Plot holes: they’re one of the quickest ways to lose credibility with readers. I had a roommate in college who loved to yell “flaw!” at the…
There will always be writing rules in fiction, but some rules are meant to be broken. Are you itching to be a writing rebel and take…
A love interest can strengthen almost any storyline. Romantic relationships increase stakes and tension. This gives you another pacing tool outside your main plotline. They also…
I almost always prefer books told from a single point of view. As my Goodreads review history will reveal, I consider point-of-view shifts one of the…
Suspense may have its own genre, but all writers should practice adding it to our plots. Whether you’re writing a plot- or character-driven story, commercial fiction…
If you plan on writing a novel, at your own pace or during NaNoWriMo, now is a good time to start pulling all your ideas together.…
Your writing, like anything else, won’t improve unless you practice. Here are five writing tips to get your skills up to snuff in 2019. 1. Put…
The way a scene begins — or launches — prepares the reader for whatever lies ahead. When I was young, my mother often reminded me that…
Just like every real-life person is unique, you should make your characters unique, too. Generic, stereotypical characters feel no more special to your reader than a…
Fiction writers face a tricky balance with emotional scenes. We want the reader to feel the story as deeply as the characters do, but it’s easy…