Special post: answering your questions

For this months Writer’s Corner I am choosing to do something a little different. Recently I was asked a series of questions about writing and because the questions were so good I wanted to share them here for anyone else asking the same ones!


How to get in the mood to write when you don’t want to?

• In this case I always recommend listening to how you’re feeling. There are times that you do need to give yourself a good kick in the butt when it comes to writing so that you can get into the habit of working. Much like you would for a job. But there are other times when you also need to listen to your gut when you need a break and need time for yourself.

When descriptive writing doesn’t come naturally?

• An excellent question! In this instance, I recommend taking a break from writing and, instead, focus on READING. That’s right, you need to take the time to read just as much as you write. Many authors know that both go hand in hand and can be crucial when coming up with ideas for a tough scene or even descriptive writing. Now, this is not to say that you are going to rip off someone else’s work (WE DON’T DO THAT HERE!) instead, you can often find inspiration that can help you with your own work.

Getting through writers block?

• Writer’s block is, for me, less of a fearful concept and more of a creative one. I’ve learned to listen to those times when I am suffering from writer’s block to fully understand why I can’t write. Is it because I’m forcing a scene to happen that isn’t meant for the book? Or perhaps I’m missing another element of my story in order for a certain part of the book to work? Am I in need of a break? There are many reasons why writer’s block can happen, but just because it does, doesn’t mean that you’re failing at anything, its just part of the creative process. Once you learn what writer’s block means for you and your writing, the process becomes much easier to handle.

Worrying about what other people think?

• A great question and definitely one that can cause some concern. I’ve tried to think back to when I was writing my debut novel ‘The Next Right Thing’ and tried to think of a time when I was concerned about what others would think about my writing, and truth be told, I did. I was worried that my story wasn’t good enough or that no one would take me seriously as an author. However, the voice inside of me that wanted so desperately to become an author was much louder than the worry of actually becoming one. What’s more, is that the whole process would’ve been much more difficult had I not had my phenomenal support system right there with me to encourage me and offer me kind words of encouragement in the moments when I began to doubt myself.

Tips for writing a series?

• When it comes to writing a series, I will forever recommend beginning by mapping out the ENTIRE story. Granted some scenes and aspects may change, but that’s a given. What you want to focus on, is where the story is going. This helps answer many questions that will help you during your writing process. Questions like: how many books will the series have? What is the character(s) goal in the end? What are the main challenges that the character(s) will face? Etc. Answering this questions by mapping out your series idea will help greatly.

A good way to start a book?

• Always begin with a HOOK! If you’re story really gets going several chapters in, chances are you might’ve lost some readers. Make sure that you’re story opens with a HOOK that will pull the reader in and encourage them to keep reading. For example, an action scene or an accident which causes your characters life to go off course from the life they knew.

Describe characters skin tone without being awkward?

• This is a tough question but an important one all the same. When it comes to describing a characters skin tone or ethnicity, make sure that you do so with integrity and respect. Don’t simply make a character a certain ethnicity and then not give it the attention it needs. If it was important enough to mention, make sure you’re doing it justice. A person isn’t just their skin tone, make sure the character’s personality also reflects their heritage and you justify their importance to the story.

Ending a series with a bang?

• This rounds back to the previous question about writing a series. When it comes to finishing off a series with a ‘BANG’ so to speak, you want to make sure you build up to this. If this is the intended ending for the story make sure that it fits well, this is the finale of the series we’ve all been waiting for after all. Make sure its worth while. It is also important to note that a series can end in a multitude of ways. For instance, there is the ever popular “Happy Endings”, there are also the tragic endings where the hero might not have succeeded in saving everyone. When it comes to the finale of your book or series, make sure that you are doing what’s right for the story and take into account what your character(s) have learned throughout the series and how the’ve changed from the first book. Does the ending tie everything together or are there going to be some lose ends that will never be resolved? All of these questions are more easily answered when you map out your series.

Word count for a book for teens?

• Word count for a book can be a crucial endeavour and changes depending on the genre of your book. Most instances, total word count for a manuscript can vary anywhere from 50,000 - 150,000+ words. For example, a fantasy book will require a higher word count because you’re building an entirely new world so this will require more words. The best advice I can give in this instance is to do your research! Look at other books in similar genres to the one you want to write and what the general word count is for such books and go from there.

Thank you all again for your question!
If you have more questions about publishing or writing in general, leave a comment down below or comment on my Instagram posts.


All the best,


Céline xo