I co-founded this chat back in June 2014 with my friend and fellow author Jenny Bravo, and it’s been an amazing way to connect with writers worldwide ever since. The #StorySocial crowd has become a tight-knit group over the years, though we always love having new writers join us (hint, hint!). But I digress...

In all our weeks of chatting, I don't think we've ever had such strong feedback as we did a few weeks ago, when our topic for the night was Writers’ Mission Statements. Several chatters even went so far as to call it their favorite discussion yet. For that reason, I thought it’d be a great idea to cover this topic in full here on the blog. Sound like a plan?

When it comes to making time to write, I have it pretty easy. My schedule may be frequently packed, but I'm an independent, childless woman who works from the comfort of her own home. I have a lot of opportunity to make writing a priority in my life — but my daily schedule certainly isn't universal.

Many of you have shared with me your struggle to find time to write in your full-time lives. So when Margaret McGriff, a writer I've long considered to be Superwoman, asked if she could share her top tips on this topic here at Well-Storied, I immediately said yes. I couldn't think of a single person who could better share such advice with you all.

So, writer, if you have a passion for storytelling but often struggle to make the time to write, this is the article for you. Without any further ado, I'll hand it over to Margaret...

I've met a variety of writers since joining the online writing community, and I have to admit: I'm mad jealous of those who look forward to every single writing session with reckless abandon.

I am not one of those writers. And I know I'm not alone.

For a number of us, writing isn't always the most joy-inducing task in the world, no matter how much we love our stories. For any number of reasons, sitting down to write can be difficult for some of us. And oftentimes, procrastination wins out.

The good news? Writing procrastination is completely normal.

You should never treat yourself like less of a writer because you lack the motivation to tackle your next writing session. Like I said, there are a number of reasons why procrastination may plague you.

We're going to talk about each of these reasons, as well as how to stop procrastination in its tracks, in today's article. So let's get going!

We all want to be successful, don't we?

We want to be happy in our work. To be motivated and inspired, always ready to write. We want to find as much time to focus on our stories as we can, and we want others to love and support our stories when we share them. And let's be real: most of us want to make a bit of cash by publishing our books, too.

Success. It's a shiny concept, but also hard-earned. And because success often seems so distant and unattainable, the desire for it can lead us to place undue pressure on ourselves.

If I only worked hard enough, I could…
If I only wrote like that author, I might…
Am I even good enough to be a writer?

The pressure to succeed can easily lend itself to doubts, fears, and a whole lot of stress. It can even make writing feel like a chore, rather than the hobby we once enjoyed—which is of course no bueno. You know what I mean? Here's the good news: You can find writing success. And you can do it without all of those nasty side effects, too. But how?

Let's dive into today's five keys to writing success!

Let's face it: writing isn't always easy. Sure, it's fun when we're in the zone—when we have a brilliant idea in mind and the words just seem to flow. But most of the time? Most of the time, writing is hard.

All too often, we battle tricky plot holes, the urge to pick apart our every written word, the monstrous task of editing, and all the other glories that come with being writers. And unfortunately, it's pretty easy to let the overwhelm of tackling tough writing struggles turn us to procrastination rather than productivity.

So, how can we flip the script? That's exactly what we're going to talk about today!

As an editor, I have encountered countless authors, and they usually have the same questions or concerns. I have compiled a list of seven things editors wish authors knew, so your process of working with an editor is as smooth as possible.

1. Book Us in Advance

Writers frequently ask me when they should book me, and I always tell them as soon as possible. Editors tend to get booked out weeks, if not months, in advance, and you want to ensure that you are on your ideal editor’s schedule at the right time.

Also, if you have a deadline with your editor before you even write your novel, you will be motivated to finish it. There is nothing like external motivation to make sure you get your book done.

Living the writing life isn't always easy.

Last week, I shared ten encouraging truths I believe every writer should know — truths that help us banish writing doubts, find confidence in our skills and abilities, and stay motivated when writing gets tough — but they weren't all the truths I had to share. You see, sometimes we need a little tough love to push us forward.

Today, I have ten hard truths to share with you — truths that may not be so pleasant to hear, but must absolutely be heard all the same. I share these truths not to discourage you from writing, but to break down the misconceptions and false beliefs that may be holding you back from living your very best writing life. So, let's get started, shall we?

We all need a little encouragement from time to time.

I don't know about you, but never do my writing doubts hit harder than when I'm trying to pursue a big goal or I'm working under pressure — two things you're likely experiencing now that we're a few days into National Novel Writing Month.

But even if you aren't trying to write 50,000 words this month (or if you're reading from the future. Hello!), we all need some encouragement as we make our way through this crazy, messy writing life. That's why I'm bringing you ten encouraging writing truths today! Shall we dive in?

Writers, it’s time to go out with a bang!

Today, we're back with the third and final installment in our mini-series on the 3-Act Story Structure. Each article in this series builds upon the last, so make sure to check out the first two installments before diving in: 

• The First Act: Nailing your novel's opening chapters!
• The Second Act: Is the middle of your story dragging?

All caught up? Fantastic!

Today, we’re diving into Act Three of the 3-Act Story Structure. Tension is thick. The final conflict between your protagonist and antagonist looms on the horizon. How can you ensure you write a finale that will blow readers away? Let’s get started with today’s breakdown!