Lewis Jorstad's Blog

There’s more than one way to tell a tale. And, unsurprisingly, every country and culture around the world has its own ideas of what makes a good story. Here in the USA, we’re surrounded with the classic Western storytelling models, […]

The post 5 Ways to Tell a Story: Story Structure from Around the World appeared first on The Novel Smithy.

This is one of the best parts of writing a novel! Whether you’re writing an action-packed thriller or an introspective character study, character creation is always a blast. There’s something about that human element that is endlessly engaging, meaning it’s […]

The post Character Creation Questionnaire: 50 Questions You Should Be Asking appeared first on The Novel Smithy.

Writing romantic conflict can be tricky… For many, the word “conflict” is linked with aggression or malice—and, though that’s not the only type of conflict you can write, it can be a difficult mold to break. Unfortunately, if you’re writing […]

The post 5 Healthy Conflicts for Your Fictional Romance appeared first on The Novel Smithy.

Good writing goals don’t always come easy… We all set goals with the best of intentions. But if you’ve ever gotten caught up in the New Year’s resolution hype, you’ll know it’s just as easy for those goals to fall […]

The post 7 Ways To Set (Insanely Successful) Writing Goals appeared first on The Novel Smithy.

It’s easy to feel powerless as a writer. Though we may be in charge of the worlds inside our stories, that rarely translates to much control over the real world. And, with the real world seemingly unraveling by the day, […]

The post 3 Ways Your Novel Could Change the World appeared first on The Novel Smithy.

One of the worst parts of NaNoWriMo is falling behind. We always start our drafts with the best of intentions. You’re going to write for an hour every day, or write a thousand words each week, or finish your novel […]

The post 5 Tips for When You’ve Fallen Behind During NaNoWriMo appeared first on The Novel Smithy.

Procrastination is the death of many writing attempts… …and this is especially true during National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo is all about writing your novel quickly in order to finish your first draft in only one month—but, with so many […]

The post 5 Writing Sprints for Winning NaNoWriMo appeared first on The Novel Smithy.

“Why pick just one?” This is a question I often hear from writers when I ask them to pick their protagonist. Usually, they’ve created a huge cast of characters they adore, with no single “hero” standing above the rest. In […]

The post How to Write an Awesome Ensemble Cast appeared first on The Novel Smithy.

Many writers work alone—but should they? Though writing a novel is often a solitary endeavor, the truth is that every writer needs a writing community. This community is there to hold you accountable, encourage you to grow, and provide support […]

The post 3 Ways to Find a Thriving Writing Community appeared first on The Novel Smithy.

Anti-heroes are a feature in nearly every genre. From rough romantic leads to swarmy space pirates, the best anti-hero strikes a delicate balance between smug, sarcastic villain and genuine hero. This isn’t always easy to pull off, but when you […]

The post How to Write an Anti-Hero Readers Will Adore appeared first on The Novel Smithy.