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Word Maze - what I'm learning about writing

The second season of Word Maze is all about writing fiction.

Pilar abandoned NaNoWriMo but is continuing with her story. Writing, struggling, reading (favourite mode of procrastination) and podcasting her journey. 

Please visit www.pilarwrites.com for information on your host.

Oct 27, 2019

The last episode of the current season!

Pilar talks about what she's gained from taking part in previous NaNoWriMo s  and encourages anyone who's been thinking of writing a novel to try it too.

What is NaNoWriMo https://nanowrimo.org/

Community aspect
You commit for a month, that might be easier
You discover the...


Aug 18, 2019

In today's episode, Pilar talks about:

Why she's stuck.

How the story's changed once she got writing, and how the idea can develop.

What's she learned from Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

What's she's incorporated from Scott King's Story Pitch

Here's the link to exporting synopses from Scrivener


Jun 30, 2019

Pilar has realised that all her character was doing was living in the past, but she has a couple of things she's going to try to make the character more active.

Following feedback from her writing coach, she now needs to almost go back to the drawing board, but this presents plenty of opportunities to make the piece...


Jun 2, 2019

You'd think it's obvious, but it's taken Pilar quite a while to realise the main difference between writing a non-fiction book and writing a novel. 

Pilar recommends Anne Janzer’s excellent book on writing non-fiction, "Writing to Be Understood: What Works and Why". 

A little bit of progress on Pilar's own editing...


May 19, 2019

Why do we write? I struggled so much during the re-write that I almost threw it all away and gave up this "I want to write fiction" thing.

Why I didn't:

  • I hate dropping stuff before giving it a proper go - that's why I went to drama school
  • I'm learning a lot
  • I know that what I'm doing is hard, so if I get through it,...