It is officially summer and that means more time to explore the literary universe. Get your pen and paper ready; you’re going to want to take note of these sources! Welcome to this month You Gotta Love This Writing with Rae Elliott (Barely Hare Books).

A seasoned writer and blogger, Rae Elliot has seen much success in the writing world, particularly with her blog, Barely Hare Books—a blog that offers writing tips and tricks. Because of the success it has garnered, Rae has moved on to creating an online writing course for teens, that will guide them on their way to writing best-selling novels. Her preferred genre is indie sci-fi/fantasy, but that doesn’t mean she won’t help you reach your dreams for a different genre. 

Thank you for being here with us this month, Rae! It’s now our pleasure to turn it over to her, to describe the resources she uses to get her creativity flowing. In her own words, this is…

You Gotta Love This Writing with Rae Elliot (Barely Hare Books)

1. Invisible Ink by Brian McDonald.

To put it simply, Invisible Ink is my writing bible. Author Brian McDonald breaks down the unseen skeleton of great stories and why it is so vital to every story, no matter the genre. It has opened my eyes to avenues of writing I’ve never considered. I refer to this guide to improve my craft on a daily basis—no joke! 

2. Characters and Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card.

Characters and Viewpoint is one in a series called the Elements of Fiction Writing (and FYI, it’s my fave one in the series). I love this book because it not only thoroughly explains every facet of character crafting, it also explains how different POVs drastically influence core elements of storytelling. It’s a fascinating read and I refer to it a ton.

3. You Are a Storyteller Podcast hosted by Brian McDonald and Jesse Bryan.

(Yes, another Brian McDonald recommendation!) Honestly, I’m not big on podcasts so this should tell you how special this podcast is. In each hour-long episode of the You Are a Storyteller Podcast, Brian and Jesse discuss a topic of fiction such as armature or the three-act structure. I love listening to them open up and break down these theories together because it’s honestly an eye-opening experience. This podcast is for anyone looking for a casual conversation about literature, movie references, and storytelling filled with enlightening insights. It’s also available on Youtube where you get to see them in the studio!

4. Neil Gaiman’s “The Art of Storytelling” Masterclass.

I recently got into the Masterclass world, and let me tell you, I was not disappointed. The Masterclass online courses are one-on-one lessons with world-famous instructors. Since I’m a fantasy author, naturally I had to take Neil Gaiman’s “The Art of Storytelling” Masterclass. What an enchanting experience, to say the least. Neil Gaiman brings basic writing topics to life with his spell-binding storytelling nature. It’s like taking classes on fantasy writing by the Gandalf of the writing world! And hey, I’m a sucker for an English accent, so that was a bonus too. 

5. Building Your Fantasy World by Rae Elliott.

Honestly, I’m really proud of this book and truly believe in its ability to help any writer looking to craft a complete fictional world. Ranging from topics such as map creation to language crafting and more, each chapter discusses every element of world building your science fiction or fantasy world needs and why. Since my book is geared toward young writers, it’s aimed to teach lessons in an easy to understand way. It even comes with interactive worksheets to help you craft your own world.

6. The NaNoWriMo Kit by Rae Elliott.

My writing workbook or kit, The NaNoWriMo Kit, has helped countless new or seasoned writers write a 50,000-word novel in just 30 days. By following the proven 9-step process, writers will learn about this annual event, how to participate in it and how to write a well-written novel within the set time frame. This kit also includes a suggested daily routine which also allows you to reach your goals without giving up other obligations or time with friends. But don’t get me wrong, this kit is valuable any time of year, not just during NaNoWriMo! 

Rae Elliott is an Ent-hugger, Porg-whisperer, and most importantly, an indie science fiction/fantasy author. She teaches teens how to write fandom-worthy fiction over at her blog BarelyHareBooks.com and loves to help young creatives reach their writing goals, one article at a time. She’s currently creating an online course specifically for teen writers that will teach the fundamentals of fandom-worthy fiction. You can find her fangirling over books, movies, video games and more on Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest. 

For more chock-full of writing resources, check out the other You Gotta Love This Writing features.

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