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Listen "Mastering Your Novel: Evaluating Fiction Premises"
Episode Synopsis
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 words
Thriller: 90,000–100,000 words
Romance: 65,000–80,000 words
Mystery: 80,000 words *cozy mystery is usually a bit shorter, 70-60,000 words
Science fiction: 100,000–120,000 words
True Crime: 90,000–100,000 words
Historical fiction: 100,000–150,000 words
Memoir/Bio: 70,000–90,000 words
Literary fiction: 80,000–100,000 words
Young Adult: 70,000–80,000 words
Middle Grade: 40,000–50,000 words
Novella 17,500-40,000 words
Short story 1000-15,000 words
Link 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
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 words
Thriller: 90,000–100,000 words
Romance: 65,000–80,000 words
Mystery: 80,000 words *cozy mystery is usually a bit shorter, 70-60,000 words
Science fiction: 100,000–120,000 words
True Crime: 90,000–100,000 words
Historical fiction: 100,000–150,000 words
Memoir/Bio: 70,000–90,000 words
Literary fiction: 80,000–100,000 words
Young Adult: 70,000–80,000 words
Middle Grade: 40,000–50,000 words
Novella 17,500-40,000 words
Short story 1000-15,000 words
Link 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
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