If you’re aiming for traditional publishing, securing a literary agent is one of the most important steps you can take. But with so many agents out there—and each one specializing in particular genres—the search can feel overwhelming. The good news is that finding an agent who not only represents your genre but also believes in your work is absolutely possible with the right strategy. The post How to Find a Literary Agent Who Specializes in Your Genre appeared first on Atmosphere Press.| Atmosphere Press
When it comes to writing a mystery novel, the detective character is often the heart and soul of the story. How you write your detective character can make the difference between a forgettable mystery and one that hooks readers from the first page! The post Writing a Detective Character That Readers Will Remember appeared first on Atmosphere Press.| Atmosphere Press
Red herrings are one of the most powerful tools in a mystery writer’s arsenal—and one of the easiest to misuse. If you’ve ever tried to keep your reader guessing only to leave them confused, frustrated, or (worst of all) unimpressed, you’re not alone. The post Writing Red Herrings Without Losing the Reader appeared first on Atmosphere Press.| Atmosphere Press
If you’re looking for novel rewriting tips, you already know one truth of the writing life: the first draft is never the final word. Finishing a draft is a huge achievement—but it’s only the beginning. The real work of shaping your story into something publishable happens in the rewrite. The post The Five Types of Rewrites (and How to Survive Each One) appeared first on Atmosphere Press.| Atmosphere Press
Turnitin has announced new improvements to its AI detection tools that aim to help detect the use of AI "humanizer" services. Source| Plagiarism Today
Many people claim that AI is democratizing writing. However, all it's doing is democratizing the final product, not the process that creates it. Source| Plagiarism Today
Self-Portrait, 1952 by Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964)| Biblioklept
Poe wrote a best seller and picked up a movie deal for her first published book. While she worked hard to get published, she lost something as she is trying for her next book. So worried about letting her new fans down and being a one hit wonder, she is starting to feel desperate. In […]| Books of My Heart
Writer’s self-doubt after you finish writing your book is normal—discover how to manage these emotions and move forward with confidence.| Atmosphere Press
Social media can feel like a double-edged sword for writers. On one hand, it’s an incredible way to connect with readers, build a loyal audience, and showcase your work. On the other hand, it can feel overwhelming, another “to-do” on top of your already full creative plate. But you don’t need to be everywhere, post [...]| Writecream
With growing dissatisfaction about the state of the internet, I spent a few months in 2025 digging into things like the fediverse (Mastodon etc.), self-hosting, and other ways of reclaiming the internet from companies like Google. On my travels, I came across the term POSSE, which stands for Publish (on your) Own Site Syndicate Elsewhere. Here's how it applies to my writing.| Leon Furze
Discover the world of eco-fiction and how storytelling can help us reimagine our relationship with the Earth.| Atmosphere Press
Gabrielle Grace Hogan, writer for Autostraddle and a poet.| The Cincinnati Review
Greetings to one and all. Beem Weeks here with you again. This month, I’m looking at the difference between inspiration and craft. Though they are not the same, both are integral parts of co…| Story Empire
Writing Australia, Creative Australia’s new literature body, launches today.| ESTHER ANATOLITIS
A Confederacy of Dunces by American novelist John Kennedy Toole was first published in 1980 … “I read someplace in the paper where they got plenty comuniss at college.” “We…| E.T.ZONE
Watch out for online scams targeting hopeful authors, but find security and support with legitimate platforms like Atmosphere Press.| Atmosphere Press
by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison Join us for Writers and Illustrators Day 2025! CATCH THE CREATIVE WAVE …Continue reading →| Kite Tales
Learn how to write a kiss scene with strong emotion, clear consent, and the right buildup to make it unforgettable.| Atmosphere Press
Almost exactly 10 years ago, a series of unexpected events brought Kristen Leigh Wetherell and I together as both friends and writers, and we were given the undeserved and incredible opportunity to…| Set Apart
Sonnie Trotter on his book Uplifted, 30 years of climbing, fatherhood, flow, and why gratitude has fueled his life on and off the wall.| Mountain & Prairie
Book marketing doesn’t have to be so overwhelming. If you’ve felt stuck or stressed trying to promote your message, you’re not alone—and there’s a better way. My friends CJ & Shelley Hitz are hosting a LIVE workshop on Wednesday, June 4th at 11 AM Eastern called the Author AI Workshop—and it’s designed to help you save time, reduce …| Heartspoken
It was under the male pseudonym George Eliot that Mary Anne Evans (November 22, 1819 – December 22, 1880) became one of the most revered voices in literary history – a choice dictated as much by the biases of the Victorian era, in which women writers tended not to be taken seriously for anything beyond romance novels, as it was by Evans’s desire to keep the turbulence of her private life out of the public eye. Evans received little formal education after the age of sixteen, but thanks t...| The Reconstructionists
Sylvia Plath (October 27, 1932 – February 11, 1963) has been called an “addict of experience,” a tragic literary blonde, a victim of her generation and her medication. Beneath these partly true yet invariably reductionist labels, however, lies the immutable fact that she was, above all, one of the most celebrated and influential poets of the twentieth century, with a remarkable gift for moving the hearts of millions while struggling to still her own. From an early age, Plath embodied a ...| The Reconstructionists
Journalist, critic, and women’s rights pioneer Margaret Fuller (May 23, 1810–July 19, 1850) is celebrated not only as the first full-time female book reviewer in America, but also as the author of the very first work of feminist literature in the United States – her 1845 book Woman in the Nineteenth Century came more than five decades before women’s right to vote and predated reconstructionist Betty Friedan’s seminal treatise The Feminine Mystique by more than a century. By the tim...| The Reconstructionists
Did you catch Daniel Abrahams’ latest – “Writing is Rewriting”? Oof! It’s the space I’m in right now and when I stumbled across his blog post recently, I felt li…| The Heart of the Matter
If you’d like to be included in this slot, please get in touch: estherchilton@gmail.com. Poems can be up to 60 lines and prose 2000 words. If you’d like to add a short bio and photo, then great. Al…| Esther Chilton
Hello everyone!Final Nanowrimo update, November is over.First updated here, second update here. I won Nanowrimo!! I wrote 50k words!!I am beyond happy, I thought I might quit as it was pretty bloody hard. But I persevered and it did it. Word counts for the final days: Day 22: 1758 Day 23: 1720 Day 24: 1600… Continue reading NaNoWriMo Update: I WON!!! | Reflections, Thoughts etc.| Literary Leisha
Most all of us are familiar with the novelist John le Carré. How many of us have heard of his wife, Jane Cornwell? Yet Jane was a “crucial, covert collaborator” in the creation of le Carré’s books, writes the couple’s son, Nick, in an essay in the Guardian. Nick’s article is a beautiful portrait […] The post John le Carré didn’t write alone appeared first on Annie Murphy Paul.| Annie Murphy Paul
I made the first of two trips to Paris within just a few days last week so that I could go to Adrian Leeds’s monthly Après-Midi meetup. This is one of my favorite things to do when I’m in Paris, and not infrequently I will even come in just for the day to see one […]| Writing from the Heart, Reading for the Road
Few voices in film are as distinctive and cherished as Werner Herzog’s. That applies to voice in both literal and figurative senses, but my focus here is on the singular instrument with which he na…| Sentence first
When author, artist, illustrator, designer, storyteller extraordinaire Dave Williams launched his “Joy is…” project on January 20, I knew good things were in store for all of us. And wowza – I was …| The Heart of the Matter
Happy and blessed Sunday dear friends and poets! Let’s dive into this week’s happenings at Hotel By Masticadores Stay in the loop—subscribe via email or WordPress for fresh updates on prose and poe…| Hotel by Masticadores
Our dear friend, author, blogger, mentor to many and former educator, Pete Springer recently wrote a beautiful essay about one of the most influential people in his life, Nancy Wheeler. In this epi…| The Heart of the Matter
Danielle Ofri hosts the Narrative Arc: The Journey From Writer to Reader. Readers get to choose their favorite BLR stories, poems, and essays, and then get to interview the writer. It’s match…| Danielle Ofri
I decided to see what old Australian men I had on my shelves… there are a few| The Australian Legend
What a treat (no tricks!) Wynne and I spent some time with the talented writer, Brian Hannon this week and talked about the 2024 NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month – which begins officially t…| The Heart of the Matter
Save this article for loads of resources about creating the perfect villain in your story--and yes, every story needs a good villain.| Steps In Between
Podcast interview with Curt Meine, a Senior Fellow at The Aldo Leopold Foundation, discussing the life, work, and legacy of Aldo Leopold| Mountain & Prairie
Learn 10 tips that can help you find or form a writers' group that is more likely to meet your needs and expectations. The post Is a Writers’ Group for Me? appeared first on Los Angeles Editors and Writers Group.| Los Angeles Editors and Writers Group
Alice Munro (1931 – 2024) By B.W. Powe And now I’m meditating on Alice Munro’s passing. She left us at age 92, after a long period in dementia. One of the greatest short story writers. I’ve wanted to say something about her for years. You know—weird thing—I didn’t read her closely for a long time. […]| McLuhan Galaxy
Taylor and Francis/Routledge has sold their body of work to AI, without informing writers or allowing an opt-out.| Salmons.Blog
Six Young Stars Shine in Surprising New Style Comedy by Mary Lou Herlihy & Barry David Horwitz Over decades, the famed comedy club and theater, “Second City” (Chicago) has been the seedbed for Saturday Night Live’s New York stars. From John Belushi to Gilda Radner to Keegan-Michael Key, each generation carves its updated world view. At Berkeley Rep, “The Best of The Second City” unveils a new kind of vulnerable comedy, based on the shocks that define U.S. life. Six talented comic ac...| theatrius.com
The worlds of design and writing collide in this exploration of published work by LGBTQIA+ individuals.| Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
DANBURY, Connecticut — Western Connecticut State University’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative and Professional Writing program is gearing up to celebrate its 20th anniversary […]|
Readers of classic pulp literature, particularly in the| On An Underwood No. 5
Now that I have a bit| On An Underwood No. 5
Good writing is an art and even more so creative writing. It, like most creative arts, cannot be ‘taught’. There simply do not exist a ‘Do-It-Yourself’ book which can make anyone a writer or should I say – a good writer. Good writing skills are simply something that either you have, or you don’t. But […]| Bookish Bubble
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has a rather … storied history. Rimshot! (I apologize. To quote a legendary American hero, “I yam what I yam.”) Serious face: ON. The... The post The History of the WGA appeared first on Coverfly.| Coverfly
The 25th of December, 2021 marks the 250th birthday of Dorothy Wordsworth, the sister, and longtime companion of the poet William Wordsworth. Dorothy was an important writer and thinker in her own …| Chris Routledge
Here's a complete index of articles, biographies, and book reviews in the Later Bloomer archives. I hope it'll help convince you that it's truly never too late to create!| Later Bloomer
The poem's actually titled "Warning" and it celebrates aging with panache. English poet Jenny Joseph wrote in 1961 at 29. Did she fulfill her own prophecy?| Later Bloomer
The origin story of Dicken's A Christmas Carol reminds us how our life is carried by mercy.| winncollier.com
Website of Chicken House Books, publishers of James Dashner.| Chicken House Books
For anyone wondering how 2024 might shape up from the point of view of creative and intellectual freedom, the decision on Monday of China’s oppressive| Book and Film Globe
One commonality I’ve found among autistic people is that many of us love creating our own universes. The real world often functions without autistic people in mind. To many of us, it seems that the non-autistic population seems to be entirely in control – often, even in control of our world and our futures. So it can help enormously for us to escape into a universe where we choose the rules, we can influence events, and nobody gets to cast […] The post Twenty tips for aspiring writers, ...| Autistic Not Weird
Students in Sarah Sawyer’s Writers’ Workshop English class have good taste in literature. When acclaimed Irish-born writer Colum McCann visited last week, he asked them to name their favorite books. They listed an impressive array of titles, from J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby; from Sherman Alexie’s Flight to … Continue reading McCann Explores the Power of Storytelling→ The post McCann Explores the Power of Storytelling first appeared ...| News and Events
Celebrating its 20th year, the Writers’ Workshop Series continues with a slate of authors who write in a variety of genres. Our first visitor to campus will be Madeleine Blais P’00, ’04, one of the founders of the series, and a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist and University of Massachusetts professor. She is the author of “The Heart is … Continue reading 20th Writers’ Workshop Series Brings Impressive Slate of Authors to Campus→ The post 20th Writers’ Workshop Series Brin...| News and Events
You wait until the sound of his footsteps fade from earshot and you slump into your chair, putting two fingers to your forehead. You pull the trigger. You have ten minutes to decompress, get back t…| The Cabinet of Heed
After more than one pintI miss the last train again.We put on your father’s records.Stolichnaya and A Clockwork Orange. We know that we are friends.And all I want is the smell of you,the heat of yo…| The Cabinet of Heed
Humanity’s last ship, Our Finest Moment, began burning less than twenty minutes after leaving the port. We all knew we were dead meat when we boarded the ship, but we were expecting to at least get…| The Cabinet of Heed
Olive arrived at the bus stop encumbered with bags, feeling like a packhorse. The bench was full. She sank deeper into her shoes. The length of the queue suggested there would be no seats left by t…| The Cabinet of Heed
You laugh in your sleep. The bed quivers beneath me as your body shakes. You never remember in the morning. Smiling in puzzlement at my amusement. It was your night time laughter that ensnared me l…| The Cabinet of Heed
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE. You have twenty-four hours to vacate the premises. The Sale of the Property located at 502 North Wendon Street will be held between the hours of 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM, Ju…| The Cabinet of Heed
I worked there for thirty years, I enjoyed my job, I had the responsibility of being a liaison for public events, and since we had been colonialized, we partook in demonstrations as a display of ou…| The Cabinet of Heed
Half my hair fell out when you died. and wisps of baby hair sprouted. The hairdresser thought it was funny – baby hair bouncing among my grey. But the new hair also fell out, tiny tufts of so…| The Cabinet of Heed
On orange days hell is hammocked in the plastic net satsumas come in. You always cut your fingers on it because the scissors are never near enough, and the pulling kind of helps. You do not actuall…| The Cabinet of Heed
The night before he was killed by an electric eel, Pedro had hung multicoloured lanterns outside his hut, perched as it was in stilts on the muddy banks of the great river. Perhaps he knew what awa…| The Cabinet of Heed
‘We English,’ Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin allegedly remarked, following the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936, ‘hate fascism, but we loathe bolshevism as much. So, if there is somewhere where fascists and bolsheviks can kill eac [...]| Richard Baxell
