How does that song go — every story is a love story? It’s true. Even if you don’t write romance into your manuscript, some kind of…
We all get angry sometimes, but what makes us angry — and what we do about it — varies widely from person to person. The same…
Character deaths: they’re one of the best ways to get readers talking about your story, but they’re also a big risk. Done poorly, a death scene…
As a writer, I love flashbacks. They help strengthen the emotional connection between reader and protagonist. Flashbacks give us a peek into our point-of-view character’s backstory…
The best stories don’t just show us a sequence of events. They follow their characters on a meaningful personal journey that happens to include those events.…
Many writers dread the middle of a novel. Beta readers describe middles in unfortunate terms like messy, boring, draggy, or saggy. While the beginning delivers the…
Story endings are a minefield for writers. They get people fired up, and not always in a good way. Diehard fans can get apoplectic about the…
For a new writer, nothing matters more than your book’s opening scene. It gives a first impression of both you and your story. Without previous titles…
If I had to name a single recurring theme in my critique group’s feedback on my early drafts, it’d be stakes. The stakes in many young…
In a season of reflection and gratitude, it’s fun to examine your writing influences. Have you ever thought about the topics and themes you choose or…