Lewis Jorstad

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About Lewis Jorstad
Lewis Jorstad is a writer, author, and book coach, a lover of reading and travel, and a child at heart living in central Virginia. He hopes to visit every country in the world before he dies, but for now he spends his time teaching up-and-coming writers the skills they need to create compelling, successful novels.
You can find more of his work over at The Novel Smithy:
https://thenovelsmithy.com/
If you’d like even more help on your quest to write your dream novel, grab a free copy of these helpful ebooks!
+The Character Creation Workbook
+The Rulebook for Happy Writing Habits
https://thenovelsmithy.com/novel-smithy-free-resources/
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Blog postWriting a novel is like anything else; it takes practice. This is one of (many) hard truths writers have to face if they ever hope to become a published author. No matter how much raw talent you have, you need […]
The post 5 Storytelling Skills Every Writer Should Master appeared first on The Novel Smithy.
3 weeks ago Read more -
Blog postThe word “hero” carries a lot of weight. Classic heroes are a staple of nearly all fiction, regardless of the genre you’re writing in. These characters are those who face seemingly impossible challenges, rise to the occasion, and then return […]
The post Hero vs. Heroine: Why They’re Not the Same appeared first on The Novel Smithy.
2 months ago Read more -
Blog postOften, writers assume every character needs an arc… But, is that actually true? While every character is the hero of their own story, that doesn’t make them the hero of yours. Because of this, not every character you write will […]
The post Dynamic vs. Round Characters: Who Needs a Character Arc? appeared first on The Novel Smithy.
2 months ago Read more -
Blog postThere’s more to writing than following the rules… I talk a lot about the writing craft on this site, and for good reason. From character arcs, to story structures and blueprints, there’s a lot that goes into writing a compelling […]
The post The 4 Traits of Successful Writers appeared first on The Novel Smithy.
3 months ago Read more -
Blog postMost writers know their novel needs line editing. However, they’re not exactly sure what that means. Obviously, the goal is to make their prose sound better—but how? I’ve had clients read my line edits on their manuscript and marvel, “How […]
The post 5 Line Editing Tips for Polishing Your Prose appeared first on The Novel Smithy.
3 months ago Read more -
Blog postSometimes it’s hard to see the forest for the trees… I’m sure you know how this feels. You’ve been editing your novel for months, until one day you realize you aren’t sure what you’re supposed to be revising anymore. You […]
The post Why, When, and How to Hire an Editor appeared first on The Novel Smithy.
4 months ago Read more -
Blog postThe New Year is all about new beginnings… I’ve been meaning to update the design of this site for a while now, but it was never enough of a priority to rise to the top of my to-do list. That […]
The post The Novel Smithy Just Got a Redesign! appeared first on The Novel Smithy.
4 months ago Read more -
Blog postIt’s time to announce the winners! Entries opened for the fourth annual First Chapters Writing Contest exactly two weeks ago, and I’ve received dozens of awesome submissions ever since. Between a determined space mailman, a spit-fire orphan, and a whole […]
The post The 2021 First Chapters Writing Contest Winners appeared first on The Novel Smithy.
5 months ago Read more -
Blog postAs writers, our goal is to create stories that feel real. Naturally, this is easier said than done. Despite our best efforts, our novels will always be collections of words on paper, rather than actual events happening to our readers. […]
The post A Crash Course on the Motivation-Reaction Unit appeared first on The Novel Smithy.
5 months ago Read more -
Blog postAre you ready to put your novel to the test? With NaNoWriMo officially behind us, I imagine many of you have a newly minted first draft sitting on your desk—meaning now, it’s time to figure out what comes next. Perhaps […]
The post The 2021 First Chapters Writing Contest appeared first on The Novel Smithy.
5 months ago Read more
Titles By Lewis Jorstad
The Secret to Writing Believable Characters
If you’ve ever been told your characters just “don’t feel realistic,” then you already know the importance of character arcs. Believable stories hinge on a lot of things, but one of the biggest is their cast. In order to grab your readers’ attention, your cast needs to be packed with dynamic people who change as your novel unfolds.
That’s where Mastering Character Arcs can help:
- Learn how to spark realistic transformations for your cast,
- Explore the two types of character arcs your cast could follow,
- Experiment with nearly seventy-two unique character combinations,
- And expand your novel with dozens of supporting archetypes.
Instead of struggling to create these character arcs on your own, this book will provide the perfect blueprint for understanding the many journeys your cast could go on. From basic stories of growth or decay, to specialized quests like redemption and coming of age, arcs are the tool you need to make their stories real.
By the time we’re done, you’ll be writing vibrant characters your readers will adore!
Your Hero is the Soul of Your Novel
Whether they’re a young and bright-eyed visionary or a disillusioned outsider, your novel’s protagonist is the central pillar around which every part of your story is built. From your plot to your cast, theme, and even your reader’s experience, this character will form your novel’s foundation.
Because of this, crafting a well-written hero is a critical step for writing a novel, as well as a challenging one. Your protagonist will need a backstory, identity, and character arc, alongside meaningful goals, desires, and conflicts to face. All of these elements and more will combine to form your hero’s unique journey—meaning you’ll need to understand all of them to truly bring your protagonist to life.
Luckily, that’s where Write Your Hero can help!
- Learn the five key traits of every successful protagonist,
- Master the dual journeys that will define your hero’s story,
- Craft compelling challenges and inner conflicts for your protagonist to face,
- Build a vibrant world around your new hero,
- And bring it all together in a final profile of your protagonist.
By the time we’re done, you’ll have everything you need to write a fan-favorite hero of your own!
Before beginning any journey, you need a plan. Writing a novel is no different.
From juggling plots and subplots, to crafting characters and fleshing out your worldbuilding, you have a lot to think about if you want to write a novel. What’s worse, you need to keep track of all of this while still putting words on the page and staying productive—otherwise, you may never finish your novel at all.
Enter The Ten Day Outline.
By outlining your novel, you create a map of your story, custom-built to help you navigate the many twists and turns that come with the writing process. Best of all, having an outline is the key to writing your novels faster—and you only need ten days to create your own!
In this simple ten-day challenge, you’ll:
- ✓ Develop a fleshed-out cast of engaging characters.
- ✓ Structure and refine your novel’s plot.
- ✓ Expand your ideas into a fully-fledged master outline.
- ✓ Learn to nurture your inspiration, even when your muse seems far away.
- ✓ And build the foundation you need to write a novel you’re proud of.
Each day of this outlining challenge comes with easy-to-follow prompts and intuitive goals, guiding you through the outlining process. By the end, The Ten Day Outline will have taken the stress out of planning a novel…
So you’ll be ready to set out on your own epic writing journey!
It's time to begin your next great adventure. It's time to write a novel!
Writing the first draft of a new story is always a daunting task. However, it’s also not as hard as you might think, and it definitely doesn’t have to take a lifetime. Instead, finishing your first draft is all about mastering your mindset—and the best way to start is by having someone to guide you.
Enter The Ten Day Draft.
In this simple ten-day challenge, you’ll:
- ✓ Let go of perfectionism and embrace the messy first draft.
- ✓ Keep your ideas fresh, even after writing thousands of words.
- ✓ Strengthen your writing process and make writing a priority.
- ✓ Craft a compelling story and develop a system you can repeat for future novels.
- ✓ And bring it all together in a finished first draft!
Each day of this writing challenge comes with easy to follow prompts and intuitive goals, meaning you’ll always be prepared for what comes next. By the end, The Ten Day Draft will have proven that yes...
You CAN write a novel!
The day you become an author has arrived—but only if you seize the opportunity!
Self-publishing is often the culmination of months or even years of work—however, it can also be the most intimidating part of becoming an author. Fortunately, while publishing your novel might seem impossible now, the truth is that self-publishing doesn’t have to be a slog! The trick is having a plan, as well as a helping hand to guide you through this exciting new world.
Enter The Ten Day Author.
In this simple ten-day challenge, you’ll:
- ✓ Set your self-publishing goals and discover your unique vision of success.
- ✓ Craft a publishing plan tailor-made to streamline your self-publishing experience.
- ✓ Master the basics of formatting and cover design.
- ✓ Navigate the submission process to ensure your novel gets in the hands of readers.
- ✓ And finally hold your finished novel in your hands!
Each day of this publishing challenge comes with easy to follow prompts and intuitive goals, simplifying the self-publishing process. By the end, The Ten Day Author will have made you more than just a writer…
So, it’s time to begin!
You’ve written a novel—now to perfect it. Fortunately, it isn’t as hard as you think!
Editing a novel can be an overwhelming experience. After all, for every change you make, a dozen new things pop up to demand your attention. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn to master the self-editing process! The key is finding your focus, while also embracing the four unique phases of your story.
Enter The Ten Day Edit.
In this simple ten-day challenge, you’ll:
- ✓ Develop an editing game plan custom-built for your story.
- ✓ Strengthen your final novel with advanced storytelling techniques.
- ✓ Learn to hone your skills through beta readers, critique partners, and editors.
- ✓ Perfect your prose, opening line, title, and more.
- ✓ And create a professional-quality novel ready to share with the world!
Each day of this editing challenge comes with easy-to-follow prompts and intuitive goals, helping you make sense of the editing process. By the end, The Ten Day Edit will have guided you from a first draft to a finished novel…
So, what are you waiting for?