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Free resources to help you improve your manuscript

Novel study

Deep-dive analyses of recent popular fiction, with lessons you can apply to your own work

Novel Study is now a book!

Popular blog posts

A selection of the Blue Garret’s most popular content — find all posts, organized by topic, in the index

Featured
Takeaways from the 2024 Author Nation Conference
conferences, creativity, self-publishing
Takeaways from the 2024 Author Nation Conference
conferences, creativity, self-publishing
conferences, creativity, self-publishing
The Blue Garret tech stack
editing business
The Blue Garret tech stack
editing business
editing business
Ending a scene with a resonant moment
scene, theme
Ending a scene with a resonant moment
scene, theme
scene, theme
How to use sensory details to ground introspection
point of view, characters, introspection
How to use sensory details to ground introspection
point of view, characters, introspection
point of view, characters, introspection
Public speaking for introverts
conferences, editing business
Public speaking for introverts
conferences, editing business
conferences, editing business
Advanced Zoom tips for editors
Advanced Zoom tips for editors
How experienced novelists can use beta readers in the editing process
beta readers
How experienced novelists can use beta readers in the editing process
beta readers
beta readers
What’s the live version of your scene?
revision, writer's block
What’s the live version of your scene?
revision, writer's block
revision, writer's block
How to spot plot problems
revision, plot
How to spot plot problems
revision, plot
revision, plot
Could your secondary characters be stars?
characters
Could your secondary characters be stars?
characters
characters
How to choose names for your characters
characters, writer's block
How to choose names for your characters
characters, writer's block
characters, writer's block
Revision checklist: Chekhov’s bunnies
revision, plot
Revision checklist: Chekhov’s bunnies
revision, plot
revision, plot
Does your story need a reversal?
plot
Does your story need a reversal?
plot
plot
How SOPs can make publishing (and writing!) easier
writer's block
How SOPs can make publishing (and writing!) easier
writer's block
writer's block
What is your character’s pathological maneuver?
characters
What is your character’s pathological maneuver?
characters
characters
How to link characters and plot
characters, plot
How to link characters and plot
characters, plot
characters, plot
Own the room
creativity, writer's block
Own the room
creativity, writer's block
creativity, writer's block
Why characters are key
characters
Why characters are key
characters
characters

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