Are you a writer whose mind is a whirlwind of creativity and distraction? Welcome to Writing While Distracted, the podcast that helps you transform your scattered thoughts into literary brilliance. I'm your host, Brenda Murphy, your NeuroSpicy writing coach. Join us as we kick off the first episode in the "Steps to Writing a Novel" series, focusing on how to evaluate a fiction premise.
In this episode, we delve into the importance of examining your novel's idea before you start writing, particularly for genre fiction. Discover how a strong premise can prevent the dreaded mid-manuscript slump and keep your story on track. Learn practical techniques like mind mapping and the "what if and then" method to expand your premise into a compelling narrative. Whether you're a discovery writer or a meticulous plotter, these strategies will help you plan and sustain a novel-length work.
Tune in for insightful advice, creative exercises, and tips on breaking down your writing tasks into manageable chunks. Embrace the chaos, harness your creativity, and find your story's beginning, middle, and end with confidence.
Free resources for writers:
https://brendalmurphy.com/resources-for-writers/
Expected lengths of fiction
Mainstream women’s fiction: 90,000–100,000 wordsThriller: 90,000–100,000 wordsRomance: 65,000–80,000 wordsMystery: 80,000 words *cozy mystery is usually a bit shorter, 70-60,000 wordsScience fiction: 100,000–120,000 wordsTrue Crime: 90,000–100,000 wordsHistorical fiction: 100,000–150,000 wordsMemoir/Bio: 70,000–90,000 wordsLiterary fiction: 80,000–100,000 wordsYoung Adult: 70,000–80,000 wordsMiddle Grade: 40,000–50,000 wordsNovella 17,500-40,000 wordsShort story 1000-15,000 wordsLink to the Mind Map Site for the app that I use https://www.mindnode.com
This is a learning guide from the University of Adelaide on mind mapping. https://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/sites/default/files/docs/learningguide-mindmapping.pdf
Link to first podcast in the series: https://writingwhiledistracted.podbean.com/e/mastering-novel-writing-11-essential-steps-for-neurodivergent-writers/?token=72a0651efad2ce3ec216d8cf14b90496