Hello Writer's Podcast and Blog | Stephanie Dethlefs Book Coaching Blog

6 Reasons to Keep Writing

by Stephanie Dethlefs | May 1, 2021 | Mindset

This post originally appeared on Medium in February 2021. Highlights are from readers. 1. Your story matters. It matters because it is a snapshot of the human experience (yes, even sci-fi/fantasy/horror-monster stories!) These snapshots build a...

Know the End From the Beginning

by Stephanie Dethlefs | May 1, 2021 | Mindset, Planning your book, Revision, writing craft

This post originally appeared on Medium in February 2021. I wanted to title this article “begin with the end in mind,” one of Steven Covey’s trademarked 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. But alas, that phrase was already taken. It’s all about...

What Writers Need to Know About Why Readers Read

by Stephanie Dethlefs | May 1, 2021 | Mindset, Planning your book, Revision, writing craft

This post originally appeared on Medium in February 2021. Hopefully, if you are a writer, you are also a voracious reader. This is the most effective way to understand story and craft. It’s also worth it for writers to consider why readers read,...

Build Your Support System

by Stephanie Dethlefs | May 1, 2021 | Accountability, Getting feedback, Mindset

This post originally appeared on Medium in February 2012. I think that most writers, especially those in the early stages of developing a writing life and/or career, probably think that the support comes once the work is mostly done, whether it’s...

The Gift of a Graph

by Stephanie Dethlefs | May 1, 2021 | Mindset, Planning your book, Revision, writing craft

This post originally appeared on Medium in February 2021. I’d been writing in circles, creating a first draft that was decidedly not working. The problem was that I had two main characters who were alternating as narrators, and I couldn’t keep...

Hook Your Reader on the First Page

by Stephanie Dethlefs | May 1, 2021 | Planning your book, Revision, writing craft

This post originally appeared on Medium in February 2020. Highlights made by readers. You know how some books stick with you for years? Perhaps it was the shocking twist at the end, or the content resonated with something you were going through at...

3 Questions to Answer About Your Protagonist

by Stephanie Dethlefs | May 1, 2021 | Planning your book, writing craft

This post originally appeared on Medium in February 2021. Highlights made by readers. You’ve probably heard lots of writing advice about fleshing out your characters, whether it’s by using physical descriptions, body language or backstory. The...