How to brainstorm better story ideas Generating ideas is the most underrated skill in a novelist’s toolkit—more essential than an appetite for cold-blooded revision, a head for structure, or a […]
How to brainstorm better story ideas Read More »
6 types of beats that bring writing alive Dialogue without anything else on the page feels like a screenplay—all setup for actors who will never arrive. In a film, the
Beyond action beats in dialogue Read More »
Character arc as story structure Most writers think of story structure as a dry, architectural plot blueprint. Inciting incidents and pinch points and turning points map out the road as the characters
Character journey as story structure Read More »
Make yourself the most useful writer in your writing group Critical response process turns you into the critique partner every writer wants: someone who offers actionable observations instead of opinionated
Critique Technique: Make yourself the most useful writer in your writing group Read More »
The hidden price of writing your whole manuscript solo Most writers strive to show up for editing with a complete manuscript, believing that a finished first draft proves they’re serious
What writing in isolation really costs Read More »
Three ways to build progressively escalating complications Unputdownable stories keep readers off balance, as one scene tips into another, and another, and the next. Each scene’s challenge demands a response,
Three Strategies for Creating Progressively Escalating Complications Read More »
The case for creative constraints I’d be a pretty rotten curator of writing craft advice if I didn’t leap at the opportunity to share some writing craft wisdom that kicked
Why thinking outside the box is hurting your creativity Read More »
Should you pay a professional beta reader? Hot take: Professional beta reading is an oxymoron. The core value of beta reading is the reader’s role as a stand-in for your
Should you hire a professional beta reader? Read More »
Test your story: Can you explain it to someone else? Remember those “explain it to me like I’m five” moments from school? While I’ve never had to explain fiction plotting
The Writes of Fiction: Teach your story to make it stronger Read More »
In between tales of snowy, uphill treks to school (spoiler #1: I lived in the desert) and drinking out of the garden hose (spoiler #2: I was more of a
Social media etiquette for authors Read More »
