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Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody (book review)

January 21, 2022 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

SAVE THE CAT!® by Blake Snyder is a popular screenwriting book series and storytelling methodology used by screenwriters, directors, and studio execs across Hollywood. Now, for the first time ever, bestselling author and writing teacher, Jessica Brody, takes the beloved Save the Cat! plotting principals and applies them to the craft of novel writing in this exciting new “workshop style” guide, featuring over 20 full beat sheets from popular novels throughout time.


Whether you’re writing your first novel or your seventeenth, Save the Cat! breaks down plot in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step method so you can write stories that resonate! This book can help you with any of the following:

Outlining a new novel
Revising an existing novel
Breaking out of the dreaded “writer’s block”
Fixing a “broken” novel
Reviewing a completed novel
Fleshing out/test driving a new idea to see if it “has legs”
Implementing feedback from agents and/or editors
Helping give constructive feedback to other writers

But above all else, SAVE THE CAT! WRITES A NOVEL will help you better understand the fundamentals and mechanics of plot, character transformation, and what makes a story work!


I think this may be my new favorite craft book ever.

As a fan and writer of character-driven fiction, I’ve always struggled to figure out plot structure. I’ve read a lot of books that talk about that and have learned bits from all of them, but this book explained structure in a way that I really understood. It could be that I’m just finally starting to understand structure after all of these years (and multiple craft books), but I really think the format of this book is what I connected with.

First, the author lists out and explains the different beats of every good story. Then she explains the nine different plot types. Finally, she takes the list of beats and applies it to each of the plot types to help the reader see what it looks like. (She also includes a list of the books that use the various plot types.)

If you want to learn how to write a novel and you learn best from lists and examples, I highly recommend this book. I will reference it often.

Get your copy here!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Filed Under: book reviews Tagged With: book review, fiction writing, How to Write a Novel, Jessica Brody, writing a book, writing fiction, writing tips

How I Write: Linda Shenton Matchett

November 22, 2021 by Karin Beery 1 Comment

Linda Shenton Matchett has self-published. She’s been traditionally published. Today, she’s a hybrid author who plots her way through historical romance novels, and she’s sharing her tips and suggestions for new writers. Linda, welcome!

What do you write? How/why did you pick your genre?

I write historical Christian fiction, primarily romance, but I also have five mysteries. I didn’t pick my genre, so much as fall into it.

My first book was a novella as part a group blog project. I had several completed manuscripts at the time, but none were publication ready, so I wrote a retelling of the biblical story of Ruth set during WWII. I followed that up with three more biblical retellings, but struggled when it came to writing anything else. I tried my hand at romance, but about halfway through each story, I’d flail about, not sure what to do with my characters. They did a lot of eating and driving places! Then I attended a mystery writing conference, and that took care of my plot problem! But as much as I enjoyed writing (and solving) the mysteries, I missed the “happily ever after” that comes with a romance…which leads me to the next question.

What’s your favorite book on writing? What do you like about it?

Victorine Lieske’s How to Write a Swoon-worthy Sweet Romance Novel was a game changer for me. The book is a nuts-and-bolts primer that provides an executable process to writing a romance. Too many how-to books are more theory than practice which can be frustrating when trying to apply the concepts. In Ms. Lieske’s book, the first section is an introduction to romance from the “meet-cute” to building emotional intimacy and the climax. In the second half of the book, she takes one of her own books and shows how she uses each technique.

I agree—I love that book! Now, what’s your favorite writers conference? What do you like about it?

Sisters in Crime New England Crime Bake is the mystery writing conference I found when first looking for a conference I could attend between November and April, the “off-season” for the bed and breakfast I ran. It is a smaller conference than most, only about 300 attendees, which means newbies are rubbing elbows with veterans like Archer Mayer, Dennis Lehane, Hallie Ephron, and others.

In addition to panels, lectures, and round-tables, participants can sign up to pitch to agents or editors and get a manuscript critique from an editor or published author. Topics range from skills and craft to marketing and business. So far, I’ve attended the conference for ten years and have learned at least one thing if not more every year.

What’s your writing day like?

I work a full-time job, so I schedule my writing time around those hours. I’m typically at my desk by 6 a.m. and write until about 7:30 when I leave for work. I work an afternoon/evening shift on Thursdays, so I am able to write until lunchtime. (I love Thursdays!). I use Saturdays to handle my social media and marketing.

How do you prepare to write your books: pantser, plotter, both, something completely different?

I am definitely a plotter. The first thing I do is devise the general idea of the story, including the era/year and decide what jobs my protagonists will hold. Then I determine the location of the story. I use a spreadsheet to outline each chapter, indicating the chapter goal/aim (such as setting up their worlds, the meet cute, conflict, tension, etc.) then write a description of exactly what happens in each scene. The other columns are POV, Texture (weather, location), Date, Hook (the last sentence of the chapter that will keep the reader turning pages), and Research (topics that I need to research before I begin writing). Sometimes my characters will “wander off the page,” but for the most part the story is written as planned.

If you’re self-published, why did you decide to go that route? If you’re traditionally published, why did you decide to go that route?

I’m a hybrid author which means I’m both traditionally and self-published. Initially, I wanted the “validation” that came with being traditionally published, and I’ve had good relationships with my publishers, but I enjoy the artistic control that comes with self-publishing. I also appreciate that I can release a book faster as an indie than a publisher can. I use professional cover designers and editors, so my books are of the same high quality as those that are traditionally published. Self-publishing has also allowed me to offer my books in many more online retailers than my publishers use, so I’ve sold books all over the world, which is very exciting.

What advice do you have for new authors?

1) Read! Read lots of books in your genre, but try other genres as well.
2) Write on a regular basis. Skills are learned by practicing You can’t get better if you don’t practice.
3) Join a critique group (not made up of family and friend). Scary, but necessary. You need honest feedback about what works and doesn’t work with your writing.
4) Have a plan for your writing business, because it is a business. Know where you want to go and the steps you’ll take to get there.

If you’ve ever worked with a freelance editor, how did you find that editor? How would you describe the experience?

I’ve worked with three different editors, two of which were continuity editors for multi-author projects, and one of which is my regular editor. I found my editor by referral through a group of Christian indie authors. I’ve been working with her for nearly two years, and the experience has been fantastic. She is fast and effective. In addition to copy editing, she includes comments about story flow if something is confusing or seems out of order/time. She also includes comments when she finds something amusing or interesting, and she always says something encouraging when she returns the manuscript. I couldn’t ask for a better partner.


Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life, and is now located in central New Hampshire where she is a volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII.

Website/blog: http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LindaShentonMatchettAuthor
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lindasmatchett
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Shenton-Matchett/e/B01DNB54S0
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/linda-shenton-matchett
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/linda-shenton-matchett
Moments in History YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4b-o_6cD8HkHNyFP-wZwJg

Filed Under: interview Tagged With: author interview, editing tips, fiction writing, How to Write a Novel, writing fiction, writing tips, writing tools

How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson (book review)

October 28, 2021 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Are you writing a novel, but having trouble getting your first draft written? You’ve heard of “outlining,” but that sounds too rigid for you. You’ve heard of “organic writing,” but that seems a bit squishy to you.

Take a look at the wildly popular Snowflake Method—a battle-tested series of ten steps that jump-start your creativity and help you quickly map out your story. All around the world, novelists are using the Snowflake Method right now to ignite their imaginations and get their first drafts down on paper.

In this book, you’ll follow the story of a fictitious novelist as she learns to tap into the amazing power of the Snowflake Method. Almost magically, she finds her story growing from a simple idea into a deep and powerful novel. And she finds her novel changing her—turning her into a stronger, more courageous person.

Zany, Over the Top, and Just Plain Fun

How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method is a “business parable”—a how-to guide written in story form. It’s zany. It’s over the top. It’s just plain fun. Most important, it’s effective, because it shows you, rather than telling you.

You’ll learn by example how to grow your story idea into a sizzling first draft.

You’ll discover:
* How to define your “target audience” the right way, so you know exactly how your ideal readers think and feel. Forget what the experts tell you about “demographics.”
* How to create a dynamite selling tool that will instantly tell people whether they’ll love your story or hate it. And you want them to either love it or hate it.
* How to get inside the skin of every one of your characters—even your villain. Especially your villain.
* How to find a deep, emotively powerful theme for your story. Do you know the one best point in your novel to unveil your theme—when your reader is most eager to hear it?
* How to know when to backtrack, and why backtracking is essential to writing great fiction.
* How to fire-test each scene to guarantee it’ll be high-impact—before you write it.


This was a weird little book, but quite informative. It was weird because it’s actually a story about how to write a novel.

Ingermanson creates a world in which Goldilocks wants to learn to write and Baby Bear teaches her. While she’s learning, Ingermanson utilizes all the steps and strategies he discusses to create a tension-filled story. At the end of the book, he walks you through each step to show you which parts of Goldilocks’s story align with which step so you can see how the process looks.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the Goldilocks story technique, but I loved the content in the book and will definitely use it in my own writing. I also found this book to be easy to read and digest; I will definitely recommend it to new authors looking for tips on strengthening their stories. Get your copy here!

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Filed Under: book reviews Tagged With: book review, How to Write a Novel, Randy Ingermanson, writing books, writing tips, writing tools

How to Write a Swoon-Worthy Sweet Romance Novel by Victorine E. Lieske (book review)

August 31, 2021 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Romance novels aren’t like other genres and hitting all the things that romance readers want can be tricky. How do you make your readers believe your characters are falling in love? How do you show that sizzle of attraction?

How do you write a good kissing scene? How do you bring in the much-needed tension but still have your characters flirting and getting closer?

In this book I take one of my romance novels (Acting Married) and I go through the entire novel with you, basically interrupting myself to tell you what I was thinking as I was writing the novel. It’s like watching a movie with commentary. I pull back the curtain so you can see why I started it the way I did, why I decided to put certain scenes in, and what pushes the romance forward in the book.

I preface all this with what I consider the essentials of a good romance novel, and I end with my list of well-loved romance tropes that you can draw from in order to write your own bestselling romance novel.


On my continuing quest to learn everything I can about writing and editing romance and women’s fiction, I picked up this book without knowing anything about the author. It was NOT what I’d expected, but it’s a great book.

This is NOT your typical craft book. Lieske only gives 25 pages of description regarding the romance genre (meet cut, attraction, repelling, dark moment, etc.). Then, there are a few pages at the end of the book where she lists and explains a bunch of romance tropes. The rest of the 320+ pages are actually her novel (Acting Married) which she interrupts to point out all of the things she described in the first 25 pages. She not only points out moments of subtext, she explains why she put it in that spot. It’s very much a hands-on learning experience.

If you’re looking for a how-to-write-fiction book, this isn’t for you. If, however, you have a good understanding of fiction-writing basics (showing; voice; characterization; pacing), this book is excellent for showing you how to take the fundamentals and put them into a romance novel. If you’re interested in writing romance, I highly recommend this book.

Rate PG for some drinking. Get your copy here!

Filed Under: book reviews Tagged With: book review, How to Write a Novel, novel writing, sweet romance, Victorine E. Lieske, writing fiction, writing romance, writing tips

The Story Equation by Susan May Warren (book review)

July 11, 2021 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Discover The Story Equation!

One question can unlock your entire story! Are you struggling to build a riveting plot? Layered characters? How about fortify that saggy middle? Create that powerful ending?

You can build an entire book by asking one powerful question, and then plugging it into an “equation” that makes your plot and characters come to life. You’ll learn how to build the external and internal journey of your characters, create a theme, build story and scene tension, create the character change journey and even pitch and market your story. All with one amazing question.

Learn:

The amazing trick to creating unforgettable, compelling characters that epic movies use!
How to create riveting tension to keep the story driving from chapter to chapter
The easy solution to plotting the middle of your novel
The one element every story needs to keep a reader up all night
How to craft an ending that makes your reader say to their friends, “Oh, you have to read this book!”

Using the powerful technique that has created over fifty RITA, Christy and Carol award-winning, best-selling novels, Susan May Warren will show novelists how to utilize The Story Equation to create the best story they’ve ever written.


I’ve heard a lot of good things about this book and have been looking forward to reading it. I was especially excited because of the length — it’s a short read.

Here’s the good about it: lots of great information. I love how Warren breaks everything down and helps you identify so many elements of good fiction. It’s definitely worth reading.

Here’s the not so good: I found this book to be really confusing. As a left-brained lover of math, I actually expected there to be an equation here. You know: A2 + B2 = C2 kind of thing. This is more like, I’ll teach you how to get to C2 with X, Y, and Z, which make up A2, but only after G, H, I (which is part of L) and then B2 comes together and we layer it all with 4, 5, 6, 7. Viola! It’s not so much a story equation as it is a mind map of sorts. If you go into it expecting an equation, it can be frustrating and confusing.

As is, I’m planning on applying everything I’ve read to my next manuscript, but first I need to organize the information (as I did find it hard to follow).

Yes, I recommend this book and will use the info in it, but I did find it hard to follow. This might not be the case for everyone though. Get your copy here!

Filed Under: book reviews Tagged With: book review, characterization, How to Write a Novel, My Book Therapy, novel writing, plot, story structure, Susan May Warren, writing books, writing tips

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ABOUT ME

Editor. Teacher. Novelist.
A passionate lover of fiction, Karin doesn't just write novels, she helps others write their best stories! A certified substantive editor with the Christian Editor Connection, her goal is to help authors to put her out of business by equipping them with the tools they need to become better writers.

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