5 BAD writing tips + alternatives to try / Watch this if youre STUCK in your NaNoWriMo prep! Nicole Wilbur 2026-09-22 | 5 BAD writing tips + alternatives to try / Watch this if youre STUCK in your NaNoWriMo prep!
Write a SAVE THE CAT moment with me! Nicole Wilbur 2025-09-26 | Save the Cat is famous for its beat sheet...but what about the actual Save the Cat moment? When I was asked to write these into my manuscript, I did a deep dive on strategies to write relatable and likable characters that readers will root for. Let's write one together! 00:00 Intro01:25 The definition03:00 Examples06:00 A formula for relatability09:09 My story set-up13:40 Brainstorming my Save the Cat moment17:35 Writing my Save the Cat moment19:37 When do you need this?I'm Nicole Wilbur, a novelist, traveler, and adrenaline-chaser. I write about young adults breaking the rules, falling in love, and becoming versions of themselves they never expected. Pursuing traditional publishing and sharing the highs & lows! 💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC#savethecat #writingvlog #savethecatwritesanovel
I got my EDIT LETTER 😨🖊️Revision plan, Save the Cat | Nicole Wilbur Nicole Wilbur 2025-08-29 | I just received my book's edit letter from my agent and in this video I'm walking you through how I approach the suggested edits/comments to come up with a flexible revision plan for my book.I'm Nicole Wilbur, a novelist, traveler, and adrenaline-chaser. I write about young adults breaking the rules, falling in love, and becoming versions of themselves they never expected. Pursuing traditional publishing and sharing the highs & lows! 💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC#writingvlog #literaryagent #editletter #developmentaledit #revisionvlog
A Day in My Life at Oxford’s Creative Writing summer school! Nicole Wilbur 2025-08-22 | Come along for a day in the life of My Oxford Summer where I took creative writing classes with the Oxford University's Department of Continuing Education Summer School. Peak in the libraries, see the lecture, go over tutor feedback and come along for a walk and pub crawl through the beautiful city!I'm Nicole Wilbur, a novelist, traveler, and adrenaline-chaser. I write about young adults breaking the rules, falling in love, and becoming versions of themselves they never expected. Pursuing traditional publishing and sharing the highs & lows! 💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC
How I got a Literary Agent | Querying stats and Q&A Nicole Wilbur 2025-08-08 | Yes, I have a literary agent! And in this video we're doing querying stats, process, and a discussion of what's next!Check out my Substack for the query letter that got me an agent:TIMESTAMPS00:00 IntroI'm Nicole Wilbur, a novelist, traveler, and adrenaline-chaser. I write about young adults breaking the rules, falling in love, and becoming versions of themselves they never expected. Pursuing traditional publishing and sharing the highs & lows! 💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC#agentoffer #querystats #writingabook #authortube #queryingauthors #literaryagent
Come with me...signing THE CONTRACT in Edinburgh #agentoffer #amquerying Nicole Wilbur 2025-08-03 | ...
I SIGNED WITH A LITERARY AGENT 🖊️My querying journey Nicole Wilbur 2025-07-30 | Yup, it happened and after a MONTH of secrecy - I finally get to tell you: I have a literary agent. Welcome to the final installment of my querying vlogs covering the agent offer of representation to the nudges to the final contract signing. Whether you’re a querying author, mid-first draft, or just here for the chaos—I’m so excited to share this milestone with you.💌 I'm planning a Q&A video - drop any questions below! And don’t forget to like, subscribe & scream with me in the comments.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Querying recap04:29 Query reply05:40 the All is Lost moment06:36 The email10:30 Preparing for The Call13:55 Offer of representation16:35 An anxiety spiral begins17:37 The craziest 30 minutes of my year22:02 Waiting...waiting...23:34 Explaining my thinking, emotions & the reason for the stress30:29 ANOTHER disruption33:14 Poll: Notifications ON or OFF?34:10 Deadline day36:50 The best rejection of my life!37:04 Sending my acceptance email!38:23 Questions about the contract41:30 Signing the contract in Edinburgh at the Writer's Museum43:35 Q&A ask and AGENT ANNOUNCEMENTI'm Nicole Wilbur, a novelist, traveler, and adrenaline-chaser. I write about young adults breaking the rules, falling in love, and becoming versions of themselves they never expected. Pursuing traditional publishing and sharing the highs & lows! 💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC#agentoffer #YADebut #writingvlog #authortube #queryingauthors #literaryagent
I never thought this would happen 🎬Coming soon... Nicole Wilbur 2025-07-28 | It's happening. After over A MONTH of secrecy, I get to tell you my literary agent news! This trailer gives you a sneak peek into the biggest YES of my author journey so far.The full video drops July 30 at 9am EST. See you there!I'm Nicole Wilbur, a novelist, traveler, and adrenaline-chaser. I write about young adults breaking the rules, falling in love, and becoming versions of themselves they never expected. Pursuing traditional publishing and sharing the highs & lows! 💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC
Outlining a story in the WRONG genre | Nicole & Madeline GENRE SWAP challenge Nicole Wilbur 2025-07-25 | Welcome to this bananas Authortube collab where @madelinejameswrites and I give each other writing prompts for books in the opposite genre - and we have to outline and make the prompt work in ours! I make a fantasy prompt contemporary, and Madeline makes a contemporary prompt fantasy!Watch out our heist planning collab: youtu.be/E5b9U8zeACc?si=CtWVkTm6xR8GLaxi And check out Madeline's channel! 00:00 The challenge!02:00 Authoring the writing prompts12:50 Nicole's prompt for Madeline14:30 Madeline's prompt for Nicole16:15 Madeline explains Shadow Daddies18:00 Outlining vlog38:45 Nicole's contemporary outline48:40 Madeline's fantasy outline1:02:00 Did this make us...more creative?💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC
Write more words (without a writing routine) Nicole Wilbur 2025-07-18 | Want to write a book in a couple months? These are my best tips for how to write more words without a writing routine!💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC
1st draft to 10th ✍️ How freelance developmental editors helped my book Nicole Wilbur 2025-07-14 | When Reedsy approached me to make a video in collaboration with them, I was SO excited! Since 2022, I've collaborated with 5 or 6 industry professionals through Reedsy and had very positive experiences: they make collaboration simple and fun!I've found seeking out this expert feedback to be the best way to improve my own craft. Here's a little peak into my journey!**This video is part of a Reedsy ad, but the video concept/script and all opinions/experiences/etc. are all my own :) My first developmental edit: youtu.be/FQVgvI20NUUyoutu.be/jrew13s85ns Beta reader vs freelance editor side-by-side: youtu.be/MLAMODHKtucA breakdown of the money I've spent on editors: youtu.be/MbLW6TlBXBk💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC
Dispatch from the query trenches 📫 I made a mistake... | Query vlog #4 Nicole Wilbur 2025-07-11 | Let's dive into the 21 queries I've sent to literary agents this year. Round 1 was a bust, so we talk about the changes made to the query letter, synopsis, and opening pages to stand out! And yes, a lot of talk in this vlog about rejections and requests!00:00 Intro01:34 The beginning of the MISTAKE02:55 The interstitial problem04:24 Failed query round06:20 Back to the drawing board & the changes09:50 Substack plug10:40 Did my fix work?12:45 Summer slowdown14:44 Next time...Jurassic World breaks the rules: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/we-need-to-talk-about-jurassic-world?r=1odtbdThat time I was attacked by a hippo: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/that-time-i-got-attacked-by-a-hippo?r=1odtbd💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC
LIVE pitch literary agents with me | Querying vlog #3 | Nicole Wilbur Nicole Wilbur 2025-06-27 | This weekend I hit up a writing conference and pitched my YA heist thriller to 5 literary agents LIVE (well, on conference call). The pitches came fast and furious and I had so many wonderful conversations...this conference has led to the biggest milestone in my writing journey yet. 💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC
Anatomy of Genres - Peak inside the THRILLER chapter | Pros & cons Nicole Wilbur 2025-06-13 | Is this video literally me reading Anatomy of Genres chapter 12 and freaking out about how good the advice is? Yes, yes it is. John truby's magnum opus is so valuable - let's talk about the content, ease of navigation, and how I'm using this in my story!A suggested process with Anatomy of Genre: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/a-preptober-process-using-john-trubys?r=1odtbdI'm Nicole Wilbur, a novelist, traveler, and adrenaline-chaser. I write about young adults breaking the rules, falling in love, and becoming versions of themselves they never expected. 💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC
I spent $8952 to become a better writer. Nicole Wilbur 2025-06-06 | This video is a breakdown of ALL the money I've spent over the past four years on my writing journey: developmental edits, courses, query package critiques, mentorship programs, and a very special class at Oxford this summer!Check out the breakdown in writing here: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/an-8952-investment-in-my-writing💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC
REEDSY write a novel VS STORY GRID guild / Which writing course is for you? Nicole Wilbur 2025-05-30 | Please note: I have not taken EITHER of these courses. This is a research video with some starter information on these writing courses, documenting my research as an interested prospective student. It's based on webpages and informal conversations with people who have taken them. I'm a writing nerd and work in/am passionate about education - so this is pure interest and should not be taken as a review or recommendation. The info given here is - of course - subject to change!Criteria for creative writing courses: youtu.be/wlAnk7XP2PkStory Grid pages (current courses are a scene writing workshop and 1-on-1 mentorship, starting July 2025. The guild course discussed in this video isn't currently on the sales page): storygrid.com/trainingThis is the sales page from Story Grid that I used for this video: store.storygrid.com/guild?ck_subscriber_id=2057402999&utm_source=convertkit&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%E2%9A%A1+Which+oneReedsy: reedsy.com/learning💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC
I broke a BIG writing rule | First draft vlog | Nicole Wilbur Nicole Wilbur 2025-05-23 | So this was supposed to be a vlog about editing my YA romance...and then it turned into something else.Have you ever dealt with Shiny New Idea syndrome?💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbC
There are NEW ways to find agents to query 👀 | Nicole Wilbur Nicole Wilbur 2025-05-09 | Starting with query tracker to find agents hasn't been a successful strategy for me (though it has its uses). So today I'm discussing two other ways (plus query tracker) to find agents using new AI tools!
I got my OUTLINE critique! | Multi POV, inconsistencies, editor feedback | Nicole Wilbur Nicole Wilbur 2025-05-02 | I sent my outline to an editor for critique and got their comments and feedback back! This has created a helpful guide with things to think about as I drive into draft two! Let's go through the editor feedback together and talk about how we react to critique and when to action it!💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
How to outline w scene card templates in Campfire | TUTORIAL | Nicole Wilbur Nicole Wilbur 2025-05-02 | This video is a tutorial on how I use the Campfire Write timeline feature to create scene cards and outline! We'll create a scene card template and learn how to apply it to our story events. We'll also chat about pricing! This video isn't sponsored. I just like the program.💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
A literary agent hated my FIRST LINE. Fix it with me! Nicole Wilbur 2025-04-25 | A strong book opening is essential. In this video, we look at 3 first lines from books, identify the strategy they use, and then I try out that strategy for my own novel. Which first line is YOUR favourite?💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
How I outline a Multi-POV novel with SCENE CARDS in Campfire Nicole Wilbur 2025-04-18 | Part 2 of my outlining process digs into scene cards for my novel, breaking the elements of a scene down, adding in story beats, and important notes to remember!Part 1 on functional outlining: youtu.be/l0GP7qTAoMk💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
is THIS how you avoid deus ex machina? | Brandon Sanderson Lecture 7 Nicole Wilbur 2025-04-04 | Lecture 7 - Sanderson's Laws of Magic! This is a great lecture and the 'laws' very much extend beyond magic and worldbuilding to all parts of writing a book! In this breakdown and discussion, we expand beyond magic systems to apply the laws to plot and characters!💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
How I Outline a Multi-POV Novel | 3-step functional outlining Nicole Wilbur 2025-03-25 | In writing the outline for my multi-POV book, I came up with a new outlining process that starts with the abstract/functional and then progresses to the specific. I also heavily use plot archetypes/structures and scene weave. Let's talk about YOUR favourite way to plan/outline your novel!The Brandon Sanderson FAQ I used: faq.brandonsanderson.com/knowledge-base/can-you-go-into-depth-about-outlining00:00 Intro01:06 Points on the map and functional outline philosophy03:50 Step 1: starting my outline04:50 Plot archetype/structure06:20 Functional beats08:20 Step 2: weaving the functional beats11:20 Step 3: event-based outline💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
Intelligent characters dont use $20 words | Brandon Sanderson Lecture 6 2025 Nicole Wilbur 2025-03-18 | Lecture 6 - Customising characters with motivation, personality, and values! Ultimately in this lecture Brandon presents numerous questions we can ask about our characters to make them more unique, deeper, and more interesting. I also touch on how this relates to Story Genius and how this lecture is one of the best yet for brainstorming inspo!💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
The Heros Journey sucks? | Brandon Sanderson 2025 Writing Lecture 3 Nicole Wilbur 2025-03-13 | Lecture 3 - let's talk about ALL the plot structures, especially alternatives to Hero's Journey and options for pantsers.Dan Harmon’s story circle: youtube.com/watch?v=RG4WcRAgm7Y&pp=ygUMc3RvcnkgY2lyY2xlMy story circle video: youtu.be/9R1VjP0WKk0Story circle with Harry Potter example: dabblewriter.com/dan-harmons-story-circle-all-you-need-to-knowYes/But, No/And: darrellwolfe.com/2025/01/yesand-yesbut-noand-and-nobut-narrative.html3 act: (faq.brandonsanderson.com/knowledge-base/can-you-go-into-depth-about-outlining)Plot structure: youtube.com/watch?v=KbyDNRsrhUo&t=690s&pp=ygUhYnJhbmRvbiBzYW5kZXJzb24gcGxvdCBhcmNoZXR5cGVz💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
Plot your characters on 3 sliders | Brandon Sanderson Lecture 5 Nicole Wilbur 2025-03-12 | Today we're recapping Brandon's BYU writing lecture on CHARACTER, specifically PCR (CPR? PRC?): three key attributes on which we can design characters and their character arcs. And then we're going to rank 5 fictional characters on these traits: where they start, where they end. Brandon's Lecture 5 on proactive, relatable, capable characters: youtube.com/watch?v=G-6z7JqvDoELecture notes: brandonsanderson.com/blogs/blog/creating-proactive-relatable-and-capable-characters-brandon-sandersons-writing-lecture-5-2025#capability-the-power-to-act💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
PLOT promises, progress & catching the ball | Brandon Sanderson Lecture 3 2025 Nicole Wilbur 2025-03-11 | Today's our first big PLOT lecture from Brandon Sanderson: let's chat about Big P plot, little P plot, promises, progress, and payoff with additional examples! Plus how character decisions can be used for sign-posting!Lecture 2: youtube.com/watch?v=ihd76ijy9LU&t=2933sGuide to Plot lecture notes: brandonsanderson.com/blogs/blog/brandon-sandersons-2025-guide-to-plot-lecture-2💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
Let’s talk about Brandon Sanderson’s 2025 Lecture Series | #1 Philosophy of Writing Nicole Wilbur 2025-03-10 | Brandon Sanderson's writing lectures at BYU are some of the BEST resources out there for writers. And I just want to talk about them all the time - so I am! Let's talk about the goals of our writing practice, joining the NBA, writing five books before publishing, and writing groups. PLUS nominate the best quote from the lecture! Lecture #1 2025: youtube.com/watch?v=MEUh_y1IFZY&t=42sLecture notes on his website: brandonsanderson.com/blogs/blog/tagged/2025-lecture-notes💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
I wrote a 17,000 word OUTLINE ☠️😵 | Outline critique prep, narrative threads & Save the Cat Nicole Wilbur 2025-03-07 | With 7 days until my outline is due to my editor for critique, can we finish the outline and widdle it down from 17K to 10k in only 10 days? Let's find out! 😂I am outlining a multi-POV book using Save the Cat, The Anatomy of Story, and Romancing the beat as my structure guides. This video gets into how I'm delineating the different narrative threads as well as getting all my materials together for the outline critique!See my actual outline: open.substack.com/pub/nicolewilbur/p/i-wrote-a-17000-word-outline?r=1odtbd&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true Get ready for a 5 Day Frenzy next week, new video every dy at 9am as I kick-off my Brandon Sanderson lecture Recap & Discussion series: youtu.be/NT36H7UIq9c💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
2025 goals, saying NO + a frank channel UPDATE | Nicole Wilbur Nicole Wilbur 2025-01-10 | Obligatory 2025 goals video with a twist...my word of the year is NO. And my goals are inspired by that. Also, you know, writing a book, editing a book, outlining a new novel etc. And the channel...is changing.💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
An honest chat about writing courses | Is that How to Write A Book COURSE worth the money? Nicole Wilbur 2025-01-03 | There are so many fiction writing and 'how to write a novel' courses out there, with hefty price tags. Is an online course on how to write a book for you? What makes a good writing course? How do you decide if a class is the right way to level-up your writing skills and finally finish that novel? Let's discuss!QUESTION FOR YOU: If you were given $1500 USD to invest in developing your writing today...how would YOU spend it? 00:00 Intro01:13 Do you need a writing course?04:40 Criteria 105:47 Criteria 206:50 Criteria 307:45 Criteria 408:20 Crtieria 509:18 Criteria 612:10 Course vs. editor/book coach💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to mine insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit subscribe!
Querying books, first drafts & small wins | 2024 wrap & QUERY update Nicole Wilbur 2025-01-01 | That's a wrap on 2024: with lots of writing, reading, learning, travel & more to look back on. It was the first time I'd written a first draft in two years and my first time getting a full development edit. Thank you so much for your support this year. Happy writing!!L I N K S M E N T I O N E D2024 Genre collab: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLte6jZwxpFsXHWyYHjqUYGAkxe7sEKTnCMasterwork Analysis of the Sorcerer's Stone review: youtu.be/vgce6T215QcWriting the Breakout Novel review: youtu.be/N8tUtkCPuRYQuerying vlog: youtu.be/ZOkAq0gKgiAWrite better scenes: youtu.be/4522WIsl-Y8Cece Lyra's website: cecilialyra.comInfo on the WriteMentor program: write-mentor.com/product/group-mentoring-for-ya-with-melinda-salisbury-autumn-term-2024💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
17 Worldbuilding techniques for non-fantasy | Write with me Nicole Wilbur 2024-12-28 | Rich settings and worldbuilding aren't just for fantasy. In this video, I walk through creating a rich and immersive world for my modern romance with techniques that help create rich and immersive worlds in any genre. 00:00 Intro vlog01:00 Non-fantasy worldbuilding rundown02:11 Real real places vs. fictional real places04:11 17 techniques/questions to help you worldbuild08:15 Worldbuild with me vlog **RESOURCES USED**How to Create a Fictional Town: medium.com/@erinljones/how-to-create-a-fictional-town-writing-and-world-building-hacks-849a781a3942In Defense of Worldbuilding: lithub.com/in-defense-of-worldbuildingReal world settings: malindalo.com/blog/2020/3/9/building-a-real-world
I wrote log lines for 8 stories | Pitching a novel is HARD ❄️ Authortube Nicole Wilbur 2024-12-20 | So you're publishing short stories - how do you pitch them? Promote them? How do you interest people enough to go ahead and actually read them? I don't know the answer but this is my attempt to pitch, package, & promote my series of eight Christmas-y short stories.Christmas Pints & Proper Snogging: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/sing-me-noel-pt-five-christmas-pints?r=1odtbd On Christmas Eve: open.substack.com/pub/nicolewilbur/p/sing-me-noel-pt-eight-on-christmas?r=1odtbd&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true A Season of Plenty: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/sing-me-noel-part-one?r=1odtbd All Ye Faithful: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/copy-template?r=1odtbd A Mini Sticks Miracle: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/sing-me-noel-pt-three?r=1odtbdNew-falling Sky: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/sing-me-noel-pt-four-snow?r=1odtbdRobbing Bethlehem: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/sing-me-noel-melancolie?r=1odtbd Love & Gluhwein: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/sing-me-noel-pt-six-love-and-gluhwein?r=1odtbd💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to find insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
A festive writing vlog at a French castle Nicole Wilbur 2024-12-18 | I did a writing retreat at a castle in France! A writing vlog editing my novel and experiencing the exciting author programming!
I tried hiring BETA READERS on Fiverr. Heres what happened | Tips, cost, quality Nicole Wilbur 2024-12-13 | I wanted fast feedback on a section of my book so I hired paid beta readers on Fiverr - first time ever hiring beta readers instead of swapping or having lovely writers volunteer! I'm going to walk through how I found & chose my readers, what I paid, the end result & whether I'd recommend this to a friend!Have your hired beta readers before? What did you think of the experience?Read my novella, Sing Me Noel: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/sing-me-noel-part-one?r=1odtbd💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to mine insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit subscribe!
Writers reading their own book.... Nicole Wilbur 2024-12-08 | Maybe writing is like therapy...but it's reading the writing back that sometimes gets you. I'm Nicole, a writer and story nerd, follow for more!Read my novella, Sing me Noel, now: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/sing-me-noel-part-one?r=1odtbd
My Christmas book is more emotional than I anticipated... | Christmas short story Nicole Wilbur 2024-12-07 | Read the short story, Sing me Noel Pt 1: Season of Plenty, now: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/sing-me-noel-part-one?r=1odtbd
Writing FIRST to FINAL draft | Story grid genre, first lines & tension leaks Nicole Wilbur 2024-12-06 | There was a LOT of editing between the first draft of my novella's first short story to the final...so let's chat about writing drafts and rounds of edits. My edits focused on genre via The Story Grid, intriguing/non-cliche first lines, and fixing tension leaks!Read Part 1: A Season of Plenty nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/sing-me-noel-part-one?r=1odtbd 💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to mine insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
Season of Plenty...but not that kind of plenty Nicole Wilbur 2024-12-04 | Read the short story, Sing me Noel Pt 1: Season of Plenty, now: nicolewilbur.substack.com/p/sing-me-noel-part-one?r=1odtbd
Hes dead, isnt he? Nicole Wilbur 2024-12-01 | Eight installments. Eight standalone - yet interconnected - short stories. Publishing November 18 - December 23. Only on Substack.Read it here: nicolewilbur.substack.com/s/original-fiction
EVERYTHING you need to know about Cece Lyras writing WEBINARS | Emotion, interiority, line-level Nicole Wilbur 2024-11-29 | Looking for a writing course? Cece Lyra is a literary agent and a host of the podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing. I adore her webinar classes, so I've put together a review of her writing courses so you can decide if they are right for you! She has offered masterclasses on: tension, interiority, emotionality, writing on a line level, first pages, and has more to come in 2025. (Obviously not affiliated with Cece - she's just that good).💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to mine insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
The State of the Story Grid 2024 could change EVERYTHING Nicole Wilbur 2024-11-22 | Tim Grahl just delivered the 2024 State of The Story Grid Address - and I found it VERY exciting! Originally a book by Shawn Coyne, this writing methodology has transformed far beyond its origins - but this announcement seems to mark a return to the tangible writing instruction and skill development that made us first fall in love!Note - the webinar doesn't seem to be available any longer. Here is the Story Grid Guild sales page: store.storygrid.com/guild?ck_subscriber_id=2057402999&utm_source=convertkit&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%F0%9F%93%9D+Which+of+these+4+writing+levels+are+you+stuckThis is the Writer Mentoriship page: store.storygrid.com/writer-mentorship💻 M Y A U T H O R N E W S L E T T E R : Say yes to a party in your inbox: nicolewilbur.substack.com💬 L E T ' S C O N N E C T 💬Website | nicolewilbur.comPinterest | https://pin.it/3jx8lbCI'm Nicole Wilbur and on my channel, I review craft books, share my writing journey, and break down popular books to mine insights on how to write a better one of my own. If that sounds good to you, hit suscribe!
