writing tips — Blog — Kate MacRitchie | Author of Fireside Fairy Tales

Ironically, I felt stressed writing parts of this blog. As in, my teeth literally went numb.

I remember a time when writing didn’t come with a heap of expectations or mental resistance. Somewhere along the line what should be simple and joyful has become source of stress and judgement.

And that’s why I’m writing about how to find a calm writing routine.

WritingKate MacRitchieMarch 31, 2022writing life, writing affirmations, writing tips, calm writing routine Comments

Novel Writing Secrets For Slow Writers

Being a slow writer is hard. I was never sure if it was perfectionism or not having the ‘right’ writing process that held me back. Maybe I was just a slow writer, end of story.

WritingKate MacRitchieAugust 29, 2021slow writing, writing tips, how to finish a novel, plot a novel on one page Comments

How To Enchant Your Readers With A Rock-Solid Setting

Setting is perhaps more important to Fantasy writers than any other genre.

WritingKate MacRitchieJune 26, 2021writing hacks, writergram, writing tips, writing, writing advice, write rock-solid settings, how to write immersrive fantasy settings, how to write fantasy, how to world buildComment

Why You Need Writing Affirmations

Do writing affirmations really work? Yes, I’ve concluded, to a spooky degree. I took an interest after discovering that one of my key love languages (as a Scot, my toes curl writing that sentence) is Words of Affirmation.

WritingKate MacRitchieNovember 23, 2020writing, writing tips, writing affirmations, positive affirmations, new writers Comments

How To Edit Your Novel When You Don't Know Where To Start

Why can’t first drafts be perfect? I knew I wouldn’t get away scot-free, but wasn’t quite prepared for the mountain of revisions. Where was my Zadie Smith moment - grabbing a bottle of champagne and having a introspective moment of satisfaction and emptiness in my garden? Instead I’d reached a false summit, the way forward shrouded by mist. I didn’t know where to go next.

WritingKate MacRitchieAugust 17, 2020writing, editing, editing a novel, novel magic kit, writing tips, writing advice, writers blog Comments

Using Word Counts To Achieve Your Writing Goals

I have a rocky relationship with word counts. They go down when I want them to go up, and soar out of control when I’d rather be concise. I’ve found word counts motivating, stifling, an uplifting measurement of progress and a way to disguise floundering as progress.

WritingKate MacRitchieJuly 31, 2020writers lifestyle, writing habits, writing, creative lifestyle, word counts, writing goals, writing tips, writing advice Comments

The Novel Magic Kit

Do you remember me hinting in a recent blog post about a Novel Magic Kit? Well, after months of work - it's here!

WritingKate MacRitchieJune 2, 2020novel magic kit, writing kit, writing tips, writing blog, editing a novel, writing hacks, author blog, authorpreneurComment

My Writing Process

Today I want to show you what my writing process looks like - from first idea to finished story. I’ve avoided creating these types of post in the past because, being unpublished, I don’t feel like a ‘proper writer’. But you don’t spend the majority of your life writing without developing some kind of process. I like to think mine is pretty foolproof by now, so I thought I’d outline it here for anyone who might find it useful.

WritingKate MacRitchieMay 9, 2020writing advice, writing tips, writing, writing life, writers blog, writing blog, writing process Comments

World-Building With Eva Deverell

I draw endless inspiration from my immediate surroundings, but every so often I like to escape. Usually, I do this by reading a book. I’m sure you do, too. But what if you don’t have a book? Or the worlds therein aren’t to your liking? What if you could escape to a world of your own invention with just a piece of paper, a pencil and your imagination?

WritingKate MacRitchieMarch 27, 2020writing, writing inspiration, writing tips, writing blog, writers blog, writing life, writing subtext, writing advice, eva deverell, world buildingComment

A Curious Writing Habit To Lessen Anxiety

It’s Wednesday afternoon. I’m sat at my kitchen table with a coffee, having returned from my usual river walk and a wee daunder around town.

Inspiration, WritingKate MacRitchieMarch 19, 2020writing habits, writers lifestyle, writing life, writing blog, writers blog, writing tips, anxiety tips, dealing with anxietyComment

Six Lessons I Learned From Writing A Book

Six drafts, 569 pages and 116,235 words later, I finished writing my book. It’s been a bumpy road, and a longer journey than anticipated. If this process has taught me anything it’s how to not write a novel! I thought I’d reflect on some of mistakes, and how I’ll approach book two differently.

WritingKate MacRitchieMarch 12, 2020writing life, writing, writing blog, writing tips, writers lifestyle Comments

Not Giving Up

I’m currently editing the end of my first novel. It’s a goal that’s long eluded me. My writing failures outweigh my writing successes, yet somehow I’m putting the finishing touches to a story I’ve tried to tell for years, but never had the skills to do so until recently. I’m chalking this win up to one defining trait…

WritingKate MacRitchieFebruary 21, 2020writing life, writers lifestyle, writing, writing blog, writing tips, writers blog Comments

Subtext: Diving Into My Story's Hidden Depths

I’m sitting down to type this on a peaceful, snowy day. The kind that inspires curling up with novel edits and getting lost in a world of my own invention. Editing my book used to feel daunting, but once I found a process and surrendered to diving deeper into my story, I couldn’t tear myself away.