Writing Techniques
How to Write a Thriller That Delivers
When you've kept your readers up all hours of the night turning the pages, then you know you've got a winning thriller on your hands. Author Wanda M. Morris offers 6 tips on how to write a thriller that delivers, plus examples from thrillers to add to your bookshelves.
4 Advantages of Writing a Novel Using Multiple Narrative Forms
Journal entries, third person, written letters, oh my! There are a myriad of ways to tell your story, and choosing how to move forward can feel daunting. Author Liz Keller Whitehurst shares the 4 advantages of writing a novel using multiple narrative forms.
FightWrite™: NaNoWriMo Fight Scene Guide
Trained fighter and author Carla Hoch helps get the bones of our fight scenes into our NaNoWriMo drafts—and reminds us that the NaNoWriMo journey is a messy one for a reason.
Write What You Know and Ask “What If?"
Writing what you know is not necessarily the same thing as writing your personal experiences. Young adult author Nikki Barthelmess discusses how to write what you feel as a way to write what you know, and to ask "what if?"
What Is a Split-time Novel and Why Do Readers Love Them?
Bestselling author Katherine Reay discusses the purpose and appeal of split-time novels, as well as recommending titles for both readers and writers.
3 Things to Learn About Writing From Reading The Comfort of Strangers
To add more suspense and a feeling of unease to your work in progress, a close read of Ian McEwan's The Comfort of Strangers offers plenty to learn from.
How Fiction and Psychotherapy Complement Each Other
Writer Linda Feyder worried she'd abandoned her love of writing for a more practical career. What she discovered was that one informed the other. Read more about how fiction and psychotherapy complement each other.
NaNoWriMo: To Prep or Not to Prep?
When it comes to a 30 day writing challenge like NaNoWriMo, do you need to prep beforehand to achieve success? Well, that might depend on what kind of writer you are.
FightWrite™: Authenticity Not Required
Trained fighter and author Carla Hoch argues that having an authentic fight scene comes second to having a realistic one. Read more about how to engage your reader with realism.
The Case Against Writing Rituals
Many writers have certain requirements in order to get to writing: the right lighting, a particular pen, or a favorite mug. Author Stephen Graham Jones offers a different perspective on ways to get to work without ritual.
What Is NaNoWriMo?
You might have heard about National Novel Writing Month AKA NaNoWriMo. But what is it, really? And how can writers get involved?
5 Ways to Seize the Moment With Sensory Detail in Action Scenes
What are your characters' seeing, hearing, tasting, and smelling? Bestselling author Helen Hardt offers tips for writing sensory details.
7 Things to Keep in Mind When Writing Americans Abroad
Author Katie Crouch offers 7 tips in perfecting your setting that's far from home.
FightWriteTM: Blocking Fight Scenes with a Map
Trained fighter and author Carla Hoch discusses mapping out fight scenes by starting at the end.
100 Ways to Buff Your Book
Does your manuscript need a little more definition, but you’re not sure where to begin? Try these 100 tips to give your words more power.
When Is Historical Accuracy Inaccurate?
Writers of historical fiction must always ride the line between factual and fictitious. Here, author Terry Roberts discusses how to navigate that line.
Essential Versus Non-Essential Mystery
What gets a reader to keep turning pages? Author Amanda Kabak seeks to answer that question here.
The Transformative Power of Writing Dialect
There are plenty of reasons against mimicking dialect when writing ... but are there any in favor? Author Ed Davis discusses.
How to Write a Novel With Your Very Good Friend
Looking to write with a friend? Let Laura Blackett & Eve Gleichman, co-authors of The Very Nice Box, give you some tips for making your writing partnership successful.
Character Differentiation Analysis: Fleshing Out What You’ve Started
When it comes to crafting characters, you can't be too careful. Let Kris Spisak guide you in your character development.
Politics and World-Building in Science Fiction and Fantasy
The fight against interstellar bigotry requires interstellar questions. In this post, Stef Magister shares 11 questions writers should ask to make their worldbuilding persuasive, immersive, and memorable.
5 Pieces of Common Writing Advice You Should Absolutely Ignore
There’s so much information for writers it can be hard to know what to listen to and what to ignore. Author Stefanie London interrogates some popular writing advice in this article.
FightWrite™: Why Writers Should Copy Fight Scene Formats
You should never copy anyone else's work ... right? Trained fighter and author Carla Hoch explains why that's not necessarily the case when writing a fight scene.
My Crawfie: How I Fictionalized a Real-Life Character
Learn from historical fiction author Tessa Arlen how to take a real-life person and fictionalize them for your novel.