How To Think Sideways Blog

[...] through writing her first novel. The completed but imperfect story was taken through How To Revise Your Novel. And last week she learned that her novel took second place in a writing contest. What [...]

[...] the world characters encounter on their journey through the story? Week Seven of How To Revise Your Novel explores the setting of the story, and one member of the course has just completed the [...]

[...] ? Do all characters need to have an emotional impact upon readers? Members of How To Revise Your Novel can log in and find out what Boot Camp members think about emotional connections, as they [...]

[...] writers, the process can take, literally, years. We have one member who joined How to Revise Your Novel during Holly’s inaugural class. She recently finished lesson 17′s major edits; [...]

Anyone who has been writing for a while has heard this cardinal rule: show, don’t tell. At it’s core, it’s a reminder to let your story unfold [...]

Adverbs and adjectives can be a lot of fun. They are very useful for energizing bland sentences. They help writers colorfully express emotion and wr [...]

Have you ever had to face something unpleasant about yourself, like infidelity? Have you ever been unfaithful to your story? Some writers find that t [...]

Some writers are strict outliners, wanting to know every scene and plan every plot point before they begin writing. Other writers work much more loos [...]

[...] One writer in the How to Think Sideways course thought so. This writer first encountered plotting on index cards in a free article [...]

[...] that old story, and she goes looking for something that can help. Enter Holly Lise and How To Think Sideways. This class really can help writers in all genres create better stories than they ever [...]

[...] a time, there was an active and supportive forum for an amazing writing class called How To Think Sideways. These forums were a special place for writers to share insights and progress updates while [...]

[...] successfully is no small feat, and one that should be celebrated. Fortunately, here at How To Think Sideways, we like confetti (even if we can only share the virtual kind). One of the places these [...]

[...] Flash fiction. A lot of writers don’t quite get it, which is why there’s a lot of bad flash fiction out there. Generally speaking, flash fiction is a short story that runs between 250 and 1000 [...]

[...] Do you write flash fiction? or how about… do you want to write flash fiction? There has been a great deal of action in the flash fiction forums on the Boot Camp Forums, [...]

[...] Flash fiction stories may be little, but they have the potential to pack a big punch. It’s a special kind of [...]

[...] can write 500 words. And all the techniques that exist in How To Write Flash Fiction That Doesn’t Suck can transfer directly to writing longer fiction as well. Many future [...]

[...] In the How to Write a Series Expansion course, students are writing towards their first deadline. Two weeks ago, Holly announced (link [...]

[...] , this means she’s gearing up for the next Expansion Module for the How to Write a Series Expansion course! With four more books in the series to go, Holly’s going to continue working with [...]

[...] explore new and different fiction territories. One ambitious member of the How To Write a Series Expansion course has taken Holly’s advice to heart and is cataloging her reading of series stories by [...]

[...] writing courses and now she’s self-publishing fiction. In the How to Write a Series Expansion course, the new section, Module 2: Establishing Your Series Bible, is up in the classroom. [...]

[...] to put some fireworks into your summer reading? How about a romance novel or two? One Boot Camp member, who is working through Lesson Six of How To Think Sideways Ultra, has already read quite a [...]

[...] starring role? What if both points of view offer a strong perspective on the story arc? One Boot Camp member has encountered just such a scenario in the course of writing the story, as a secondary [...]

[...] wrong. But what if your character is unemployed, or has yet to reveal his occupation? One Boot Camp member has asked her colleagues about ways they discover this aspect of their characters’ lives. [...]

[...] but sturdy brick wall, can make the story much more interesting. How short, exactly? One Boot Camp member is studying her scenes as part of the How To Revise Your Novel revision process and is [...]

[...] week. Want to work on writing a series in a LIVE workshop side by side as Holly writes her Longview series? Remember you’ve got this module and the NEXT to get in on the live workshop aspects! [...]

[...] the scenes from The Selling of Suzee Delight, the latest installment of her Tales from The Longview series. Not only do members receive the story for free as the textbook for this part of the course [...]

[...] , you can still sign up and  join Holly (and others) as she works and writes through the Longview series. But remember — when we’ve hit the third module, sign-ups for the live expansion course [...]

[...] over the site, The Selling of Suzee Delight, Holly’s second book in the Tales of the Longview series, is for sale on Amazon.com as we speak! The description reads: MEET THE LONGVIEW – An [...]

[...] In the Renegade Marketing forum, a student asks: Since nearly all my friends are going indie for pubilshing, and, of [...]

[...] To Think Sideways and How to Revise Your Novel are welcome to log in and join us in the Renegade Marketing forum to offer your opinion on the various formats available for reaching an audience. [...]

[...] and How To Revise Your Novel are encouraged to log in and join the discussion in the Renegade Marketing forum. See what other authors are doing to build their readership, even before they publish, [...]

Learning to write can be an adventure. It’s a lot of fun exploring the depths of our own minds to invent worlds and characters that don’t exist un [...]

Just in time for Christmas, we have a sweet treat for you here on the site. Dan, who almost certainly possesses the magic of the elves, has gotten ou [...]

It is often said that all good writing is rewriting. It’s absolutely true. Writers don’t have the magical ability to have every word the put on a [...]

[...] act as our own publishers. Members of HTTS and HTRYN are invited to log in, visit the Renegade Marketing workgroup, and join the discussion on embracing the publishing aspects of being an independent [...]

[...] of How To Think Sideways and How To Revise Your Novel have access to the Renegade Marketing Workgroup. Make sure you’re logged in, then follow this important discussion on self- [...]

[...] a Scrivener file to an e-book, and members of HTTS and HTRYN can check out the Renegade Marketing Workgroup, where a writer displays her cover and asks for feedback. Because nothing should stand [...]