Author Archives: Elizabeth Sims

How to Map Out Your Hero’s Adventure in Your Manuscript

By: Elizabeth Sims | August 26, 2014 | Comments 3

BY ELIZABETH SIMS How do the most successful authors of our time construct their stories? The Hero's Adventure. So what is the Hero’s Adventure? You know it already, and you may even have elements of it in the story you’re working on. But I suspect you haven’t yet methodically and thoroughly...

How to Use Profanity And Other Raw Talk In Your Fiction

By: Elizabeth Sims | December 26, 2013 | Comments 20

BY ELIZABETH SIMS The expletive known in polite circles as “the f-word” was most famously used in a major novel, Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the Dead, published in 1948. Except it wasn’t. Let me explain.

8 Simple Tips to Write Better

By: Elizabeth Sims | October 23, 2012 | Comments 9

Great writing begins with an appetite for life. Try these 8 approaches to get out of your comfort zone, break rules and reap rewards.

Develop Any Idea Into a Great Story: The BADS Technique Illustrated

By: Elizabeth Sims | October 9, 2012 | Comments 0

BY ELIZABETH SIMS How do great authors develop stunning narratives, break away from tradition and move the form of fiction forward? They take whatever basic idea they've got, then move it away from the typical. No matter your starting point—a love story, buddy tale, mystery, quest—you can do like the great...

Namedropping: Finding Solid Names for Your Unique Characters

By: Elizabeth Sims | August 28, 2012 | Comments 8

BY ELIZABETH SIMS What’s in a character’s name? Everything. Here’s how you, the writer, can master the neglected art of moniker-making.

7 Simple Ways to Make a Good Story Great

By: Elizabeth Sims | June 19, 2012 | Comments 44

To stand out to the gatekeepers who hold the keys to publication, it’s not enough for your story to be good. Use these techniques to take your fiction to new heights.

Out-of-This-World Names

By: Elizabeth Sims | November 14, 2011 | Comments 0

Jor-El. Jondalar. Modir-Rettr. What makes for a solid sci-fi character’s name? Get genre-specific tips and tricks from novelist Elizabeth Sims.

8 Ways to Write Better Characters

By: Elizabeth Sims | June 21, 2011 | Comments 0

Depicting convincing relationships could just be the key to writing better characters. Try these 8 ways to do it.

by Elizabeth Sims

Should You Write a Novel or Short Story?

By: Elizabeth Sims | May 17, 2011 | Comments 1

You’ve got a great idea—but how can you tell if it’s weighty enough for a novel, or would work best as a short story? Here are five key factors to consider.

by Elizabeth Sims

8 Ways to Write a 5-Star Chapter One

By: Elizabeth Sims | March 1, 2011 | Comments 0

BY ELIZABETH SIMS Fiction, like food, is an art and a craft. Here’s how to blend inspiration with technique and serve up an irresistible Chapter One.

10-Minute Fixes to 10 Common Plot Problems

By: Elizabeth Sims | December 7, 2010 | Comments 4

Structural problems can sink a novel. Let’s look at 10 common plot problems and how to quickly fix them.

by Elizabeth Sims

Get off to a Strong Start

By: Elizabeth Sims | November 29, 2010 | Comments 0

BY ELIZABETH SIMS Still looking for examples of great Chapter Ones? WD Contributing Editor Elizabeth Sims shares more of her picks.

How to Add Suspense to Your Novel

By: Elizabeth Sims | September 13, 2010 | Comments 0

Forget formulaic junk-food mysteries. Infuse your story with all the ingredients of savory suspense.

by Elizabeth Sims

The Essential Book Handselling Kit

By: Elizabeth Sims | May 12, 2010 | Comments 0

Carry the following with you almost everywhere you go.

by Elizabeth Sims

10 Simple Steps to Handselling Your Book

By: Elizabeth Sims | May 12, 2010 | Comments 2

BY ELIZABETH SIMS Yes, your own efforts really can make an impact on your sales, one reader at a time. Here are 10 simple steps to word-of-mouth success.

by Elizabeth Sims

How to Make Your Novel a Page Turner

By: Elizabeth Sims | January 12, 2010 | Comments 1

Never underestimate the power of suspense—in any genre. Use these surefire techniques to make your book one readers won’t be able to put down.

by Elizabeth Sims

The 7 Biggest Myths of Publishing (Know the Truth)

By: Elizabeth Sims | August 26, 2009 | Comments 2

A veteran author tells you, writer to writer, what getting published is really like—and confronts the seven biggest myths.

by Elizabeth Sims

Get Messy With Your First Draft

By: Elizabeth Sims | February 10, 2009 | Comments 1

Rough up your first draft to get to the good stuff.

by Elizabeth Sims

Face-to-Face with an Agent

By: Elizabeth Sims | August 20, 2008 | Comments 0

You've got an agent. You've got a deal. Is it worth it to fly to New York—on your own dime—for some face time? Here’s one writer’s advice.

by Elizabeth Sims

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