I was elated when I received an acceptance for my short story “Casey.” But seeing the critique that followed, I was horrified to learn this story housed an entire menagerie of unwanted editorial pets—words, phrases, and grammatical constructions. | Black Fox Literary Magazine
The latest post in our Writing 101 series is all about the dreaded infodump—when the author drops a landslide of information on the reader and the pace (and reader interest) grinds to a halt. These big blocks of text often show up in early chapters when a writer wants to be sure they’ve explained everything […] The post Writing 101: How to Fix an Infodump appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
Setting is a story element that must do double duty in any genre: it’s your backdrop, so it shouldn’t take over and become the story, but it should be chosen deliberately and used to both enrich and amplify your scenes. It should blend in and be influential. But this is especially true in mystery novels […] The post Colonel Mustard in the Ballroom: How Setting Shapes Mystery appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
A cardinal sin of storytelling is to skimp on conflict, and no wonder. Those problems, challenges, obstacles, and inner struggles help keep readers engaged, casting doubt on the character’s ability to achieve their goal. Because readers are focused on what’s happening from one scene to the next, it can appear that conflict is only occurring […] The post How to Use the Four Levels of Conflict to Strengthen Your Story appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
Okay, fair warning—what you’re about to learn in this article might spoil movies, TV shows, and books for you forever. BUT—as a writer, you have to peel back the mechanics of story to understand how to make your book awesome, so even if you hate spoilers you’re going to love having the inside track on […] The post How to Pair Your Book’s Beginning and Ending to Satisfy Readers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
When it comes to showing our character’s path to healing in the aftermath of a destructive wound, we need to take it slow.| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
by Debbie Burke Let’s assume most of us who follow Anne’s and Ruth’s blog are not kidnappers, rapists, or murderers. Since we’re not, it can be difficult for us to imagine the mindset of characters who commit heinous crimes. So how can we write multidimensional, memorable villains who have more depth than the cartoonish […] The post How To Drill Inside Your Villain’s Head appeared first on Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris.| Anne R. Allen's Blog… with Ruth Harris
Go ahead, write that first draft with a feather. It’s all good. by Anne R. Allen Recently I’ve been looking at comment threads on old posts. Five years ago, people were leaving a lot more comments. But commenting on blogs has faded along with the popularity of blogging, which a lot of people see as […] The post Write Your First Draft for Yourself: there are no rules appeared first on Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris.| Anne R. Allen's Blog… with Ruth Harris
Don’t be afraid to try things--even things that may seem far, far out of the box. You're not always writing broad stories, but this is advice I've offered many authors in every type of story who may be holding themselves back in the interest of finesse and subtlety and not spoon-feeding readers. Those can be good instincts, and valuable for creating believable and effective stories, but sometimes we're holding ourselves back too much, fearing that if we give ourselves too much rein, our sto...| FoxPrint Editorial
My last post highlighted Writing Tips for the Neurodivergent Brain, but what about writing resources and tools? What sorts of “helpers” are out there to help people with not-so-great executive functions get to the end? What the Heck Is “Executive Function”? This is the part of the brain that manages tasks, time, focus, and self-control. […] The post Amazing Resources for Neurodivergent Writers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
Taking the time to choose the right setting for each scene is one of the best ways to ensure our writing has impact. Why? Because the setting touches everything. It can characterize the story’s cast, evoke mood, generate conflict, shape the plot, and even use symbols and emotional triggers to show readers what the protagonist […] The post How to Amp up Your Story Setting appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
Tapping into our reader’s psyche to pull on their emotions is essential. The secret to achieving it is emotional common ground.| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
Advice to authors to create a newsletter is ubiquitous, and the reasons are generally solid. It's a direct line of communication to people who are very interested in your work. It's a platform that's totally within your own control and ownership, and the mailing list is your own,| FoxPrint Editorial
Many writers today present haiku as free verse, covering a myriad of subjects. Although many readers, myself included, enjoy modern haiku verses, I feel there is greater gentleness and artistic challenge when composing haiku using a traditional format. | Black Fox Literary Magazine
For anyone considering cowriting: always communicate more than you think you need to. And remember, it’s not a competition—it’s a duet.| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
Stories aren’t primarily about the facts; they’re about the feelings—not just your characters’ emotions, but all of their inner life: what they make of what’s happening over the course of the story and how it affects them, makes them react, and influences their subsequent actions, behavior, and attitudes. That’s how you move the story forward, and how you develop the character arcs and show them moving along it—and much of hinges on what other characters do and say and how that ...| FoxPrint Editorial
Most creatives don’t set out to regurgitate remade versions of stories that have been told before. We want to boldly go where no storyteller has gone before, create utterly original tales, characters, and perhaps even story structure no reader has ever seen. Whether that’s even| FoxPrint Editorial
Revision doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. It can be one of the most creative and clarifying stages of the process.| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
If you're feeling stuck and uninspired, perhaps it's not YOU ... perhaps you need to change your location!| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
Learn the difference between the first person, second person, and third person viewpoints so you can choose the right one for your story.| WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
Publisher Nicola Mason on the opportunities that have shaped Acre and her sensibilities as a reader and editor.| Acre Books
SS: You’re an editor and poet all rolled up into one. How do you manage these roles? Do you have any advice for those who struggle with revision?| Acre Books
Are there books you've always wanted to read but never have? Discover this new story craft podcast that confronts story structure and writing through the lens of its hosts'| A Fuse #8 Production
Looking for fun and engaging winter literacy activities for your students? This How to Build a Snowman Writing Activity is just what you need! Building a snowman is one of the most magical activities of winter, sparking creativity and joy in children of all ages. Imagine capturing that excitement and channeling it into a fun, … The post How to Build a Snowman Writing Activity appeared first on ABCs of Literacy.| ABCs of Literacy
By Caitlin Wahrer When I checked out Master Slave Husband Wife, the biography of an enslaved American couple who emancipated themselves in 1848, I expected a history lesson. I did not expect suspen…| The Brevity Blog
Recently I was watching an interview of a successful television actor who knew from childhood that he wanted to spend his life performing for audiences. Another individual remarked during the conve…| Chronicles of the Scribe
From time to time, people ask me for information on how to outline a plot. “How,” they ask, “do you know what should come first? Then what do you do?” The answer can be hard…| Chronicles of the Scribe
I cannot tell you what a relief it is to announce that my latest novel, A MAN OF HONOR, is now in processing at Amazon for imminent Kindle release. I started this western nearly two years ago, and …| Chronicles of the Scribe
Research is necessary for any successful setting although it can also be a quagmire from which the unwary writer may never emerge. While it’s tempting to use only invented settings or to conf…| Chronicles of the Scribe
If you’re thinking you can plunk your action scene in any old gritty dark alley in Generic City, USA, then you’re shortchanging the dramatic potential of your story. For one thing, ther…| Chronicles of the Scribe