Heart Breathings

5 Crucial Elements of a Good Novel

5 Crucial Elements of a Good Novel

As we get closer to Camp NaNo starting, I thought it might be valuable to talk about what I believe are the FIVE most crucial elements of a great book. As writers, we have so much to learn and so many pieces of storytelling that need to come together, that it can often feel overwhelming. […]

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How To Begin Editing Your Book After NaNoWriMo

How To Begin Editing Your Book After NaNoWriMo

Writing a rough draft of your novel during NaNoWriMo is an absolute whirlwind, but what the heck do you do with your book after NaNo is over? Today, we’re going to talk about how to get started with your self-edits. This, of course, applies to all novels and rough drafts, not just NaNoWriMo. However, since […]

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My New Plotting Planner

My New Plotting Planner

I can hardly believe it’s almost March, and that means my sweet new baby, Evie, is already almost 6 months old! For me, that means it’s beyond time for me to be getting back into the habit of daily writing. In order to get motivated for this, I knew it would be both fun and […]

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How To Plot Your Novel, Part Six: Elements of Act Three

How To Plot Your Novel, Part Six: Elements of Act Three

My “How To Plot Your Novel” video series continues today with the Elements of Act Three. In my last video, we discussed the secon half of the Second Act, leading up to the second doorway of no return. Today, we are going to talk about what happens in the final act of your story. How […]

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How To Plot Your Novel, Part Three: Elements of Act One

How To Plot Your Novel, Part Three: Elements of Act One

Hey, guys, and welcome back to my series on how to plot your novel. Today, we are going to be talking about the elements of Act One. This is part 3 of my 8-part series on outlining a novel, and I hope you’ll come back each week for the remaining parts. Near the bottom of […]

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How To Plot Your Novel, Part Two: Writing Great Characters

How To Plot Your Novel, Part Two: Writing Great Characters

We are back today with Part 2 of my 8-Part Video series on How To Plot Your Novel. Today’s focus is on writing great characters. Whether you are writing a character-driven or a plot-driven story, you still need great characters with depth and emotional impact. You also need to understand who your characters are, why […]

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How To Plot Your Novel, Part One: Series Overview

How To Plot Your Novel, Part One: Series Overview

Learning how to plot a novel is one of the toughest parts of being a writer. I swear that after more than twenty-five full-length novels, I still feel like there is so much more to learn! And while it’s true that some people (known as “pantsers”) don’t plot their novels at all, for many of […]

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Sarra Cannon

Hi, I'm Sarra!

I have been self-publishing my books since 2010, and in that time, I've sold well over half a million copies of my books. I'm not a superstar or a huge bestseller, but I have built an amazing career that brings me great joy. Here at Heart Breathings, I hope to help you find that same level of success. Let's do this.

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A Writer's Life Planning And Organization Self-Publishing Tips Writing Tips