How to Improve Writing Skills

Talking to a serial killer for research, Dr. Aysha Akhtar, MD, MPH, reveals the planning that went into her interviews and how she stayed sane through the process.

When adapting a novel for film, Script Magazine editor Jeanne Bowerman says your number-one job is to tell an amazing story—enhancing it for the format.

Taylor Simonds tells how being aware of the tropes of your genre and turning them upside down can help your work stand out in an oversaturated market.

From the veteran writer to the friend who doesn't read, author Karen Dukess presents the seven friends you need to keep on track while writing and publishing your novel.

Writing fiction can be like dreaming, coming from our subconscious. Cheryl A. Ossola suggests writers need to get out of the story's way.

Don't "create" characters; get to know them instead. John Jamison has used the power of story in various roles—from pastor to brand development consultant—and he has some unique methods for getting to know his characters.

Playwright Frank Strausser shares the benefits of working with actors to figure out why your scenes are not working.

Melanie Benjamin—author of six historical novels about real people and events—offers four lessons she's learned about writing fiction from fact, and when to deviate from the truth.

Author Karen Rinaldi sucks at surfing, but she continues to dedicate hours to it anyway, and she explains why we should also be okay with failure in many forms—even our writing.

WD editors were impressed to hear that Next Girl to Die author Dea Poirier was working on four manuscripts simultaneously, all after completing her debut novel. We asked Poirier to share a few tips with you on how she manages multiple manuscripts at once.

Writers work hard. Now, if only employers would. E.L. Tenenbaum shares eight skills writers have that make them great candidates for that necessary-for-most day job.

No matter the genre, editing is essential. Audrey Wick and her editor, Julie Sturgeon, give readers a behind-the-scenes peek at the process of editing the first chapter of a manuscript.

How does meditation help overcome writers' block? A writer and meditation teacher explores the science behind it all.

It is easy to get lost in the flurry of feedback you get after sharing your writing for critique. Lorraine Devon Wilke shares how not to lose track of your own voice in the process.

Call Me Evie author J.P. Pomare shares how his research trips to the town where his suspense novel takes place influenced his writing.

From fast-paced action to intimate drama, third-person limited POV can be adapted to any scene or situation.

Novel readers love it when a protagonist dramatically transforms from Page One to The End. Jerry B. Jenkins shares the fundamentals of developing a strong character arc.