8 Mistakes to Avoid
in Your Fantasy Novel’s Opening
Don’t let common mistakes lose your readers!
Your Novel Matters ...
Looking for the right book coach for your fantasy novel?
Are you a fantasy writer …
… struggling to convert the vivid scenes of your fantasy novel from your imagination to the page?
… stuck in a loop where you constantly rewrite your opening pages?
… worried your story won’t resonate with your readers?
What if I could show you the exact steps week to week that would take you from brainstorming and drafting to revising and publication?
I specialize in developmental editing and book coaching for writers of fantasy novels—writers who value the craft of storytelling and wish to create stories that resonate.
My Services
Develop Your Ideas
Fantasy Footsteps: Road to Publication
I’ll let you in on a secret. All you need to succeed as a writer are three things:
A Roadmap: Illuminate your path with a step-by-step guide, ensuring you achieve your writing goals every week. From outlining to publishing, every stage of your journey is mapped out for success.
Mindset Mastery: Learn how your thoughts control your outcomes in your writing. Overcome self-doubt and unearth the confidence that will bring your unique ideas to life on the page.
Personalized Support: Prepare for comprehensive assistance, real-time accountability, and feedback tailored to your needs. From brainstorming sessions to final publication, you'll have a dedicated ally guiding you every step of the way.
With these three pillars, you'll unlock the potential to:
Craft a captivating story that enthralls readers from the first page to the last.
Develop complex characters and immersive worlds that resonate deeply with your audience.
Navigate the complexities of plot twists and pacing, keeping readers hooked until the final chapter.
Receive specific guidance on refining your scenes so that readers root for your protagonist.
Overcome writer's block and stay motivated throughout your writing journey, ensuring consistent progress.
Transform your rough draft into a polished, professional manuscript ready for publication.
Are you ready to turn your fantasy novel from a mere vision into a masterpiece that captures hearts and minds?
Join Fantasy Footsteps: Road to Publication and begin your author journey with everything you need to write a story that works.
Don't let your story remain trapped in your mind—bring it to life with me!
If you’re thinking, “Yes, please! Tell me what to do!” , I’d like to invite you to work one-to-one with me to finish your novel and write a story that works. Join my book coaching program designed specifically for fantasy writers—Fantasy Footsteps: Road to Publication.
Discover Helpful Tools
Resources For Writers
Here you will find some of my favorite resources for writers.
Add these books, podcasts, websites, and other resources to your writing toolbox to augment your writing at any stage.
Join My Free, Private Facebook Group
Finish My Fantasy Novel: Write & Revise My Best Book in 6 Months
In the group, I go live weekly with writing tips. The group is also a platform for writers to support each other and share their wins and progress.
Live training schedule:
1st Tuesday of the month: Free critique for someone in the group!
2nd Tuesday of the month: Writing sprint with fellow writers
3rd Tuesday of the month: Live training on a specific topic
4th Tuesday of the month: Interview with an author or marketing/business expert
Improve Your Craft
Writing Advice Blog
As a developmental editor and book coach, everything I post is designed to help you build your creativity, strengthen your prose, and explore new avenues in your writing. The opinions in each post are my own, but many are inspired by ideas from established authors and editors who excel in their fields.
Rely on my blog for clear and specific writing advice, motivational tips and grammatical aid, and interviews with experts!
Hi! I'm Nicole.
I’m a Developmental
Editor & Book Coach for Fantasy Writers.
Like you, I'm a writer. I understand the mental and emotional ups and downs of storytelling. Don't let resistance win! Recognize the value of good advice plus hard work.
My approach to novel writing is multifaceted. For a deeper understanding of my process and style, take a look at some of my favorite craft-of-writing books in my Resources section.
What can I say about myself? I read, I write, I read about writing, and I write about reading. It never gets old to me.
See what writers like you are saying . . .
Nadir Shirazi
“I’ve been stalling on my Islam-inspired sci-fantasy series for 10 years. But within 10 minutes of starting Nicole’s program, I started writing again."
Amanda Emerick
“I can’t recommend Fantasy Footsteps enough to writers who are legitimately looking to polish their craft, write, and eventually publish their novel."
Trinity Cunningham
“I loved discussing my story with Nicole. She provided me with invaluable insights I never would have considered on my own."
Latest on the Blog
You will find no pictures of kittens here. No images of favorite dessert recipes, snapshots of my recent vacations, videos of puppies playing the piano (although I do love dogs), or YouTube clips of monkeys stealing people’s sunglasses.
I’m genuinely sorry if that disappoints you.
Instead, you can rely on my blog for clear and specific writing advice, motivational tips, grammatical aid, and author/editor interviews.
As a developmental editor & book coach, everything I post is designed to help you build your creativity, strengthen your prose, and explore new avenues in your writing. The opinions in each post are my own, but many are inspired by ideas from established authors and editors who excel in their fields.
Some of these tips might be just what you need to hear. Others might not work for you personally, and that’s okay.
Apply the tips that fit your personality and writing habits, and feel free to adapt or ignore the others. For further questions and comments, you can email me or reach me through my Contact page.
Worldbuilding 101 for Fantasy Writers
Discover in this post … -the biggest mistake fantasy writers make when crafting their world. -my three cardinal rules of worldbuilding. -a simple method to help build the foundation of a fantasy world... ...more
Novel Writing
November 20, 2024•12 min read
Top Tips for Writers Pursuing Traditional Publishing: Interview with Jerry (J.B.) Manas
Discover in this post … -an award-winning author's path to publication in the fiction and nonfiction worlds. -8 key tips for authors pursuing traditional publishing. -a query template for writers to u... ...more
Novel Writing
October 20, 2024•13 min read
Move Past Perfectionism and Finish Your Book!
Discover in this post … -examples of perfectionism in my own life. -the cost of staying a perfectionist. -three simple strategies to help you erase perfectionism during the drafting stage. ...more
Novel Writing
September 20, 2024•11 min read
How to Get Into Your Character's Head without Using Italics
Discover in this post … -the primary reason readers stop reading a book. -the most effective way to resolve a lack of character–reader connection. -specific examples that illustrate exactly how to str... ...more
Novel Writing
August 20, 2024•9 min read
Self-Publishing Tips to Save You Thousands of Dollars and Years of Misery: Interview with Pete Cliff
Discover in this post … -the biggest mistake a multi-award-winning indie author made in his early writing career—and how he fixed it. -items to avoid when planning and writing your novel. -items to av... ...more
Novel Writing
July 20, 2024•8 min read
Erasing White Room Syndrome from Your Scenes
Discover in this post … -how to tell if your novel contains White Room Syndrome. -what happens in readers' minds when your scenes lack atmosphere. -two simple fixes to eliminate White Room Syndrome fr... ...more
Novel Writing
June 20, 2024•7 min read
Capture Your Readers from Your First Scene
Download my exclusive guide—8 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Fantasy Novel’s Opening. Start your fantasy novel right!
Are you worried you've failed to establish a bond between readers and characters in your first chapter? Do you wonder if you've bogged readers down with your worldbuilding? Do you sometimes overlook essential conflicts? Many readers will put your book down if it doesn't grab their attention right away, so it's vital to evoke powerful emotions from readers as early as possible.
Don't let these common mistakes rob your story of its magic and momentum. Save your precious time and energy by ensuring you hook readers from the start. Grab your guide now and check your opening against these common missteps!
(You will also receive monthly writing advice, updates about my free live trainings, and direct access to replays. Unsubscribe anytime.)
