How to Finally Finish Your Languishing Novel

Many writers have unfinished novels and short stories sitting on their hard drives or as printouts in a desk drawer. Often coming up with a story idea isn’t a problem, but finding the time or knowing how to finish the work is.

There are several approaches any writer can use to finish their story:
• Set a deadline – Sometimes nothing works better than the challenge of a deadline. This forces you to avoid waiting for inspiration and to get down to the hard work of writing. Simply set a realistic goal for how many words or pages you will write a day. Figure out how many words/pages you still need to write to finish a work. Then divide those number of words/pages by how many words/pages you can write in a day. That gives you the number of days needed to complete your novel, and that many days out is your deadline. For example, suppose you can write 1,000 words a day. A short novel is about 70,000 words; suppose you’ve written 40,000 so far. That means you’ve got 30,000 words to go. At 1,000 words a day, that means you could finish the novel in 30 days (30,000/1,000). If today is Aug. 18, your deadline is midnight Sept. 18.
• Outline the rest of the book – Often writers get stalled because they’re not certain where their book is going. Plot out the rest of the story, describing beat-by-beat how you want the story to develop and how you want the main character to resolve the tale’s central problem. The more detailed you can be, the easier writing those last chapters will be.
• Find a writing partner – Someone else who also is trying to finish their story can be a great inspiration. He can offer encouragement and critiques of your work. If you meet regularly, ensuring you have text for one another to read can serve as a “deadline.”

Of course, sometimes the story is so poorly done in its opening sections that there really is no good reason to finish it. Despite that the story may be unpublishable, I’d recommend finishing it anyway. Completing one story makes completing the second one all that easier, in the same way that completing your first 5k run (even if you’re not going to win the race) makes finishing the second 5k run all that more easy. Finishing the story gives you the full experience of writing one, after all, and that may help you avoid pitfalls on the next go.

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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the Storytelling 101 writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.

Check out some of my writing guidebooks:

Cover of the book 'Writing Affirmations' by Rob Bignell, featuring an open book on a soft-focus background with positive messages to inspire writers.
Cover of the book 'Overcoming Writer's Block' by Rob Bignell, featuring a green background with white and black text, and an illustration of a person sitting at a desk with a computer.

Professional Book Editor in South Carolina

A professional editor for more than a quarter century, I’ll deliver a thorough yet affordable edit of your manuscript. I’m an award-winning publications editor and writer, a long-time writing instructor, the author of a published novel, short stories, and several bestselling nonfiction books, and hold a Master’s degree in English and a Bachelor’s in journalism. Well over 300 of my clients – many from the Palmetto State – have gone on to publish their books.

I handle:
• Fiction (novels, short stories; all genres, specialize in SFF)
• Nonfiction (all topics; spiritual works especially welcomed)
• Poetry collections, chapbooks
• Query letters, synopses, book proposals
• Academic papers and dissertations (broad range of subjects; APA, MLA)
• Admission essays, CVs, resumes
• Business plans, documents, brochures/fliers, catalogs
• Website content, blog posts

I provide fast, confidential editing so you can get back to writing. My editing services include:
• Proofreading – Editing for spelling, punctuation, capitalization and grammar
• Copy editing – Editing of mature manuscripts close to being published
• Substantive edit – Editing of an early draft of your manuscript
• Developmental editing – Guidance through the writing process
• I DO NOT GHOSTWRITE BOOKS OR ACADEMIC ESSAYS

I also offer several self-publishing services including: formatting (both paper and ebooks); uploading; ISBN purchases; and writing of back cover blurbs and press releases.

Learn more about me and my writer-friendly rates at my website or email your manuscript’s word count for a price quote and estimate of turnaround time – with Inventing Reality Editing Service, you’ll always know the price upfront with no hidden costs. Payment is accepted through safe and secure PayPal. References and one-page sample edit available upon request.

Create Media Kit to Promote Your Book

To effectively market your book, you’ll need a media kit. This is a collection of materials that you send to newspapers, radio and television stations, magazines, bloggers and just about anyone else who might in some way mention your book. Sometimes it’s referred to as a press kit.

A media kit provides reporters, bloggers and reviewers with basic information they need to write about the book and you. In some cases, the media and bloggers will do nothing more than reprint your material. Sometimes they may edit it a little, other times they may write something based on the information you provided. The best response is when your media kit generates enough interest that a reporter or a blogger contacts you for an interview, because it probably means publicity that gets better play in their publication, broadcast or website.

The media kit generally consists of three elements:
• Press release – This is a 1-2 page article that announces the publication of your book or any other newsy event involving it, such as an award it’s received or your planned appearance for a book reading. Include a brief author’s bio and contact information in your press release.
• Photographs – You should include at least two pictures – of yourself and of the book cover – that the media or bloggers can reprint. As pictures often grab attention more quickly than a headline, getting photos of your book cover and of you printed or posted is vital.
• Book samples – You’ll want to send a sample chapter, probably as a pdf, so that the media and bloggers can get a better sense of what you’re writing. Sometimes sending a pdf of the entire book is a good idea. Some media – especially book reviewers and daily newspaper reporters – will request an actual copy of the book before they’ll write anything.

A website promoting your book can supplement your media kit by offering text, audio and video interviews of you, additional photographs, and a biography. You’ll almost certainly mention your website on the press release. But to get that initial glance from the press and blogosphere, don’t rely solely on the website to do your work for them. You need to first attract their attention, and the media kit – like a good smile, handshake and hello – is the best way to accomplish that.

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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the Storytelling 101 writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.

Check out some of my book marketing guidebooks:

How to Come Up with a Great Pen Name

Should you decide that you want to use a pen name, the question then arises as to what you pseudonym should be. You’ll probably want to brainstorm several names then think about which one sounds best before going with it. After all, this name will be on your book’s cover, Amazon.com page, and a dozen (if not more) other places forever.

So how do you come up with a pen name? There are lots of possibilities:
• Easy to remember – One word of your name should have only one syllable and the other word of your name have two syllables, as in “George Orwell,” so it’s easy to spell and remember.
• Gender neutral initials – Teen novels like “Harry Potter” used to be read predominately by boys. So Jo Rowling became “J.K. Rowling.”
• Something symbolic – Samuel Clemens used “Mark Twain” from Mississippi River steamboat jargon. Don’t get cute or showy, though, with your pen name (Remember, a bad real name is one that sounds silly, and so is a bad pen name.).
• Think marketing – Why not sandwich your book between the names of two bestselling authors on a bookstore shelf? Of course, since most book sales are now done online, this shouldn’t be a primary factor in choosing a pen name.
• Combination of above – Perhaps pick a name with three syllables in it while going with one that’s gender neutral, such as Quinn Fawcett.

There are a lot of good reasons to self-publish besides that mainstream publishing has shut its door to most authors. Most notable is the high royalty that can come back to you. With a mainstream publisher, you’re lucky to make a dime for every dollar of books sold. Up to 70 cents for every dollar can come to you, though, if you self-publish. Another good reason to self-publish is that it’s quick. Within a few hours, your book can be available for sale to the public when you self-publish. Mainstream publishing may require months from the time you complete a manuscript to its appearance on bookstore shelves. In addition, you instantly can sell your book across the globe when self-publishing. Expect several more months and attorneys to be involved with global distribution and sales if you go the mainstream publishing route.

______________________

My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the Storytelling 101 writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.

Check out some of my self-publishing guidebooks:

Four Writing Prompts: Finding Identity

Good stories center on the clashing of characters’ goals and motivations. Sometimes a character’s goals and motivations center around finding his identity. Here are four writing prompts for stories that involve the motivation of finding one’s identity.

Man vs. nature
Your main character is stuck in a perilous environment in which he comes to question all he believes in, as he barely is able to survive his journey to safety. What new virtues does he come to cherish, and how does he come to define himself, as he slowly, achingly, closes on a successful conclusion of his journey?

Man vs. man
A person with amnesia arrives at the main character’s doorstep. How does our main character help the amnesia victim find his way in the world? How does the main character search to determine the amnesia victim’s identity? What if this amnesia victim doesn’t want to learn who is?

Man vs. society
Our main character finds himself stuck in a place where he is unable to communicate with others. How does he find his way? What if this society looks down upon him because of his inability to communicate?

Man vs. himself
The main character finds he is unable to settle on his own identity, which is exemplified in his constantly changing outward expression of self (haircut, facial expressions, clothing, favorite verbal expressions, etc.). How through self-examination does he determine what is meaningful to him? How in the end does he imagine his future so he can determine who he is today?

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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the Storytelling 101 writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.

Check out some of my writing guidebooks:

Don’t Stink Up Your Writing: Breathe vs. Breath

Ever see words so mixed up that you wanted to pinch your nose shut? That happens with me whenever I see these two words confused.

“Breathe” is to inhale and exhale, as in “We must breathe oxygen to stay alive.”

“Breath” is a solitary moment of inhaling or exhaling or the actual air that is inhaled/exhaled, as in “He stopped to catch his breath” or “His breath stunk like garlic.”

In short, you may not want to breathe someone’s breath.

______________

My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the Storytelling 101 writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.

Check out some of my writing guidebooks:

A collection of six 'Storytelling 101' guidebooks by Rob Bignell, featuring varying colors and titles, including topics like writing, outlining, and formatting stories.

What is Point of View in a Story?

Every story has an angle or perspective from which it is told. This perspective is called point of view.

Notice how the following passage is from an outsider’s perspective, as if the narrator were looking down upon the action from a viewpoint that is able to see all:

Even before the sun rose, Evod and Nevar prepared themselves for the race. Silently, they inventoried supplies, examined their craft’s hull and unpacked Nevar’s ceremonial suit. Evod inspected each items with a drill instructor’s eye, discovering problems that really weren’t.

Here’s the same passage, this time told from Nevar’s perspective. We “hear” what he is thinking and only through his eyes know what Evod is doing:

Nevar turned over the food pack in his hands in the pre-dawn light. Silently he examined the craft’s hull and then unpacked his ceremonial suit. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Evod staring at the control panel, fretting again about a problem that really wasn’t.

Selecting the best point of view is important because each perspective dramatically changes the reader’s understanding of what is occurring. Often novice writers select a point of view because they like its “sound” or because it allows them to write a passage in a way that another point of view wouldn’t allow. What should be most important, however, is for the author to determine what he wants the reader to get from the story then choose a point of view best serving that goal. After all, which point of view an author uses determines what aspects of a story will be left out and deeply affects how the reader relates to the main character.

Writing advice books typically recommend that you tell your story from the viewpoint of the character who has the most at stake, and as a general rule, it is a good guideline to follow. But point of view selection is a more sophisticated process than simply writing the story’s perspective from that of the protagonist. Sometimes the main character’s viewpoint is not suitable for revealing the story’s theme.

Even if you’re consistent with your point of view, should you select the wrong perspective from which to tell the story, you run the risk of writing a story that reeks of:
• Mannerisms – The author’s persona shouldn’t become more important than the story’s events itself. Often flamboyant diction occurs.
• Frigidity – Excessive objectivity can trivialize the story’s events.
• Sentimentality – This occurs when trying to evoke an emotional response that the story’s events cannot evoke by themselves.

For beginning writers, point of view perhaps is the most difficult element to master. Scenes often are envisioned in different points of view and so are knitted together. These individual scenes may be the best options for what the author wishes to achieve, but when connected to the rest of the story, they cause the story to lose unity of effect.

When writing, follow these point of view guidelines:
• Use one point of view per story. Jumping around is confusing.
• Usually the point of view in a scene is that of the story’s main character.

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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the Storytelling 101 writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.

Check out my writing guidebooks about point of view:

“If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” – Toni Morrison

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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the Storytelling 101 writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.

Check out some of my writing guidebooks:

Professional Book Editor in Maine

A professional editor for more than two decades, I’ll deliver a thorough yet affordable edit of your manuscript. I’m an award-winning publications editor and writer, a long-time writing instructor, the author of a published novel, short stories, and several bestselling nonfiction books, and hold a Master’s degree in English and a Bachelor’s in journalism. More than 300 of my clients – many from the Pine Tree State – have gone on to publish their books.

I handle:
• Fiction (novels, short stories; all genres, specialize in SFF)
• Nonfiction (all topics; spiritual works especially welcomed)
• Poetry collections, chapbooks
• Query letters, synopses, book proposals
• Academic papers and dissertations (broad range of subjects; APA, MLA)
• Admission essays, CVs, resumes
• Business plans, documents, brochures/fliers, catalogs
• Website content, blog posts

Let me help perfect your writing with a level of editing that best meets your needs:
• Proofreading – Editing for spelling, punctuation, capitalization and grammar
• Copy editing – Editing of mature manuscripts close to being published
• Substantive edit – Editing of an early draft of your manuscript
• Developmental editing – Guidance through the writing process
• I DO NOT GHOSTWRITE BOOKS OR ACADEMIC ESSAYS

I also offer a variety of self-publishing services including: formatting (both paper and ebooks); uploading; ISBN purchases; and writing of back cover blurbs and press releases.

Learn more about me and my writer-friendly rates at my website or email your manuscript’s word count for a price quote and estimate of turnaround time. Payment is accepted through safe and secure PayPal; references and one-page sample edit available upon request.

How to Finally Finish that Book You’re Writing

Sita from the Bay Area recently wrote asking for tips about how the finish her novel. She’s about three-quarters the way through it.

Her problem is not uncommon among writers. Many writers have unfinished novels and short stories sitting on their hard drives or as printouts in a desk drawer. Often coming up with a story idea isn’t a problem, but finding the time or knowing how to finish the work is.

There are several approaches any writer can use to finish their story:
• Set a deadline – Sometimes nothing works better than the challenge of a deadline. This forces you to avoid waiting for inspiration and to get down to the hard work of writing. Simply set a realistic goal for how many words or pages you will write a day. Figure out how many words/pages you still need to write to finish a work. Then divide those number of words/pages by how many words/pages you can write in a day. That gives you the number of days needed to complete your novel, and that many days out is your deadline. For example, suppose you can write 1,000 words a day. A short novel is about 70,000 words; suppose you’ve written 40,000 so far. That means you’ve got 30,000 words to go. At 1,000 words a day, that means you could finish the novel in 30 days (30,000/1,000). If today is Jan. 1, that means your deadline is midnight Jan. 30.
• Outline the rest of the book – Often writers get stalled because they’re not certain where their book is going. Plot out the rest of the story, describing beat-by-beat how you want the story to develop and how you want the main character to resolve the tale’s
• Find a writing partner – Someone else who also is trying to finish their story can be a great inspiration. He can offer encouragement and critiques of your work. If you meet regularly, ensuring you have text for one another to read can serve as a “deadline.”

Of course, sometimes the story is so poorly done in its opening sections that there really is no good reason to finish it. Despite that the story may be unpublishable, I’d recommend finishing it anyway. Completing one story makes completing the second one all that more easy, in the same way that completing your first 5k run makes finishing the second 5k run all that more easy. Finishing the story gives you the full experience of writing one, after all, and that may help you avoid pitfalls on the next go.

______________

My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the Storytelling 101 writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.

Check out some of my writing guidebooks: