How to Take Your Writing from Good to Great
Most of us writers aren’t content with just being mediocre. Just writing so-so books. I’d like to think most writers have a keen desire to improve and excel in their writing, improve in not just their...
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Dynamic vs Static Characters – Your Fiction Needs Them Both
Great fiction features great characters—there should be no argument there. While plot is crucial (as is having a terrific premise), for any story to be both memorable and engaging, it must have fresh,...
View ArticleWhat It Takes to Become a Proficient Writer
Malcolm Gladwell’s 2008 best seller, Outliers, centers on the premise that, regardless of a person’s pursuit, it takes about 10,000 hours to become proficient, or perhaps an expert. Gladwell...
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3 Techniques for Powerful Writing
Today’s post is by Janeen Mathisen. When you read a story and call it “powerful writing,” chances are it affected you in a way that’s hard to describe. Authors use various methods to make their...
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Crafting Believable Characters – 3 Easy Steps
Creating believable characters is the key to engaging storytelling. Readers invest in characters who feel real and express emotions, motivation, and responses that resonate with readers. One effective...
View ArticleThe Challenges of Character Self-Description in Fiction
Characters in fiction are the heart of any story. We all love characters that pop off the page, that resonate with us, that we empathize with and root for. Surely, to get readers to care about...
View Article5 Simple Ways to Create High Stakes in Your Story
Fiction writers are told they must create high stakes. What are stakes and why are they so important in fiction? Simply put, stakes are about anything that can be gained or lost. Stakes can be...
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4 Ways Writers Can Make Tenacity Their Greatest Asset
By Nick Labonté. Ask 100 writers what their greatest asset is and you’ll probably get 100 answers—from 25-hour days to a trust fund. But look at the careers of some of the greatest writers and authors...
View Article10 Great Writing Tips for Fiction Writers
Fiction writers, when in the throes of creativity and busily working away on their story, don’t want to interrupt “the flow” by stopping and searching for grammar help online or thumbing through a...
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Identifying Genre – Why It Matters
Crafting a compelling story within a specific genre is akin to deciphering a secret code. Every genre has its unique DNA—a set of markers that define its essence. To truly master your chosen genre,...
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Writing Your Memoir: Where to Start
Thinking of writing a memoir and you don’t know where to start? You’re not alone. Most people have stories to tell—some inspiring, others tragic, and others entertaining. Each person’s story is...
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A Writer’s Guide to the Romantasy Genre
Today’s guest post is by Alexa Nazzaro and Lucien Schraeder. By now, you’ve likely heard of Romantasy – a currently trending topic in online reader communities. This genre has captivated the readers...
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Four Wonderful Ways to Courageously Develop and Grow as a Writer
Post by Ali Luke. When it comes to your writing, do you sometimes feel like you have the brakes on? You might want to move forward … but something’s holding you back. I’ve seen so many writers blame...
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Your Character’s Crucial Inner Conflict
In our fictional stories, where emotions, ambitions, and fears collide, inner conflict takes center stage as one of the most important elements to inspire empathy for our characters. Characters who...
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3 Ways to Infuse Your Story with Theme
When you ask a fiction writer what her story is about, she will usually explain the plot. Yes, plot is what the story is about, but theme is what the story is really about, simmering below the plot....
View ArticleInner Conflict: The Driving Force behind Character Development
Do you struggle with crafting realistic, complex characters? Have others told you that your characters are flat, stereotypic, or lacking uniqueness? It may be that you haven’t thought through your...
View ArticleInfusing Mood into Your Fiction
Every person or character, at any given time, is in a particular mood. Generally, mood is a person’s state of mind, but it’s more than that. Mood can also describe the disposition of a collective of...
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9 Tips to Help You Prepare to Work with a Ghostwriter
By Luke Palder. Most memoirs are written not by the authors themselves but by ghostwriters. Although these authors have fascinating stories to tell, they often don’t have the time or desire to...
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13 Essential Elements of a Suspense Thriller
Post by DiAnn Mills. A reader experiences a suspenseful story when the writing leaves them excited, anxious, and turning pages. Time stands still. The world around the reader fades into obscurity....
View Article10 Self-Editing Tips for Fiction Writers
Editing’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it. The best person, though, to edit a manuscript or article or blog post is the author herself. Sure, writers can—and should, when necessary—hire a...
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