Author Archives: mike

Open Source and Free Writing Software

Posted on May 1, 2011 by mike

I’ve noticed a lot of interest recently in writing software that is free and/or open source.  There are some excellent, free tools that writers can use to both create and improve their work.  This article will discuss some of these … Continue reading →

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10 Things Readers Want from a Novel

Posted on April 30, 2011 by mike

James V. Smith Jr., in The Writer’s Little Helper, includes a list of 21 traits your book should have.  In the article accompanying his list, he recommends building your own list the same way he did… visit Amazon.com and read … Continue reading →

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Scrivener for Windows – Review

Posted on April 27, 2011 by mike

NOTE:  The software reviewed here is currently in beta testing and has not been officially released as of the date of publication.  The finished product may differ somewhat from the software as reviewed here.  Potential buyers are advised to download … Continue reading →

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Former Articles on this Site

Posted on April 9, 2011 by mike

I’ve noticed recently that some articles I formerly posted on this site are still drawing a lot of attention from search engines.  Although those articles are no longer here, they do still exist on the web.  Below are links to … Continue reading →

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What is Hypnotic Writing?

Posted on March 6, 2011 by mike

Being a writer by nature, I’m always looking for information about the craft.  The term “hypnotic writing” got my attention as soon as I saw it.  What did it mean?  How did it differ from “regular writing” and why would … Continue reading →

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Review: NewNovelist 2.0

Posted on January 23, 2011 by mike

NewNovelist 2.0 from Creativity Software Ltd. is a Windows application designed to help writers produce properly structured stories.  After having readers provide some very high-level information about the story they want to tell, the software presents a series of chapters … Continue reading →

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Viral Writing

Posted on December 20, 2010 by mike

As a writer, I’m always watching for interesting writing tips and tricks.  For example, Ken Rand’s “The 10% Solution” claims to reduce the size of your written fiction by 10% while improving the quality, by doing a series of “find” … Continue reading →

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How I Wrote a Novel in a Month

Posted on November 28, 2010 by mike

How I wrote 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo in under a month, including tips on brainstorming, using a revision log, using placeholder text, modular plotting, novel-writing software, and writing quickly. Continue reading →

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NaNoWriMo 2010 Winner!

Posted on November 28, 2010 by mike

Announcement that I won the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) competition for 2010. Continue reading →

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Nanowrimo Update – 11/27/2010

Posted on November 27, 2010 by mike

An update on my progress in the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) competition. Continue reading →

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