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Colleen McCracken

Fantasy & Sci-fi Author

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Tag: pre-writing

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Writing Tips

Character design, and how to make it up as you go

colleenmccrackenJune 24, 2024June 10, 2024

Recently I did a post on my method of doing character profiles, and it was… kind of a lot. Or

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Writing Tips

How to write a character profile that actually helps

colleenmccrackenJune 10, 2024June 10, 2024

Well, hey there – it’s been a while! Due to life circumstances, I just took an extended and entirely unplanned

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Writing Tips

How to outline a novel, however you want

colleenmccrackenOctober 26, 2023October 26, 2023

I’ve wanted to do a post for a while about my outlining method, but I keep running into a problem.

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Writing Tips

How to write a sequel (without getting overwhelmed)

colleenmccrackenOctober 12, 2023October 11, 2023

Happy Preptober! It’s officially Nanowrimo Prep season, and I’ve got some fun stuff planned this month as we approach what

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Writing Tips

How to prepare for revising a novel

colleenmccrackenJuly 3, 2023May 18, 2025

It’s July, which means it’s time for Camp Nanowrimo! This month I’m attempting to add at least 30,000 words to

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Writing Tips

How to write good symbolism

colleenmccrackenMay 14, 2023October 11, 2023

I’ve been thinking a lot about symbolism lately, mainly because I’ve read, watched, or played a couple of things recently

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Writing Tips

Goal setting for people who hate goals

colleenmccrackenJanuary 1, 2023October 11, 2023

Happy new year! And happy New Year’s resolution season to those who celebrate. I, for one, do not. But this

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Writing Tips

Do you really need to Google that? A beginner’s guide to novel research

colleenmccrackenDecember 21, 2022December 21, 2022

Research is one of my favorite parts of the writing process, but I’ll be the first to admit I tend

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Warmup Wednesday

Warmup Wednesday: the Wikipedia method of worldbuilding

colleenmccrackenNovember 23, 2022May 18, 2025

Author’s note: This post was originally written prior to the November, 2023 child grooming scandal and subsequent slow death of

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Stupid Advice Saturday

Stupid Advice Saturday: “Write what you know”

colleenmccrackenNovember 12, 2022May 18, 2025

Author’s note: This post was originally written prior to the November, 2023 child grooming scandal and subsequent slow death of

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About Me

Hi, I'm Helen! I write fantasy and sci-fi under the pen name Colleen McCracken. I'm a bookworm and literary analysis junkie from the Pacific Northwest heading down the road toward publication, and sharing advice, analysis, and updates along the way. I hope to publish my debut fantasy novel, Hunter of Seals, in 2025.

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Recent Posts

  • So you need to pick an editor… now what?
  • So you got some feedback… now what?
  • The magic and terror of sharing your writing
  • A sci-fi author’s guide to Sanderson’s Laws
  • Character design, and how to make it up as you go

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