That novel you're writing? Throw it in The Furnace

Timothy Pike

June 20

It's burning hot, waiting for you to step in ... novel in hand.

Have you already started writing your novel? How are you finding it? Easy? Hard?

Especially if you're a beginning writer, you almost certainly have questions, challenges, or even doubts.

That's why I created The Furnace: Where Great Novels Are Forged, a brand-new Facebook group for writers (of all skill levels) who wish to write a novel.

It's a private group, so just request to join and I'll let you right in.

If you're not sure what you want to write about, we'll share writing prompts to get the ideas flowing.

Then, we'll start with the basics—like how to write your opening sentence—and talk about what's involved in writing a really good first chapter.

You'll be able to give your feedback to other writers who share their work.

Then, if you're feeling brave, you can put yourself in the hot seat by sharing what you've written and being open to getting feedback from the group.

I assure you, there's no quicker way to improve your novel—in leaps and bounds—than asking your peers for their opinions on what you've written.

The trick is keep an open mind, listen to what other writers say, and decide whether their critiques will improve your story.

Sometimes, you'll want to keep what you had, but other times, you'll see great value in their suggestions.

You'll come out the other side with a story that's been chiseled into shape with lifelike characters, a tight plot, and settings that pop off the page.

You're on fire! (Er, in a good way.)

This is the best way to hold yourself to account, meet other writers, improve your story, and not waste another second dreaming about writing a novel someday.

Great novels are forged in the fires of The Furnace. Join us here, and welcome!

Sincerely,
Timothy Pike
Writer, editor, and self-publishing coach