Rachel Hauck's last book, The Wedding Dress, rocked the fiction world with rave reviews and awards such as ECPA and CBA best sellers. It was also listed as a TOP PICK for Romantic Times.
She's the co-creator and a coach of My Book Therapy, a fabulous opportunity to fine-tune your novel with specific teaching geared for your story.
Rachel is also a fantastic person, with a heart to serve God through worship and writing!
With a track record like this, we thought it would be a good idea to glean from her inspiration :-)
What are two of the most important writing tips you think authors should know?
Writing a novel is hard work and it requires carving out time to just sit and write. Then after you write, you have to rewrite. And rewrite again. And again. Writing takes time and discipline so just determine up front you're going to make the time and effort.Great reminders, Rachel. It's so easy to think once we have words on a page we're finished, but rewriting is really at the heart of the writing process.
What is one of your favorite writing quotes and why do you like it? How does it inspire you?
Oh man, I love this!!! It puts a deeper spin on the 'heart' of why we write. Besides, it really opens us up to enjoying the journey even more. It truly does become an extension of who God has truly made us to be!
Thanks for having me on Writer's Alley!
Thanks for coming, Rachel!
Now it's your turn, Alley Pals!
What's one of your favorite writing tips?
9 comments:
"Write who you are" - I LOVE that!! I've never heard it put that way before, and it's something I'll never forget! Thanks Rachel for that gem, and for hanging out with us at the alley today!
Loved The Wedding Dress! Great tips, Rachel. For me, writing the first draft is the easy part. Getting my backside in the chair for the next stage can be a struggle.
Oh -- love the idea of "write who I am"! Another tip I've learned from Rachel is to turn a scene upside down -- I've thought of a scene one with -- and yes, it adds tension -- now flip it and see what happens to the scene then. Oftentimes, tensions ramps us.
One easy tip is keep learning (connect to a group like My Book Therapy or Seekerville or similar and re-read those craft books and notes you took years ago. It can never all sink in and there's always more to learn.
I've learned that NaNoWriMo and other speed-writing prompters are successful for a reason. Getting that story out in a complete rough draft is so much more productive than struggling chapter by chapter. (But if that's what works for you, stick with it!)
I love that, "write who you are", and recently found that the climax in a book I've rewritten several times, has the same truths I have just now discovered about myself!! Truly the book of my heart, and I didn't even know it at first!
Another favorite writing tip I have heard, is start in a scen in the middle of action, and leave the scene early. Wow, really ramps up the tension and flow!
Thanks for the words of wisdom, Rachel!
I love, "Write who you are." Another Rachel tip that I love is, "Tell the story between the quotes." Makes it so much more active that way. :)
I just finished The Wedding Dress and I loved it so much. Write who you are. This I love, too! :)
Thanks for the great tips, Rachel.
Pepper and Alley Cats, thanks for having me!
Love the tips in the comments! I think we can never have enough writing tips! Never know when one will be a game changer!
Rachel
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