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Book Ideas - 11 Inspiring Sources | Now Novel

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Book ideas come to authors via many conduits. Through history or current events. Passion or indignation. Through myths, songs and legends. Family jokes and dramas. If you are hunting for your next fantastic story idea, try these 12 sources of inspiration:

1: Explore myths and legends

There are fascinating myths in cultures all over the world, both contemporary and ancient.

Example of an interesting myth - Persephone

In the Greek myth of Persephone, the Goddess Demeter's daughter is abducted by the king of the underworld, Hades. While Demeter searches far and wide for Persephone, she neglects her duties overseeing the natural environment and crops wither and die.

Ultimately she strikes a bargain with Hades whereby she can have her daughter for three quarters of the year. (The myth thus explains why we have winter.)

Why myths are useful for finding story ideas

Myths often inspire stories because:

They contain powerful, relatable symbols and imagery (for example, the world freezing over literally while a mother searches for her daughter)

They often have an explanatory purpose (the differences between the earth's seasons is explained via Demeter's mourning): their inner logic makes sense

Myths give us effective story structures showing cause and effect (abduction and search, feud and resolution, crime and punishment)

Read myths and think about their creative potential for book ideas. You could:

Write a novel that re-imagines a myth in a contemporary setting. How would Demeter's search differ in an urban, concrete jungle?

Write a novel drawing on the story structure of a myth (E.g. a mother searching for her daughter has to strike a bargain with her daughter's captor)

What if you want to find story ideas via a factual rather than mythic source?

2: Investigate historical events

Book ideas derived from historical events are everywhere. An example: Markus Zusak's popular 2005 novel The Book Thief, about the power of writing (and reading) under an oppressive regime.

Real historical events are fodder for more than a book idea. They give us existing characters to research, imagine and reinvent, along with settings, moods and details that bring your writing to life.

As this article on how to write historical fiction suggests, you could base a novel on Ernest Hemingway's time in Paris in the 1930s, for example. The historical event you use doesn't have to be a major event or catastrophe, either. It could be something as trivial as a brief love affair between two significant historical characters.

How does drawing on historical events for book ideas differ from writing historical fiction? You don't have to recreate the specific era exactly as it was. Instead, you could:

Use the details of story from a historical event and alter elements (places, names and dates) to create your own fictional version

Make historical events significant to your characters' backstories but not the main focus of the story

3: Find book ideas in documentaries

Visual sources are particularly helpful for finding new story ideas. Documentaries broaden your knowledge of a subject. They can also make you think about how something works, why something happened and lead to your own 'what if' questions.

Ideas you could discover by watching documentaries on subjects that interest you could include questions such as:

'What if a vaccine for x serious illness had never been developed?'

'What if a man filming and living amongst bears was attacked by them?' (This is actually the premise of Werner Herzog's unsettling film Grizzly Man).

4: Find story ideas in old journal entries

Keeping a journal is an essential exercise for writers.

Besides helping you to process and understand your own thoughts and impressions, it helps you recollect the small anecdotes and interesting tidbits you hear throughout the day, many of which could be the germs of novel ideas.

Famous authors who've kept journals of their daily lives include Anais Nin, Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemingway and many others. Said Woolf of journaling and creative writing:

'...the advantage of the method is that it sweeps up accidentally several stray matters which I should exclude if I hesitated, but which are the diamonds of the dustheap.'

If you don't keep a journal yet, it's easy to make this part of your day. Keep a journal next to your bed and write for 10 minutes each night before lights out. Write any story ideas that occur to you in the process or as you read over earlier entries in the back of the book.

5. Use the free 'Central Idea' section of the Now Novel

Shameless plug: The 'Central Idea' section of the Now Novel dashboard is devoted to finding a story idea out of your interests and asking simple, step-by-step questions. Try it now - it's free (you can add your idea automatically to a helpful outline you build as you go and add detailed character profiles, settings and more).

6: Trawl historical archives

It's all very well to read historical accounts of events, but archival materials themselves can be fascinating sources of inspiration. You might find an old letter written in a script that inspires the idea for a fictional character.

Online digital archives include the British library's vast online photo collection (including newspapers dating back to the 1600s), The Digital Public Library of America (which includes options to search for materials by geographic location), and many others.

7: Get inspired by other authors' novels

As Stephen King and countless other authors have advised, you need to read to become an author. Other people's stories show us a great deal about how to plot, characterize, create fictional worlds and more.

Existing novels are also great sources for book idea.

Examples of successful books inspired by other authors

Many celebrated books were written in response to (or in dialogue with) previous stories.

Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer-winning novel The Hours (1998) draws on Virginia Woolf's famous novel Mrs Dalloway (1925). Like Woolf's Modernist novel, Cunningham's book begins with a woman named Clarissa preparing to host a party, but she lives in contemporary New York rather than Victorian England.

Cunningham also weaves Woolf the author in as a character, creating a complex fictional world in which echoes of the famous author's novella about love and madness is juxtaposed with reworkings of her characters.

Another respected novel that was inspired by a famous work is Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea (1966). It tells a story from the point of view of a secondary character in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre (1847), the 'madwoman' in the attic.

When drawing inspiration from a novel for your own work, you could:

Tell a new story based on the perspective of a mostly silent or absent secondary character (like Jean Rhys does)

Retell the same story in a different time period with new events and deviations mixed in

8: Pursue new experiences to find ideas for a book

Benjamin Disraeli wrote:

'Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.'

If you're finding it hard to come up with a book idea, actively pursue new, out-of-the-ordinary experiences.

Perhaps you've never been to a particular town near to your own. Or you've always wanted to learn a particular skill. Pursue new experiences that will broaden your perspective. Go to local talks on interesting subjects in your area. Becoming a great storyteller starts with a burning curiosity about the world around you.

9: Use short stories to develop your ideas

Starting a novel is daunting. Finishing a novel is daunting too. Both take commitment, dedication, and sustained work.

Writing a short story is a good way to test out a book idea. Many famous works of literature started out as short stories that authors used as process work. The Nobel-winning author Toni Morrison's first book started out as a short story, for example.

When writing a short story, ask yourself:

Can I expand this idea into a full-length novel?

What reasons are there for making the story longer?

Find a reason to increase the length of your short story (for example your character makes an important decision - what will the outcome be?) This can be the guiding idea for your book.

10: Ask 'what if' questions?

'What if Germany and its allies had won the Second World War? What if a cure for a major virus was found but pharmaceutical companies refused to produce it out of fear of losing profits? What if a man woke up a giant cockroach?'

Often simply coming up with 'what if' questions is a productive creative exercise. That's why it's part of the Now Novel story outlining dashboard.

'What if' questions are especially useful for devising sci-fi or speculative fiction book ideas. Thinking how a fictional world might differ from our own will help you create a complex alternate reality.

11: Draw inspiration from music

The idea for a book doesn't necessarily have to come from a visual or written source.

Try creating a playlist of different songs or instrumental pieces and do some freewriting while the music is playing in the background. Let the mood of the music filter into the mood and tone of your writing.

Listening to music as you write might be distracting. Even so the atmosphere or feelings evoked by music may pull you in other interesting directions than your current creative frame of mind.

12: Experiment with creative constraints

A french group of mathematicians and writers, OuLiPo (Ouvroir de Littérature Potentielle), wrote using 'constraints' to explore the creative potential of writing with arbitrary rules.

One author, Georges Perec, wrote an entire novel without using the letter 'e' (the most common in the French language). The novel, La Disparition also uses the letter's disappearance as a pivotal, mysterious plot point.

Another famous author, Italo Calvino, wrote a book based on the premise that a man climbs into trees and decides not to ever come down again.

Each of these ideas show the magic that can happen when you let loose and allow yourself to play and imagine, saving criticism for later.

Use the Now Novel dashboard to outline your story and brainstorm ideas, from first ideas to characters, plot, and setting.

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Book Ideas - 11 Inspiring Sources | Now Novel

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Book ideas come to authors via many conduits. Through history or current events. Passion or indignation. Through myths, songs and legends. Family jokes and dramas. If you are hunting for your next fantastic story idea, try these 12 sources of inspiration: There are fascinating myths in cultures all over the world, both contemporary and ancient.

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Pinterest is a great for visual storyboarding.

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Discover recipes, home ideas, style inspiration and other ideas to try.

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Deconstructing Bestselling Novels, One Index Card at a Time

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Ink and Quills - tips and tools to tell your story

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Several writing communities have formed on Instagram. Using hashtags writers can participate in daily prompts which is great for brainstorming.

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Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you’re into with the people who get you.

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National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo) website has camps in April and July. Participants are put into cabins, where you can get to know other writers.

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This quirky scottish writer gives valuable advice as she takes us through her writing journey. She also has a YouTube channel by the same name.

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Beginner's Guide Printable Template Plot With Me episodes

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Application is an advanced tool that allows you to keep all of your ideas, drafts, character bios in one place.

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#1 Novel & Book Writing Software For Writers

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Discover the #1 novel & book writing software for writers! Streamline your writing process with powerful tools designed to help organize, edit, & bring your story to life.

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This book provides writers with an in depth look at storytelling. The characteristics of each genre.

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Plotting a novel is no small task. Not only do you have a lot of events to dream up, you also have to make the readers keep turning the pages.

And that is what plot is all about at the end of the day - entertainment.

There are probably countless reasons why you decided to write a novel in the first place. But high on many people's lists is a need to release all the thoughts and feelings churning around inside them.

Plot is the thing that allows you to pour your soul out on paper without sending the rest of the world to sleep.

Plot will play a big part in your novel, then, which is why it's kind of on the complicated side. Don't worry, though...

So long as you go about it logically and build the plot one small piece at a time, you'll be fine.

Let's start with the most basic of questions...

What Is a Plot?

Yes, I know that sounds like a stupid question, but I've always been a great believer in beginning right at the grassroots. Here's my definition...

A plot is a series of linked events. When Event A doesn't cause Event B, you're not creating a plot but a series of unrelated events.

The central character wants something important. And the more they have to lose if they fail, the higher the stakes are.

Whatever they want, it's not easy to get. In fact, you've got to throw everything that you've got at them.

The events should reach a satisfactory conclusion. You don't need a happy ending or an unambiguous one, but there needs to be a sense of closure.

If all of that is clear - great! If not, I've written about it in more detail here.

Three Act Structure

Three is the magic number of plot - not just novel plots, but short story, movie and stage play plots.

Every story - every good story, anyway - has a beginning, a middle and an ending, or three distinct and entirely separate phases.

In a play, they are often called Act I, Act II and Act III, and the curtain usually comes down between each one.

In a novel, a plot is divided into chapters, not acts, though it is usually possible to pinpoint the precise moment when the beginning gives way to the middle, and then the middle becomes the ending.

The classic "Three Act Structure" is neat like that, once you know what you're looking for.

In more human terms, the beginning, middle and end of a novel (or the three acts in a play) look like this...

1. Beginning: The main character makes a decision to act.

2. Middle: The action itself.

3. Ending: The consequences of the action.

In a "boy meets girl" plot, for example, the 3 steps look something like this...

1. The boy meets the girl and falls hopelessly in love with her. He makes the decision that he must either win her heart or die trying.

2. So he sets out on his quest. This being a novel, though, nothing comes easy. He takes several steps forward but even more steps back, and he eventually loses her. (In an opera, this would be the point where the curtain comes crashing down at the tragic end to Act II.)

3. Actions have consequences in fiction, and in a novel this usually takes the form of the central character changing. In other words, the boy recognizes his flaws, changes his ways and wins the girl. Big sloppy kiss, stirring music, the end.

From the briefest short story to a 1,000-page novel; from a night at the opera to an afternoon at the multiplex; classic three act structure is what unites all stories - including your novel.

Of course, it doesn't tell you much about how to actually plot a novel (but don't worry about that because we'll be getting to that soon enough).

What it does do, though, is enable you to take your initial idea for a plot and make sure that, in its crudest form, it has all the fundamentals in place.

How for the next piece of the jigsaw...

How to Hook Readers

Hooking your audience on the very first page and keeping them hooked is very simple to do once you understand the key to page-turning fiction.

Here it is...
Fill the plot with compelling questions.
Where do these questions come from? From your characters' goals. As soon as you give the central character something they want, you provide the readers with a question they want answered...

Will the boy win the girl and live happily ever after with her?

Will the detective solve the crime and bring the guilty to justice?

Will the super-hero save the planet from certain destruction?

And it's not just those big, novel-length questions that help to make a novel a page-turner.

The central character will have a mini goal in every scene - one of the many small things they must accomplish if they want to reach their overall goal.

Yes, the audience wants to know if the boy eventually wins the girl. But...

In Chapter One, will he will pick up the courage to ask the girl out on a date?

In Chapter Two, with the girl having rejected him, will he give up? If not, what will he do next?

And so it continues throughout the novel, with each "mini question" forming another hook in the overall plot.

Don't forget, too, that characters other than the protagonist will have goals of their own - both longer-term, overall goals and shorter-term mini ones.

And to make matters even more interesting, these goals will probably be at odds with those of the central character.

The goal of the boy's rival, for example, will be to win the girl for himself - and the readers will want to stick around to see that he doesn't succeed!
Bottom line?
Here, in a nutshell, is how to write a gripping tale that keeps the readers turning the pages...

1. Make sure the story is full of compelling questions - both long-term and short-term questions concerning a variety of characters.

2. Ideally, have several story-questions on the go at once (like a juggler keeping several balls in the air.

3. Delay providing the readers with answers for as long as you can.

Result? The readers won't stop reading because they will want to know the answer to the best storytelling question of all: What happens next?

"A predominance of long-term promises will cause a reader to skip. Its effect is to make him impatient to discover 'how things come out.' A predominance of shorter promises will cause the reader to focus too much interest on the immediate scene. Its effects may be seen in the kind of book the reader does not finish."
- Vincent McHugh

Okay, now for the nitty-gritty details...

How to Plot a Novel in 10 Steps

First up, a question: Do you like your instructions simple or comprehensive?

If you're not afraid of reading (several thousand words), check out my detailed guide to plotting a novel.

Still here?

Then here's the shorter version. It may make everything clear for you or it may not. If not, there's probably no escaping the long article. But we'll give it a shot...

The Beginning

Broadly speaking, the beginning of a plot concerns dumping a problem on the leading character's shoulders and making them decide to take action to solve it. Although it is a little more complicated than that, of course. It involves these three steps...

Step 1: Start With the Status Quo. We first meet the character in their ordinary world. Nothing has happened yet.

Step 2: And Then Something Happens. The action kicks in when the status quo is disrupted (the boy meets the girl, the airplane develops engine trouble, etc.)

Step 3: The Character Makes a Decision to Act. Before this, there may be a period of hesitation (e.g., the retired cop doesn't want to take on the new case. But eventually, they'll commit.

The Tricky Middle

If the start of a plot is all about making a character take action to solve a problem, the middle deals with the action itself - or, more precisely, a whole series of mini actions.

Step 4: The First Mini Plot. Or the first small thing the character must achieve to succeed in their overall goal. Needless to say, it goes horribly wrong and leaves them in a worse position!

Step 5: More Mini Plots. The character keeps pushing forward and experiences small victories and small setbacks. Overall, the tension rises as they get closer to the object of their quest.

Step 6: Rock Bottom. The middle ends at a moment of disaster, when all is seemingly lost. This is the most intense point of the novel.

The Ending

The ending deals with the consequences of the action. And on the basis that fiction is so much neater than real life, it is also about tidying up the loose ends and leaving the audience satisfied.

Step 7: Reaction. The character reacts emotionally to the devastating blow they have just received and the apparent death of their dream.

Step 8: Rebirth. But they then experience a sort of epiphany, or a realization of where they have been going wrong and what they must now do to put it right. This is the point at which the character changes.

Step 9: Seizing the Prize. Strengthened by their epiphany, the characters goes on to fight the final battle... and win. Or in a twist on this, they can decide that they no longer want what they they thought they did.

Step 10: The New Status Quo. The conflict is over and all is well in the jungle again. Take this opportunity to tie any loose ends and highlight what has changed between the beginning and the end.

And that's it. Simple!

I've also created this plot diagram to help explain it...

Still unclear? Read the plotting steps in full here.

Big Caveat: Write Your Plot Your Own Way

Never be afraid to break the rules. Plotting a novel is like many things in life...

First you must understand.

Then you must take this knowledge and adapt it in a way that makes sense to you.

Don't get me wrong: the step-by-step guide above works. It's based on storytelling techniques that have worked for hundreds of years. But it can only tell you how to write a "typical" novel - and such a thing does not exist, of course.

If you take every work of fiction ever written and distil how they are constructed into a blueprint, you come up with a universal guide to how to plot fiction, exactly like the one above.

It can tell you how to construct stories in general, but it takes no account of the quirks and idiosyncrasies and broken rules found in every story. So...

You must use this material as a guide to plot, not a set of commandments...

If one of the 10 steps of the plotting process doesn't make sense for your particular novel, twist it into a shape that fits - or perhaps even leave it out altogether.

Similarly, feel free to add steps of your own. For example, if it feels right that the central character should experience not one but two moments of "rebirth", do it. Or if you want the character's "epiphany" to be a more gradual process of awakening than a sudden moment of revelation, fine. If it works, it works!

So long as you understand the rules - and are not merely skipping steps because you don't quite "get" them - you'll have the confidence to adapt the rules to your own unique requirements.

Also, you don't have to start at the beginning and end at the end. The novelist John Irving plots backwards - and he's done okay!

"There is a temptation with such a structuralist approach to think that a novelist is a sort of intellectual engineer: assemble enough parts, follow a blueprint, and there you have it: a mechanism capable of flight, a literature machine. But a novel is not a machine, it is an infinitely complex relationship between author and page, page and reader."
- Nigel Watts

"...fiction can be cheapened by the heaping-on of plot. A novel may possess more verisimilitude if it contains some disorder, and it may be better to sacrifice formal niceties of structure in order to gain the quality of lifelikeness we look for in serious fiction... The makers-of-rules for fiction must fall back on the global disclaimer, that what works, works."
- Oakley Hall

Taking Your Plot to the Next Level

And that is that - your not-so-brief guide to how to plot a novel in 10 steps. If it all seems like a lot to take in right now, don't be daunted because it will very soon become second nature to you.

Once you have mastered everything in this section so far, there will be two more things to do...

1. Add One or More Subplots & Mix Well. Don't worry, this is a lot simpler than you might think. Once you have mastered how to plot a novel (and you have done that above), working in extra strands of story is a breeze!

2. Add Structure. This basically involves playing around with time: Looking ahead, looking back, speeding up and slowing down, and so on. It is this sort of attention to detail that will raise your plot above the ordinary and make it a lot more publishable.

You Are Here: Home > How to Plot a Novel

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How to Plot a Novel | Novel Writing Help

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Plotting a novel is no small task. Not only do you have a lot of events to dream up, you also have to make the readers keep turning the pages. And that is what plot is all about at the end of the day - entertainment.

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I tried Camp NaNoWriMo last April for the first time and I have to say, I completely failed. I did not prep at all and I honestly had way too many exams so I didn't get nearly as much writing done as I had hoped. I also didn't outline my story at all.

Basically, going into this I thought I would fully finish my book. I know that's silly, but I thought that's what I would happen. I would totally be able to balance all my responsibilities and writing, right? Well, it didn't exactly go like that. I basically got 2,000 words done and restarted my entire WIP.

Now we're coming up on another month of Camp NaNoWriMo and here's my plan to do better:

Outlines

I'm actually going to do an outline. Yay! I think that I struggle because I know some parts of my WIP, but I am not exactly sure where I am going with it. So I want to write out an actual outline that gives me a clearer picture of exactly is going to happen. I think it'll help me connect to my WIP a lot more, too.

So, what's my game plan for outlining? I'm sure there are people like me who want to outline their novels but aren't exactly sure where to start.

Mind Maps

I've done mind maps before and I think that's where I want to start. It's a nice way for me to branch out random ideas I have for the book without having a full plan.

I also made one that's blank if anyone wants to use it for themselves to plan out. I think this is truly a fun way to brainstorm. If you want to save this one, just right click and save.

Synopsis

The next thing that I'm going to try and do after my mind map is a synopsis. Basically, I just want to have a plan and a more detailed outline. I think that having a full story outline that I can write to will make it a lot easier to write. Personally, I wouldn't be able to do this first because I need more of a brain dump to start.

Enforcing Daily Word Counts

I didn't force myself to reach my daily writing counts at all. I'm going to have to force myself to actually hit my daily word count. Maybe I'll put reminders on my phone or something? If anyone has tips, comment them below!

I am also going to be filling in my word count tracker. I'm personally going to be using the themed Camp NaNoWriMo tracker which is available here. But, if you like a standard word count tracker, I also have one of those available here.

Overview

Basically, I am going to actually make a plan instead of winging it. Growing up, when I wrote novels I always winged it and it went fine, but I never finished a story. So, I feel as though that has something to do with my lack of planning. Hopefully, I'll get a lot more done this month and you will be able to get actual updates. Wish me luck everybody!

By the way, if you want more writing tips check out the Writer's Corner by clicking here. Also, if you didn't already know, I have a secret room full of printables and writing prompts! It's fully free and it's always being updated. Make sure to check it out by creating an account here.

Did you know I have a fun Facebook Group where Readers and Writers get together? Join it for fun writing tips (and some great memes) by clicking here. Happy writing everyone and I hope everyone meets their word count!

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What I Learned From Camp NaNoWriMo | Barely Bookish

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I tried Camp NaNoWriMo last April for the first time and I have to say, I completely failed. I did not prep at all and I honestly had way too many exams so I didn't get nearly as much writing done as I had hoped. I also didn't outline my story at all.

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There are  writing groups on facebook for writers who want a community to help.

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Instrumental music and movie scores are a good way to inspire thoughts. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuovSEX8xEHcnuLO67zykCaYU_WnSy6Ia

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SHUFFLE FOR BEST LISTENING!* My favourite tracks from a diverse range of movies with the odd tv show and game theme thrown in for good measure. John William...

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This free application allows you to write anywhere on device.

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15 of the Best YouTube Channels for Writers

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We write a lot about great blogs, courses, books, etc. for writers, but there's a whole 'nother realm of resources we've never explored with you before - and it's time we make that right.

I'm talking about YouTube channels.

You may currently know YouTube only as that place you go to watch far too many cute animal videos rather than facing your writer's block. (No judgment from me; have you the one with the tiny hedgehog birthday party?!)

But YouTube also contains a wealth of useful advice on everything from novel writing to marketing your work, and you'd be remiss if you didn't tap into it.

I'll make you a deal: for every animal video you watch, watch just one of the videos from the 15 awesome YouTube channels below. I guarantee your writing will be better for it.

Sci-fi writer Moreci's videos are hilarious, no-holds-barred and highly entertaining.

(Note: if you've got kiddos or day job bosses hanging around your computer on your lunch break, perhaps save Moreci's videos for another time or plug in some headphones as her delightful frankness also includes plenty of NSFW words.)

From New York Times and bestselling author Joanna Penn (who runs the writing website of the same name ), this popular YouTube channel provides tips on self-publishing, marketing, the business of being a writer, and more.

Penn and other successful writers draw from their own experiences and life lessons to teach you everything you need to know to turn your writing dreams into reality.

Book reviewer and aspiring author Kat O'Keefe's YouTube channel is chock full of writing videos with everything from micro advice like word choices to macro advice like world building.

Her upbeat personality and sense of humor make every lesson feel fun.

If you're a participant, she's got a few geared towards how to survive (and win) that challenge.

Topics range from dialogue creation to plotting to making your own magic systems (if you're a fellow fantasy/sci-fi writer).

This YA sci-fi writer, whose debut novel The Elysian Prophecy is due out soon, is a great resource for newbie novel writers trying to make sense of the whole overwhelming process.

Ava Jae is a self-described "nerdy, awkward, book-loving writer" who draws from experience as a YA author, freelance editor and assistant editor.

If you're working on writing a novel, professional novel editor Brock's videos will help you whip your story into shape with tons of nuts-and-bolts tips on everything from introducing your protagonist to creating believable conflict.

Screenwriting guru and "story doctor" McKee's former students include Academy Award Winners, Emmy Award Winners and Writers of Guild of America Winners numbering in the hundreds (nominees number in the thousands).

His renowned seminars on the art of storytelling were even portrayed in the film Adaptation . But you don't need to be a screenwriter to learn from him; his advice on story structure and design applies to literature, too.

As bestseller Steven Pressfield has said, " McKee is not only the best teacher of writing I've ever had, but the best teacher of anything."

You know the bestselling author of books like 5,000 Words Per Hour and Write to Market: Deliver a Book That Sells knows how to get the job done.

And in his YouTube videos, Fox delves into how you can become a productive and business-minded writer yourself. Whether you're editing your writing, prepping to launch or just need some motivation, he'll help you get your work out the door and into the hands of an audience that will appreciate it.

As the New York Times bestselling YA author of The Selection Series , Cass offer a unique behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to write a book that becomes a hit.

While her last update was posted a year ago, going through her videos from start to finish provides a rare glimpse into the real-life reactions and thoughts of someone whose work found unsuspected success. Cass talks about things like what editorial letters are, how royalties and rights work, and what it's like to write a sequel, all with an approachable, refreshing genuineness that reminds us successful authors really are just like us.

Chance teaches high school English and journalism and decided to show her students how awesome reading and writing can be by getting her own work published.

While currently seeking representation for YA novel , she produces instructional videos that run the gamut from grammar and writing tips to marketing and publishing advice.

She's perky and polished and delivers even "bad" news in a way that feels comforting (see video below).

At a mere 19 years of age, creative writing student Shaelin Bishop has written eight novels and garnered a following on YouTube that regularly lands on her on lists alongside bigger-name vloggers like Moreci.

With six "WordNerds" producing nearly 1,000 videos to date, this channel has a little bit of everything.

Different topics are posted on different days of the week, so you'll find everything from inspiration to interviews to book recommendations. Follow your favorite vloggers' updates or peruse them all; it's sort of like a writers' roundtable whose sessions you can pop into at any time.
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15 of the Best YouTube Channels for Writers

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We write a lot about great blogs, courses, books, etc. for writers, but there's a whole 'nother realm of resources we've never explored with you before - and it's time we make that right. I'm talking about YouTube channels.

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Paper by WeTransfer is a free app that allows you to sketch, write, and upload images.

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Over 30 million people set their ideas free with Paper®, the award-winning immersive sketching app.

SKETCH WITH CONFIDENCE
Paper's perfectly-tuned tools make it easy to sketch, collage, paint, draw-wherever your thoughts take you. Wave goodbye to distracting menus and let natural gestures guide you, keeping you in your creative flow.

A HELPING HAND
Not sure where to start? The Paper Store is home to a collection of creative prompts, from guides and how-tos to daily activities. With tips and tricks from top artists, it's easy to connect the dots from fleeting thought to final masterpiece.

GET CREATIVE (WITHOUT THE MESS)
Add multiple photos to a single page and cut, stick, move, and fix without the fuss of complex layers. From mood boards to storyboards, pull in inspiration from anywhere and get your ideas moving.

YOUR IDEAS, YOUR WAY
Wherever and however you get your ideas, it's never been easier to put them on Paper. Organize pages into beautiful journals and sync them across your devices, ready to pick up right where you left off.

CREATE LIKE A PRO
Take creativity to the next level and subscribe to Paper Pro for more tools, features, and journals. Subscription is optional and you can cancel anytime. To upgrade, simply visit the Paper Pro section in your Settings menu.

* Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account once you confirm the purchase.
* Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of your subscription period. To opt out, you must turn off auto-renew at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.
* Manage changes to your subscription in the iTunes Account Settings.
* Any unused portion of a free trial will be forfeited when you purchase a Paper Pro subscription.

Love Paper? Leave us a review! Thanks to your comments, reviews, and tweets we can continue to evolve Paper with you in mind.

Questions? Shoot us an email at support@wetransfer.com.

Terms of Service: https://paper.bywetransfer.com/terms
Privacy Policy: https://paper.bywetransfer.com/privacy
Patents: https://paper.bywetransfer.com/legal/patents

Version 5.3.1

This update fixes a bug in the photo picker. You can now add multiple images at once from your Photos collection (iOS 14+).

We've also added a curated gallery of starter images to our Pexels integration.

Editors' Notes

Ingeniously designed, Paper presents a powerfully modern tool for writing, drawing, note-taking, and beyond. Sketch out ideas and whip up diagrams with a rich selection of responsive brushes. Using simple gestures, quickly annotate photos or transform text into beautifully formatted lists. It's an excellent medium for capturing and organizing the thoughts and images that you need every day.

Best overall drawing/drafting app hands down

I've been using paper for years. I've always found that paper is by far the best combination of functionality, usability, and simplicity of any app on the App Store. I loved paper as a kid when it first came out, and my love for it has never faded. Now with the Apple Pencil, drawing on paper with the pencil tools looks and feels so natural, I don't even draw with actual pencil and paper much anymore (and I'm an artist). As an artist I have high standards for what a digital drawing tool should feel like and paper is the only one that makes the experience so natural and perfect. You can use various paper templates, such as interface drafting, lined paper, etc which have all been incredibly useful for me. Every feature on paper is delicately thought out and beautifully executed. Paper deserves an award for its simplicity and usability alone: on top of that, its functionality is never lacking. Just as a personal favorite example: with paper pro, you can adjust tool size/thickness by simply swiping up or down on the tool, and it automatically changes. With most apps you need to inelegantly use a slider to adjust it. It takes special kind of genius to make a feature so simple and friendly. Paper is full of little touches like this that make the app delightful to use at every moment. Paper never fails to satisfy, and it sets a standard of quality all app developers should strive for.

Awesome so helpful!

This app has been above and beyond amazing and so many of my friends love it too! I would say there is no but and it doesn't feel so overwhelming like in most of the sketching apps I have downloaded have so many tools. My favorite part is that is gives a variety of options for starter books and introduces how to use all of the tools the best way possible! You can also create different books for a different category I will definitely keep this forever!
I know i said that there was no buts and this is not a complaint the app is already amazing but if it had two more features I would love it even more, the first thing it should add is a feature to lock the drawing or photo in place so that you are unable to zoom in or out! This way is so if you want to focus on one specific part you won't have to worry about getting distracted and accidentally drawing on the wrong part of the page! The second thing that they should add is oil paint so that if you want to do some abstract art or something else you won't have to improvise.
I think that you should definitely download this app and as a person who has, I have used it everyday since.

Unlock premium features and content.

The developer, WeTransfer BV, indicated that the app's privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy.

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

Compatibility

iPhone

Requires iOS 13.0 or later.

iPad

Requires iPadOS 13.0 or later.

iPod touch

Requires iOS 13.0 or later.

Languages

English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese

In-App Purchases

1. Paper Pro $11.99

2. Paper Pro $7.99

3. Paper Credit $1.99

4. Paper Credit Bundle $7.99

5. Paper Credit Bundle $12.99

Family Sharing

With Family Sharing set up, up to six family members can use this app.

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‎Over 30 million people set their ideas free with Paper®, the award-winning immersive sketching app. SKETCH WITH CONFIDENCE Paper's perfectly-tuned tools make it easy to sketch, collage, paint, draw-wherever your thoughts take you. Wave goodbye to distracting menus and let natural gestures guide you...

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A free resource that you can create mind maps on. Enhance facebook, instagram posts.

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Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, videos, logos and more.