Here’s something that might surprise you: we writers don’t just write when we’re sitting at our desks. Our brains are always working on our stories—detangling plot snags, filling holes, connecting threads—even when we’re doing other things. Like washing dishes, walking the dog, or standing in line at the grocery store.

Scientists call this process “idea incubation.” I call it “story marination” (a topic I explore in depth in my book Page One to Done). And it’s one of the most powerful tools in a writer’s arsenal, because it means your brain is writing even when you’re not. Imagine sitting down to write each day and having all (or at least some) of yesterday’s story problems already solved!? It’s pretty awesome.

But here’s the catch: our brains can only do this magic marination work if we give them the space they need to do it, which very few of us modern humans actually do.

If you fill every spare moment of your day with attention-consuming activities like scrolling social media, checking the news, refreshing your inbox, or binging podcasts or Netflix shows, your brain has little room left to marinate on your story. It’s too busy processing all that other input to quietly work on your plot, characters, and world in the background.

So how do we create the space necessary to ensure this magical marination process happens?

There are several ways, which I explore more in the book, but one of the most effective (and most researched) is meditation.

Not only does meditation help quiet the mental noise that gets in the way of story marination, it also creates space in your mind which allows the “imagination network” to activate (the part of our brain largely responsible for the marination process.) This primes our brains to make the kinds of unexpected connections that lead to story breakthroughs.

And here’s the good news: there are lots of meditation styles to choose from, allowing you to experiment and find one that works best for you. So even if you’ve tried meditation before and thought, “this isn’t for me,” it might not be meditation that’s the problem, it might just be the style you tried.

In this post, I’m breaking down some of the most popular styles of meditation, what makes each one unique for writers, and finally some apps I recommend to help you get started.

Meditation Styles for Writers

Focused Attention Meditation

This is probably the one most people think of when they hear the word “meditation” (it’s also commonly called “mindfulness meditation”). It involves choosing an anchor—your breath, a sound, a visualization, a candle flame, or even a repeated word or mantra—and keeping your attention focused on it. When your mind wanders (and it will!), you notice that it’s wandered, and gently bring your attention back (ideally without judgement). That’s the whole practice. Simple, but not easy.

Think of it as a workout for your concentration muscles. Over time, it trains your ability to notice when your attention has drifted and bring it back—a skill that’s just as useful at your writing desk as it is on the cushion. If you struggle with distraction during writing sessions, like checking your phone, peeking at email or social media, or falling down research rabbit holes, this style is worth trying.

Body Scan Meditation

This one involves slowly moving your attention through your body, part by part, usually starting at the top of your head or the tips of your toes and working your way down or up. You’re not trying to do anything or fix anything. You’re just noticing what’s there: tension, warmth, tingling, discomfort, nothing at all. It’s one of the core practices in the popular Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program (which I’ve now taken twice!).

Research has shown that regular body scan practice can reduce stress and anxiety, lower cortisol levels, and improve sleep quality, all essential benefits for a writer, especially if you’re pushing to finish a draft, juggling deadlines, or just showing up day after day. A well-rested, less-stressed writer is a writer who can persevere through creative obstacles and make it to “the end.”

Guided Meditation and Visualization

If the idea of sitting in silence with your own thoughts sounds intimidating, guided meditation is a wonderful way in. A teacher or recording walks you through the practice, telling you where to place your attention, what to imagine, or how to breathe.

Many of the apps I recommend below offer extensive libraries of guided meditations for everything from stress relief to creativity to sleep. And here’s a nice connection for writers: visualization is essentially what we do every day when we imagine our stories. So if you can picture a scene in your novel, you can absolutely do a guided visualization!

Loving Kindness Meditation (Metta)

This practice involves silently sending goodwill, kindness, and warmth toward yourself and others, usually starting with yourself, then expanding outward to loved ones, acquaintances, difficult people, and eventually all living beings.

It might feel a little awkward at first, but research shows it can increase positive emotions and reduce self-criticism, both essential aspects of joyful writing (especially if you’re looking for ways to manage that cranky roommate, the inner critic!) I’ve been practicing metta for a few years now and it’s been transformational to my relationship with my writing and my inner critic. Loving kindness won’t silence the critic entirely, but it can turn down the volume enough for you to keep writing, and maybe even inspire a little love and acceptance toward the voice. (I know, sounds impossible, but it’s true!)

Movement Meditation

Not all meditation requires sitting still. Yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi, and walking meditation are all forms of movement meditation that combine gentle physical activity with mindful awareness. These can be especially useful for writers who want the benefits of mindfulness but can’t (or don’t want to) sit for long periods. They’re also a great fit for the time between writing sessions, when you need to step away from the desk, move your body, and give your brain some breathing room. Studies have found that walking specifically opens up the flow of thought and helps people generate more useful, quality ideas.

Open Monitoring (Open Awareness) Meditation

This is the style I recommend most often to writers, and for good reason.

Open monitoring involves opening up to all experiences in the present moment, instead of focusing on one specific thing like the breath. You open your mind to everything arising around you: sounds, sensations, thoughts, emotions, and practice just letting them be, without judging them or trying to change or control them. Research has shown that this style is particularly beneficial for story marination, which is one of the reasons it’s become my go-to meditation practice over the past few years and why I explore it in more detail in Page One to Done.

If you’re looking for the style with the strongest researched benefits for creativity, this is one to try (although it’s not necessarily the most beginner friendly.)

Recommended Meditation Apps

If you’re ready to experiment with one (or a few!) of these styles, here are some apps I recommend. (These are not affiliate links, but independent recommendations.) Each one has a slightly different personality, and most offer free content or trials so you can try before you commit. Download a couple and see which one clicks.

Waking Up

Created by neuroscientist and author Sam Harris, Waking Up is less about relaxation and more about understanding how your mind actually works. It’s intellectual, philosophical, and a little heady, which is exactly why I like it. If you’re like me and need to understand the why behind a practice before you’ll commit to it, start here. Free 30-day trial, and if cost is a barrier, they’ll give you a free year scholarship. You just have to ask.

Good for: Focused Attention, Open Monitoring

• Download for iOS | Download for Android

Calm

Calm is the Swiss army knife of meditation apps. Guided meditations, focus music, sleep stories narrated by people like Matthew McConaughey (yes, that Matthew McConaughey). It’s a great all-in-one app if you want something that covers everything from a five-minute meditation before a writing session to a bedtime story after a long writing day. Free version available with limited content, and a 7-day free trial unlocks the full library.

Good for: Focused Attention, Body Scan, Guided Meditation, Loving Kindness

• Download for iOS | Download for Android

Headspace

If you’ve never meditated before and the whole thing feels a little intimidating, Headspace might be the perfect place to start. It’s friendly, structured, and walks you through the basics in a way that doesn’t make you feel like you’re doing it wrong. Their courses build on each other so you’re not just randomly picking meditations and hoping for the best. Free 14-day trial, and it’s free for all teens in the U.S.

Good for: Focused Attention, Body Scan, Guided Meditation and Visualization, Loving Kindness

• Download for iOS | Download for Android

Insight Timer

This is the one to try if you don’t want to pay for a subscription. The free version has over 200,000 guided meditations (not a typo) with no paywall on the core content. It also has a simple meditation timer for when you want to practice on your own without any guidance. It’s not as polished as Calm or Headspace, but the sheer amount of free content is pretty awesome.

Good for: Focused Attention, Body Scan, Guided Meditation, Loving Kindness, Movement Meditation, Open Monitoring

• Download for iOS | Download for Android

Plum Village

This one has a completely different feel from the others. It comes from the monastic community of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and it’s 100% free. No subscriptions, no ads, no in-app purchases (although they do ask for donations if you feel inclined to support them). It’s quieter, gentler, and more contemplative. If the other apps feel too slick or commercial, Plum Village might be more your cup of tea. It will always remain free.

Good for: Guided Meditation, Loving Kindness, Movement Meditation

• Download for iOS | Download for Android

Start Small

No matter which style or app you choose, the most important thing is just to start. You don’t need to sit on a cushion for 30 minutes a day. Even a few seconds of intentional pausing between writing sessions can make a difference. And the research backs this up!

When we stop filling every spare moment with something, our brains start doing really cool things on their own. Like solving plot problems, discovering character backstories, and sorting out scene details we’ve been struggling with for days.

The bottom line is this: everyday distractions, even small ones, add up and start to interfere with our creativity, both at our desks and away from them. Meditation—in whatever form works for you—helps us reset, recenter, and create the space our brains need to keep working on our stories, even when we step from our desks.

The post How Meditation Makes You a Better Writer (and 5 apps to get you started) appeared first on Jessica Brody.

When writers ask me, “How do I know if my story is any good?” I always give them the same answer:

Send it to a critique partner.

As writers, we’re often too close to our stories to see them clearly. What feels perfectly obvious to us might be confusing to readers. Meanwhile, plot holes we fail to see are glaringly obvious to fresh eyes. (I could regale you with countless times this has happened to me, but don’t get me started!)

And that’s exactly why every writer needs at least one trusted person who can look at their story with fresh eyes and say, “This part isn’t working, but here’s what might.”

That’s what a critique partner or critique group does. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship where you take turns sharing your work and offering each other feedback. And it’s hands-down one of the best things you can do for our writing and your storytelling skills.

But not all critique partnerships are created equal, and just like in a dating app, not everyone is going to be the perfect match for you.

That’s why in this post, I’m sharing where to find critique partners and groups, what to look for in a good match, questions to ask potential partners to avoid headaches down the road, and a few golden rules for giving and receiving feedback to keep these relationships productive and long-lasting.

One caveat: If you’re working on a first draft, I recommend holding off on exchanging pages with any critique partners. (As I explain in my book Page One to Done, sharing your writing too early, when in its roughest and most vulnerable form can hurt your confidence and slow your momentum.) In my experience critique partners are most invaluable before writing (during the brainstorming stage) or while revising.

Where to Find Critique Partners

Online Critique Communities:

One of the best places to find critique partners is in online writing communities that are specifically built for exchanging feedback. Here are a few to explore:

• Writing Mastery Community — My community of writers with a dedicated space for finding critique partners and beta readers. We also run a regular “Critique Partner Match-Up” program to help you connect with other committed writers who show up consistently, and who give the kind of feedback that actually makes your story better.
• Critique Circle — A free peer critique community that’s been running since 2003. You earn credits by critiquing others’ work and use those credits to submit your own. A great system for keeping the exchange balanced.
• Scribophile — An award-winning critique community with a similar points-based feedback system. Free and premium tiers available.
• CritiqueMatch — A platform specifically designed to match writers with critique partners and beta readers. Free tier available, with paid plans for additional features.
• Critters.org — A free, volunteer-run critique workshop that’s been going strong for 30 years. Specializes in science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
• SCBWI — If you write for children or young adults, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators has 22,000+ members with regional chapters that often run critique groups.

In Person:

• Meetup.com — Search for writing or critique groups in your area.
• Your local library — Many host free writing workshops and critique circles.
• Local bookstores — Independent bookstores often host writing events where you can meet potential partners.
• Writing conferences — Both virtual and in-person conferences are a great chance to network and connect with writers who might be a good critique match.

What to Look for in a Critique Partner/Group

Not every critique partnership is a good one. Before you commit, here are some things to consider:

• Writing level –  Try to find someone who’s roughly at the same stage as you, so you can grow together. Bonus: if your strengths complement each other’s weaknesses. For instance, if you’re great at plot but struggle with dialogue, find someone who can write witty banter all day long but needs help with structure.
• Personality – You’re going to be sharing work that you’ve poured your heart into with this person. Make sure you actually like them and enjoy being around them. Personality compatibility is a huge piece of a successful critique partnership.
• Goals –  Your level of dedication and what you hope to get out of the relationship should match. If one person wants to talk seriously about craft and the other just wants to chat, someone’s going to leave frustrated.
• Genre – You don’t have to write the same genre, but your critique partner should read and enjoy the genre you write. If you’re writing fantasy, you don’t want a partner who doesn’t read fantasy! (Sometimes it’s actually helpful to have a partner who reads widely in your genre but writes in a different one.)
• Process – It’s easier to talk about plot when you both speak the same plotting language. (If you both use the Save the Cat! method, for example, that’s a built-in shorthand.) Not a requirement, but a nice bonus. (Hint: Members of my Writing Mastery Community get unlimited access to the same writing courses, which means you’re all learning the same methods and speaking the same language from day one!)
• Critique style – Do you prefer the blunt truth or a little sugar coating? Do you need a “feedback sandwich” with a lot of padding on the outside, or do you just want the meat of it? (See below for more on “feedback sandwiches!”) Make sure your styles match, or at the very least, that you talk about this up front.
• Timing and availability – How often can you realistically exchange work and give thoughtful feedback? Some partnerships do a chapter a week, others swap a set number of pages twice a month, and some only exchange full manuscripts when they’re ready. Anything goes! (As long as you agree.) Just be upfront about your bandwidth so neither of you ends up waiting around or feeling overwhelmed.

Questions to Ask Potential Critique Partners

Before you commit to a critique partnership, have a conversation. Here are some questions to help you figure out if it’s a good fit:

• Where are you in your writing journey?
• What are your current writing goals?
• What are you looking for in a critique partner?
• What do you think your strengths are as a writer? Your weaknesses?
• When you read other people’s work, what things do you notice first?
• What genre do you prefer to write in? What genres do you love to read?
• What craft books do you swear by?
• What writing courses have you taken that you found helpful?
• How would you describe your writing process?
• What writing tools do you live and die by?
• How do you prefer to receive feedback?
• How often would you like to exchange work? (Weekly, biweekly, monthly, or only when you have a finished draft?)
• How quickly can you realistically read and turn around feedback? (while also working on your own pages!)

The Golden Rules of Giving and Receiving Feedback

This is where critique partnerships either thrive or fall apart. So it’s important to take the time to learn these rules and follow them. (Also feel free to share this post with your new critique partner or group to make sure you’re all on the same page)

When receiving feedback:

• Be grateful and open-minded, even when it’s hard to hear.
• Don’t shoot down ideas right away, even if your gut reaction is, “No way.” Write them down, thank the person, and let it all marinate before you decide. (You never know what exciting ideas might develop later, but you need to have an open mind first!)
• Sometimes feedback that feels wrong in the moment turns out to have a kernel of truth in it. Give it time. (If you’ve read my book Page One to Done, you already know about the magic of the “story marination” process. The same is true for feedback!)

When giving feedback:

• Be encouraging and constructive. Always. Give the kind of feedback you want to receive.
• No one wants to hear that their idea is “bad.” And the last thing you want to do is discourage a fellow writer from starting or finishing their book.
• Instead of just pointing out what isn’t working, suggest a way to improve it.
• Build a “Feedback Sandwich” by sandwiching your criticism between things you do like about the work. Start with what’s strong, address what could be stronger, and end on a positive note. For example, “I love that scene where the main character meets her long-lost father. I wonder if you could go even deeper into what she’s feeling in that scene. She’s already such a relatable character but would make us empathize with her even more!”

A good critique partnership can make you a better writer, a better reader, and a better storyteller. A bad one can knock your confidence for a loop. So “choose wisely,” as the saying goes, communicate openly, and always treat each other’s work with the respect it deserves.

Ready to find your critique partner? The Writing Mastery Community makes it easy to connect with writers in your genre, get matched with dedicated critique partners, and receive the kind of feedback that actually makes your story better.

The post Finding and Working with Critique Partners and Groups appeared first on Jessica Brody.

One of the biggest mistakes I see writers make when writing a novel is trying to go it alone.

Yes, writing is, by nature, a solitary endeavor, but it doesn’t have to be lonely. In fact, I’d argue that the more you surround yourself with supportive people during the writing process, the easier it gets.

Today, I want to talk about, what I believe is the most important person to recruit to your support team, especially while writing a first draft:

The accountability partner.

Why You Need an Accountability Partner

As I describe in my book, Page One to Done, about how to fast draft a novel in as little as 30 days, when we attempt to “go it alone,” we become the only person holding ourselves accountable to our goals. This makes it far too easy to skip writing sessions and make excuses not to write. Especially when we don’t feel motivated or the book is giving us trouble or inspiration takes an unannounced vacation (which it’s bound to do! Inspiration is infamously flaky like that!)

That’s when an accountability partner becomes not just your best friend–but you’re secret weapon!

It’s much harder to make excuses and skip writing sessions when you know someone’s going to be checking in on on you to ask how your writing went.

And sadly, it’s often easier to let ourselves down than it is to let down someone else.

Which is why accountability partners are essential.

The Role of an Accountability Partner

An accountability partner has one job: to hold you accountable to your writing goal (like finishing a first draft.)

They don’t have to read your pages or even know anything about your story. They don’t even have to be a writer (although it can be helpful if they are). The accountability partner is there to encourage you when things get tough, and celebrate with you when things go well.

In this post, I’ll share where to find accountability partners, the best questions to ask when defining your relationship, and some questions to explore during your daily and weekly check-ins, to help each other make steady progress from page one to done, no matter what obstacles you hit along the way.

Where to Find Accountability Partners

Online Writing Communities:

One of the best places to find accountability partners is in online writing communities. Here are a few to explore, but feel free to branch out and find your own niche.

• Writing Mastery Community — My community of writers, many of whom are actively working on first drafts and looking for accountability partners right now. (Bonus: If you’re taking the Page One to Done challenge, we have a dedicated space for you to connect with other fast drafters!) We also have dedicated spaces for accountability and for connecting with writers based on genre.
• r/wordcount on Reddit — A subreddit specifically focused on word count tracking and accountability. Writers post their daily and weekly progress and keep each other honest.
• London Writers’ Salon — A global writing community that hosts free daily “Writers’ Hour” sessions across multiple time zones, plus weekly facilitated check-ins. A great place to meet other writers and form ongoing accountability partnerships.
• Shut Up & Write — Free online (and in-person) writing sessions in 75+ countries using timed sprints with group check-ins. Many writers exchange info and pair up for ongoing accountability after attending a few sessions.

In Person:

• Meetup.com — Search for writing groups in your area. Most cities have several, and many are free.
• Your local library — Many host free writing groups and workshops. Check their events calendar.
• Local bookstores — Independent bookstores often host writing meetups and events.
• Writing conferences – a great chance to network and meet other writers

Virtual Co-Working:

• Focusmate — Pairs you with someone for timed work sessions (25, 50, or 75 minutes). You show up on camera, state your goal, and write. Free tier includes three sessions per week.

Non-Writers:

A friend or family member can work great too. Just be specific about what you need: tell them your goal, ask them to check in at a set time using some of the questions below, and give them permission to be persistent if need be!

Defining the Relationship

Before you dive in, a quick conversation up front to define the relationship and get you both on the same page saves a lot of confusion and potential conflict later. Here are some questions to get you started:

• What are your goals? Are you writing a first draft? Revising a third? Brainstorming a new idea? Although it can be helpful to have the same goal as your partner, it’s not necessary, as long as your both clear on the details of each other’s goal.
• What kind of support are you looking for? Just periodic check-ins, or something more involved like exchanging feedback on ideas?
• How often should we check in? Although I recommend daily and weekly check-ins for writers following my Novel Fast Drafting method, do what works with your project and schedule. Daily check-ins can be helpful while writing a first drafting, but weekly might work better for you, especially if your schedule is a bit less predictable.
• How should we communicate? Text, email, video call, phone, voice memo, Slack or Discord channel—whatever feels sustainable for both of you. The best method is the one you’ll actually use.
• What does a check-in look like? A quick two-line text or a longer phone call? Set expectations early.

Suggested Questions for Daily Check-Ins

Daily check-ins should be quick and encouraging. Here are some questions to keep you both on track (feel free to update the language to fit your specific goal):

• Did you write today?
• How much did you write? (Did you hit your word count goal or fall short?)
• Are you on pace to finish when you planned to? (Do you need to make any adjustments to your target end date?)
• How did you feel about today’s session? (If you’re using mood tracking as described in Page One to Done, feel free to share today’s number!)
• What went well? What was hard?
• Did you resist the urge to go back and edit? (If you’re following the fast drafting method in Page One to Done)

Remember, encouragement is the whole point. If your partner had a rough day, cheer them on. If they crushed it, celebrate with them!

Suggested Questions for Weekly Check-Ins

Longer, weekly sessions are your chance to zoom out and look at the bigger picture together with questions like:

• What’s your total word count? Are you on track to reach your goal?
• How has your energy and motivation been this week? What’s driving it up or pulling it down? (Again, if your using mood tracking, feel free to share your mood chart!)
• What are your biggest challenges right now, and what could you do to remove them?
• On the days you were excited to write, what excited you?
• What are you loving about your story right now?
• What’s giving you the most trouble in the story? (If your following Page One to Done, have you been using invisible revisions or any of the other strategies in the book to push through?)
• Have you discovered any new strategies for writing forward and maintaining momentum that have helped you?
• What’s one thing you learned about your writing process this week?
• How many words (or pages) will you commit to between now and our next check-in?

Above all else, be supportive, open-minded, and encouraging. No one understands the ups and downs of writing better than another writer, and sometimes just knowing someone else is going through it too is enough to keep you going.

The truth is, writing a novel is always going to be hard. But it gets a whole lot easier when you’ve got someone whose sole purpose is to keep you from quitting. So go recruit your accountability partner, set up those check-ins, and get writing!

*Want to connect with writers who are working on their first drafts right now? The Writing Mastery Community has dedicated spaces for finding accountability partners and supporting each other through the entire writing process from idea to finished novel…and beyond!

The post Finding and Working with Accountability Partners appeared first on Jessica Brody.

Track Your Progress in the FREE Page One to Done app!

Track your daily word count, watch your progress build over time, and stay accountable to your goals—from page one to done!

Start Tracking!

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This was a brand-new genre for me (and my first novel for adults since 2009!). It started out as just an experiment. To see if I could write a mystery novel. What resulted was probably the most enjoyable two years of my writing career. I had SO much fun writing and revising this novel and now I’m absolutely beyond thrilled to announce that it’s found a home at my dream imprint and publisher: Bantam Dell/Random House!

The book is set to be published in Fall 2026! If you want to learn more, below is the short pitch my agent used to submit the book to publishers.

Sign Up for Updates!

Want to be the first to read a sneak peek and find out more about the book? Join my reader newsletter! (I’ll also send you the 50 pages of one of my other novels as a gift for signing up!)

I can’t wait to share this novel with the world. It really has been my passion project for the past two years and I can’t believe it will soon be in the hands of readers!

The post Announcing HOW TO WRITE A MURDER (a novel) – Coming Fall 2026! appeared first on Jessica Brody.

PAGE ONE TO DONE: Finish Your Novel in 30 Days with the Fast Drafting Method

If you’ve ever struggled to finish a first draft (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t?), this book is for you. Based on my popular on-demand course, Novel Fast Drafting, this proven method has helped thousands of writers in my Writing Mastery Academy complete their manuscripts in weeks instead of years. Now PAGE ONE TO DONE brings this revolutionary approach to novel writing to book form!

While Save the Cat! Writes a Novel teaches you how to craft the structure of your story, PAGE ONE TO DONE shows you how to get that story out of your head and onto the page. Think of it as the perfect companion guide – taking you from beat sheet to completed first draft with speed and confidence.

The book is scheduled to release in May 2026!

Don’t want to wait until 2026 to start finishing your first drafts faster? You don’t have to!

Download my Free First Draft Accelerator guide to start you fast drafting today:

WANT TO WRITE YOUR FIRST DRAFT 10X FASTER?

Download my FREE First Draft Accelerator to discover my proven "fast drafting" method that has helped thousands of writers finish their first drafts in record time!

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Stay tuned for more details about the book, including an upcoming cover reveal! I can’t wait to share this book with the world!

WHAT WRITERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE FAST DRAFTING METHOD

“My mind is BLOWN . Please, pretty please #writingcommmunity listen when I say this is a game-changer! I went from barely getting words down to crushing 1000 words/day!”
– Monica L. (Fast Drafting Convert)

“I completed the first draft of my first novel: 85,000 words written over the course of 8 weeks, all thanks to this Fast Drafting course! I’m over the moon and incredibly grateful.”
– Megan H (Fast Drafting convert)

“Fantastic. 80k words in 27 days. Couldn’t have done it w/o the concepts in this course.”
– Ron F. (Fast Drafting convert)

“Finishing a book has always felt like a distant dream, however, after taking this course, I really feel like I can do this. I’ve never felt more confident in my ability to write my book.”
– Shan P. (Fast Drafting convert)

“By far one of the most useful approaches to getting a first draft done that I’ve ever encountered.”
– Carol M. (Fast Drafting convert)

MORE ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the bestselling author of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel comes a revolutionary approach to novel writing that transforms the daunting first draft process into an achievable, joyful journey. Drawing from her experience writing over 20 novels and teaching thousands of writers, Jessica Brody presents the Fast Drafting method—a proven system for completing your novel with confidence, speed, and creative freedom.

Forget everything you thought you knew about writing a first draft. Rather than struggling with perfectionism and endless revisions, learn how to embrace the messy “discovery draft” and finally finish your story. Through Brody’s unique three-phase approach—Mindset, Preparation, and Drafting—you’ll discover:

• Why trying to write a “good” first draft is the fastest path to failure—and what to do instead
• How to quiet your inner critic and tap into genuine creative flow
• A flexible planning system that works whether you’re a detailed plotter or prefer to “write by the seat of your pants”
• How to establish a super productive, consistent writing routine that gets you into the optimal writing zone every day
• The mindset, resources, and skills to finish the first draft of a full-length novel in as little as 30 days

Perfect for both newcomers and experienced writers, this comprehensive guide adapts Brody’s successful online course into book form. Whether you’ve never written a novel or you’re a published author looking for a more efficient approach, you’ll discover how to transform the challenging first draft process into one filled with confidence, creative joy, and most importantly—a finished manuscript.

The post Announcing PAGE ONE TO DONE: My New Novel-Writing Guide! appeared first on Jessica Brody.

It’s here! Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel is now out in the world and in this post, I’m thrilled to share all the juicy details. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!

First off…

There’s a new Save the Cat book?

Yup, in case you haven’t heard, there’s a new Save the Cat! book on the shelf!

So, what is it all about? Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel takes the renowned Save the Cat! storytelling methodology (yes, the same one presented in Save the Cat! Writes a Novel) and applies it specifically to the realm of Young Adult fiction.

Yes, you read that correctly—an entire book dedicated to using Save the Cat! for writing Young Adult novels. However, I want to emphasize that this book isn’t exclusively for YA novelists. Writers of any age group or genre can derive significant value from it, as you’ll soon discover. So, stay tuned!

Why a YA version?

Now, you might be wondering, why did I feel the need to create a YA version in the first place? Didn’t the original novel-writing book already include plenty of YA examples?

While it’s true that the original book did feature some YA examples, the lens through which we approach young adult stories is distinctly unique. Having written over fifteen YA novels in my career, I can confidently say that YA is a novel-writing beast of its own and deserves a dedicated guide. This allows us to delve deep into the study of story structure using exclusively young adult examples.

For example…

What does a Catalyst look like in a YA novel?

What are the wants, needs, and problems of teenage heroes?

How do we escalate the stakes at the Midpoint of a YA novel?

How are the beats customized in YA fiction?

These are all questions I set out to answer in this new guide.

YA novels showcase some of the most structurally complex and well-written stories on bookshelves today. In this book, I break down some of the most successful examples while also providing guidance on plotting your very own YA masterpieces.

“I don’t write YA. So I don’t need this book, right?”

Well…let’s see.

I firmly believe that the best way to learn anything, especially storytelling, is through examples. When we witness the 15 beats in action repeatedly, they start to click. That’s precisely why I consistently incorporate new examples in my webinars and online courses. I know that one of those examples will trigger that “aha” moment for a writer, helping them unravel the intricacies of their own story.

The more we analyze story structure in various novels, the easier it becomes to structure our own work. It’s as simple as that.

So, even if you don’t write YA, you can still gain immense knowledge from the plethora of new examples I’ve analyzed and broken down in this book. It features 10 new full-length beat sheets that offer valuable insights.

For instance, if you’re writing a multiple POV novel and seek guidance on how to weave multiple heroes into your beat sheet, you’ll find immense value in the beat sheets for Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows, Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone, and Karen M. McManus’s One of Us is Lying. These three exceptional multiple POV novels are showcased in the book.

Likewise, if you’re crafting a narrative with extensive flashbacks and desire guidance on seamlessly integrating them into your story, the full beat sheet for Gayle Forman’s If I Stay serves as an excellent study resource.

Apart from the new examples, I’ve included a wealth of fresh insights about the Save the Cat! method that I’ve gathered since writing the last book. These insights encompass novel ways to approach the beats, alternative perspectives on structure, detailed explanations of key strategies, and methods to customize the beats to suit your unique story. My hope is that all of this will inspire you, help overcome any plotting obstacles, and generate those pivotal “aha” moments that enable you to tell your story even better.

Is there new content that’s not in the first book?

Absolutely! There is indeed new content in this book that wasn’t covered in Save the Cat! Writes a Novel.

First and foremost…

Customizing Your Beat Sheet Chapter

Since the release of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, I’ve received numerous inquiries from writers seeking ways to customize the 15 beats to better suit their stories. They’ve asked about incorporating multiple points of view, prologues, flashbacks, backstory, villain stories, and even Catalysts that occur on the first page!

Many of these aspects weren’t extensively addressed in the first book, if at all. Hence, in this new book, I’ve dedicated an entire chapter called “Customizing Your Beat Sheet.” Consider it an “advanced beat sheet” chapter where you can build upon the foundational knowledge presented in the Save the Cat! Beat Sheet chapter and make it your own. Once again, I analyze and break down numerous examples from authors who put their creative spin on basic story structure, allowing us to learn from their successes and find inspiration.

And the addition that I’m particularly excited about is…

Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult SERIES chapter!

Your requests have been heard and answered! In this book, I provide an in-depth exploration of series writing, unlike anything I’ve done before. I show you how the Save the Cat! method, along with the 15 beats, can assist you in structuring, planning, and writing a compelling series. And yes, you guessed it—this chapter is filled with more examples!

Which novels are featured in the book?

Aha! The moment of reveal! These are the ten YA novels whose full beat sheets are showcased in Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel.

For the Rites of Passage genre, you’ll have the opportunity to delve into the full 15-beat breakdown of Jenny Han’s heartwarming coming-of-age story, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Contemporary novelists, don’t miss this one! It’s a fantastic example of a character-driven story with a compelling premise and an inspiring character arc. Pay special attention to its five-point finale, as crafting one in a character-driven story isn’t always a simple feat.

In the Buddy Love genre, I’ve chosen to analyze John Green’s masterpiece, The Fault in Our Stars. Romance novelists, take note—this is a must-read. Green’s pitch-perfect narrative, combined with stellar plotting, creates a memorable story that flawlessly incorporates all 15 beats. But beware the All is Lost and bring tissues (if you know, you know).

To explore the Institutionalized genre, we dive into Lois Lowry’s Newbery-winning novel, The Giver. This book may be short, but it packs a powerful punch. If you want to study dystopian worldbuilding alongside flawless structure, this is your guide. Pay attention to how Lowry handles a longer-than-average Setup beat and juggles the beats to accommodate it, all while maintaining compelling pages until the Catalyst beat arrives slightly later than usual.

Now, let’s move on to the Superhero genre. Tomi Adeyemi’s high fantasy novel, Children of Blood and Bone takes the spotlight. Brace yourself, because this beat sheet is a behemoth! With three points of view and three intersecting beat sheets that culminate in three five-point finales, it’s a structural masterpiece. If you’re seeking guidance on integrating worldbuilding into your story and/or writing multiple points of view, this is the book to study. Adeyemi has truly nailed it.

Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows represents the Golden Fleece genre. Yes, you guessed it—it’s got a team, a prize, and a road. But wait, there’s more! This multiple-POV novel stands out as the five heroes actually share beats and have a joint beat sheet (or what I like to call a team beat sheet). I delve into multiple POVs in greater detail in the book, but make sure to explore this one for superb worldbuilding and plotting. And that five-point finale? Prepare to be blown away. Leigh Bardugo is an absolute genius.

Next on our list is the Fool Triumphant genre. For this genre, I’ve  broken down Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl. This novel serves as an excellent study for those of you crafting stories with a Catalyst on the very first page. Stargirl accomplishes precisely that. But how do the other beats unfold? In this beat sheet, you’ll witness the merging of the Setup and Debate beats, offering valuable insights into how it can be done effectively.

Now, let’s dive into the Dude with a Problem genre—the genre with the best title! And what better book to analyze than Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games? Raise your hand if you saw that coming. This beat sheet is essential for all novelists, regardless of the genre. It showcases sheer structural brilliance and remains one of my all-time favorite examples of the 15 beats in action. Prepare to be captivated from start to finish.

Moving forward, we have the Out of the Bottle genre. As mentioned earlier, Gayle Forman’s If I Stay is an excellent novel to study due to its masterful use of flashbacks. Where do flashbacks fit in the Save the Cat! beat sheet? In this new book, I delve into that topic in greater detail, using If I Stay as a prime example. Additionally, this novel exemplifies a character-driven, contemporary story (with a touch of magic!) with a rock-solid 15-beat structure!

Next up, the Whydunit genre. In this category, I’ve selected Karen M. McManus’s One of Us Is Lying as the featured beat sheet. This is another multiple POV novel, featuring four heroes. What sets this book apart is how the author crafts distinctive character arcs for all four of them. Each hero has their own set of problems, flaws, wants, needs, (and shards of glass!), seamlessly woven into a twisty-turny murder mystery. It’s a fantastic resource for those writing multiple POV or mystery novels, or perhaps both!

Last but not least, we explore the Monster in the House genre with Rory Power’s Wilder Girls. This book is chilling—in the best way possible. It combines a riveting horror narrative with a morally ambiguous ending, all while maintaining beautiful structure. If you’re interested in studying the inner workings of a horror novel and grappling with the challenge of having two POVs where only one is the hero, this beat sheet will be immensely helpful.

Want to know what exactly is a “Dude with a Problem” or a “Fool Triumphant?” Click here to download my free Save the Cat! Genre Guide! 

So, there you have it—everything you need to know about Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel and the incredible novels featured within.

I hope you’ll pick up a copy!

Enjoy the read, and as always, happy writing!

The post My New Save the Cat! Book – Everything You Need to Know! appeared first on Jessica Brody.

Also, don’t miss out on your chance to nab 5 Bonus Beat Sheets (100 pages of extra content) when you preorder the book!

Get your paws on a FREE companion eBook packed with 5 exclusive bonus beat sheets from popular YA novels! Plus, if you order a paperback from a U.S. Independent Bookstore , you’ll also get an exclusive ticket to my LIVE “Plot-Along” Workshop where we’ll plot a brand-new novel together from scratch! (International shipping options available).

Don’t miss out! Get the details and upload your proof of purchase here! 

The post Unboxing of Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel (The Beat Sheet) appeared first on Jessica Brody.

In one of my recent office hours, someone told me they were struggling to find time to write. Life had gotten chaotic and unpredictable and they were feeling overwhelmed by the thought of abandoning their story in the middle.

This question really hit home for me because recently—over the past two weeks—I’ve had to stop working on my current novel (smack dab in the middle of the second draft!) because there was just NO time.

As someone known for the advice, “Write every day!” taking this time off from my novel was a hard decision to make. Could I have set the alarm an hour earlier each morning and carved out a smidgen of writing time? Sure. Could I have skipped my workout or daily meditation and written instead? I guess. But at what expense to my health and well-being?

Over the past month, my schedule was more chaotic than it’s been in a long time. I was juggling a book release, last minute edits on Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel, creating bonus beat sheets for an upcoming preorder campaign, building presentations for three different webinars, finishing an eight-week meditation course, studying for a certification class, and prepping for an upcoming trip. It was a LOT. (Fortunately, the meditation course was focused on reducing stress!) At the end of each day, I was exhausted. I knew trying to carve out one more hour would tip me over the edge.

But I got through it and I was finally able to clear the decks (and my headspace). Today was the first day I was able to get back to my novel and I won’t lie. I felt the absence. I felt distanced from the story and the characters. I felt “out of the loop,” like the characters had been living this whole life without me and I’d missed it. It was almost like FOMO for my own story.

Now I begin the long slog of ramping back up, reviewing what I have, sorting through my notes, my storyboard, and any other breadcrumbs I left for myself. I basically have to remerge myself into a world which—a few weeks ago—was like my second home.

But I’m trying to cut myself some slack. It can be easy (particularly for me) to think I can do it all. If I just try hard enough, wake up early enough, work a little faster, I can fit one more thing in. But I’ve learned in the past that this mentality often leads to disappointment and burn out. Our bodies and minds are miraculous, but they need breaks.

If you’re in this boat and are fretting over the decision to take some time away from your writing, allow me to offer you a few tips.

1. Go easy on yourself! Sometimes we need the rest now so we can bring our A game later, when we have more space in our schedule.
2. Keep a pen and notebook (or a recording app) nearby. Just because you’re not actually sitting down to write, doesn’t mean you can’t daydream or open yourself up to ideas here and there. Jot them down (or record them into your phone) and then move on with your day.
3. Take some time to leave yourself breadcrumbs – If you know you’re about to take a longer break from your story, leave yourself some notes. (I often record this into my phone so I can play it back later.) Ask yourself questions like: What scene am I working on now? What are my current struggles? What questions am I trying to answer? Where is the character emotionally at this point in the story? What threads have I been pulling through the previous scenes or chapters? Plus anything else your future self might find helpful. When you get back to your story, you’ll be grateful you took the time to do this.

Life is always changing. We can make plans all day long but in the end, sometimes we have to go with the flow, rather than try to force the flow to go with us. When life gets in the way, just know that your characters are not going anywhere. They’re waiting patiently for you to return. Like the trusty friends that they are.

The post When you really DON’T have time to write appeared first on Jessica Brody.

I want to share you with a perspective that I wish someone would share with me every time I’m stuck in the middle of a draft (be it the 1st or 10th) and it isn’t working or the whole dang thing is feeling endless or pointless or wasted.

It’s a perspective I think I’ve always kind of felt but didn’t really see clearly until recently when I was sorting through old beat sheets for my novel, Amelia Gray is Almost Okay. And there were a lot of beat sheets. That’s because this book went through a lot of drafts.

I’m not going to lie. The writing and revising process for that particular book was a beast. The story changed so many times. I revised the heck out of it. Characters came and went. Plot points moved around like a game of musical chairs. Some drafts were never even finished and thrown out completely. And there were so many times when I felt like I was spinning my wheels and (shudder*)* WASTING TIME.

But as I looked back through all the notes and brainstorms from my process, I discovered something surprising. Enlightening, even! When I laid out all the variations of the beat sheets and analyzed what changed in each one, I saw something I’ve never seen before in my own work. At least, not this clearly.

I saw the evolution of my story.

The creative process in action.

My ideas were growing right before my eyes but I was so lost in the nitty gritty details and the desperation to make it all work, I couldn’t even see it. You could say, I was so shrouded in my own Dark Night of the Soul, I couldn’t see the transformation my ideas were undergoing.

I thought I was wasting time, wasting drafts, but really what I was doing was planting seeds. And with each and every draft, those seeds had time and space to grow and blossom into what eventually became the final draft.

One “failed” idea for the Bad Guys Close In ended up being the inspiration for an entirely new character backstory.

One “underutilized” character in a “wasted” draft ended up spawning one of my favorite scenes of the novel.

One “problem” that I couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out how to solve, ended up being solved (seemingly by magic!) because I had two many characters in a previous draft and had to combine them.

I was shocked to see the connections that I never made while I was in the throes of writing and revising. But that’s one of the things I’ve discovered that I love about teaching writing. It forces me to look at my own process, dissect it, analyze it, study it under a microscope and discover things that make me even more in awe of the creative process.

It truly is a process.

And expecting it to be anything else only cheats us out of the magic.

So, if you’re in the throes of one of those types of drafts, or even just having one of those types of days, I hope I can provide you some comfort when I say…

There’s no such thing as a wasted draft.

Or even a wasted chapter, page, or word.

There’s so such thing as a failed idea, or character, or plot point.

Trust that what you’re doing is paving the way for something else, planting seeds for something beautiful. Trust that your muse has a grand plan for it all, you just can’t see it yet. And then, trust that when it does come together, you’ll feel like you knew it all along.

The post There’s No Such Thing at a “Wasted” Draft appeared first on Jessica Brody.