Establishing a Successful Relationship With Your Muse
Some call it The Muse; others their imagination. Some call it their spirit guides or God or Source Energy. The word’s not important. What is important is to understand your role in the creative relationship with whatever joins you at the desk.
How Writing Helped Me Transform from Worrier to Warrior
When Mariagrazia Buttitta was diagnosed with a rare disease that caused her to be legally blind, she found peace and courage in writing.
Rub Two Sticks Together to Create a Spark: A Scout’s Strategy for Starting a Story
How do you start a story when your creative spark has dimmed? Try rubbing two ideas together.
10 Ways to Overcome Lonely Writer Syndrome
One of the downsides to becoming a fulltime author or writer is that, by its very nature, writing can be a very lonely business. But there are things you can do to avoid lonely writer syndrome.
A Spark to a Story: Listen to Your Instincts to Find Story Ideas
Next time you have those tiny nagging story ideas in your head, don’t ignore them. Act on them! Use them as fuel, as inspiration. Do the research and find your story.
For the Love of Writing: 25 Wordsmiths Explain Why They Write
Last month, we called for our readers to share the motivations behind their wondrous words and reasons behind their love of writing.
Websites for Writers: 20 Sites with Great Writing Advice
Here, you'll find our top resources for exceptional writing advice from among the 101 websites for writers featured in Writer's Digest.
The Writer’s Digest Holiday Gift Guide: 30+ Gifts for Writers
From books, socks, tech, games and knicknacks to services and videos, this guide offers a compendium of creative experiences, learning tools and gifts for writers of every genre and persuasion.
Considering Absurdism
The 7th of November is the anniversary of absurdist writer/philosopher Albert Camus' birth in 1913. Writing as yourself or through a character, discuss whether life has meaning and reason—or it's as meaningless and nonsensical (i.e., absurd) as Camus believed. Given your position, consider what, if anything, people can do to find...
6 Lessons Writers Can Learn from Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’
Stranger Things' roaring success was the result of its blend of nostalgia, unexpected storytelling elements, an immersive plot—as well as other aspects that writers can emulate in their own writing to craft compelling tales.
Use Mind Mapping to Plan Your Next Writing Project
Seeking a creative boost for your next writing project? Try mind mapping, which harnesses the power of brainstorming and free association to develop an idea or concept. Whether you’re planning a novel, an article, an instructional course, a blog post, or a product or service related to your author brand, the...
7 Things I’ve Learned so Far, by Amy Gustine
This is a recurring column I’m calling “7 Things I’ve Learned So Far,” where writers (this installment written by Amy Gustine, author of YOU SHOULD PITY US INSTEAD) at any stage of their career can talk about writing advice and instruction as well as how they possibly got their book agent — by sharing seven things they’ve...
Writing On the Rails: Survival Tips for Traveling Authors
After years of crisscrossing the country by car, plane, train, bus, and even on foot for stretches, one of my favorite modes of transportation remains the railroad. Yes, it can be a little shabby, but not nearly as bad as some bus stations I’ve seen. Plus, it has a great literary...
Wade Rouse: Top 10 Ways to Stay True to Yourself in Publishing
Since many TANR readers seem to have enjoyed Erik Larson’s list of the Top 10 Essentials to a Writer’s Life and Sherman Alexie’s Top 10 Pieces of Writing Advice I’ve Been Given (Or That I’ll Pretend Were Given to Me), today we offer you another list from another brilliant mind: memoirist...
LeBron’s Lessons for Authors
By Rob Eagar I’m a 5-foot, 10-inch man who can barely jump. LeBron James is 6-foot, 8-inch basketball superstar who can jump so high that people wonder if he’s human. So, we’re polar opposites on the basketball court. But, after watching LeBron win his first championship last week, I felt a...
Marketing Lessons from My Father
By Rob Eagar Marketing and sales are in my blood. That’s because I come from a distinguished line of salesmen. My grandfather was in sales. My father was in sales. In college, I tried to buck the trend by majoring in landscape architecture. But, my inability to recall the Latin names of...