Is Your Chapter Going Off the Rails?

We often refer to the drafting stage of the process "the chapter train"--especially when it's going well. If you set yourself up in development, you can get on the chapter train and chug-chug along to the end. But of course, having a plan doesn't mean something won't throw a problem on the tracks. This week, we're looking at five ways your chapters can go off the rails and how to stop and correct the issue and get back on the chapter train. (And two ways where your self doubt might tell you you're off track, but you really just need to keep going.) Part of the process of becoming a writer is learning how to read like a writer--to see the bones of structure and past the words to what choices the author is making and why they are (or aren't) working in the interest of the story. That's why Page and Podium is excited to announce our upcoming new Memoir Method Book Club, where each month we will be reading and examining a memoir with a writer's eye to learn more about what we can apply (or avoid) in our own work. 📅 New videos every Tuesday - subscribe and never miss an update! Timestamps: 0:00 What does "off the rails" mean? 2:00- Self-doubt can derail your progress 4:14- You can't be "off the rails" if you never put the rails down 8:10- Being stuck in the "and thens" 13:00-Drifting into the clouds 16:50- Hopscotching 19:20- Rewriting spin cycle 23:10- You're not off the rails if you're making discoveries 27:00- Feeling like you're "too {fill in the blank}" is nearly always a second draft problem. 👉 **Follow Us:** - **LinkedIn:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.linkedin.com/company/page-and-podium-press/) - **Facebook:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.facebook.com/pageandpodiumpress) - **Instagram:** [@pageandpodiumpress](https://www.instagram.com/pageandpodiumpress/) 🎵 Music I Use: Bensound License code: FZ3LM4DGUTQYKAES Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more writing tips and strategies. See you next Tuesday! Hashtags: #WritingTips #FirstTimeAuthors #ManuscriptRevision #BookWriting #AuthorAdvice #PageAndPodiumPress #memoirwriting #memoir #journal