The Only Piece of Writing Advice That Matters | No Film School
Forget all the rules and just focus on this one thing.| No Film School
Forget all the rules and just focus on this one thing.| No Film School
If you've been following me for any amount of time, you'll know I get preachy about a few topics: submitting to anthologies, working on multiple projects at once, and keeping a document for all your dead characters and cut pages. Something else I'm pretty passionate about is entering writing contests and competitions. Now, you might make the mistake in thinking these are one in the same... well let me stop you right there! Writing contests are very different from writing competitions. Now, over| Writing with Reed
Character complexity mirrors the grey areas of life, the inconsistencies, contradictions, and conflicting motivations people deal with every day. Like Shrek| Novel Software Public Website
Watch Now: Empathy is not just an emotion. It’s a tool.| Meagan Church
Irecently heard a few alarming stories about AI-generated books flooding Amazon. Some of these AI authors are publishing dozens of books in days, c...| Sarah Selecky Writing School
If you’re reading this, I’m assuming you’re curious about how to quit social media. Maybe you took a little break, and you’re reluctant to start u...| Sarah Selecky Writing School
Starting a novel is one thing – finishing it, polishing it and getting it out into the world is another entirely. The road to becoming an author can be long,| Novel Software Public Website
I was feeling out of sorts recently, dysregulated and jangly. I’d had a nightmare about something really terrible happening, and the powerless feel...| Sarah Selecky Writing School
Discover how to write a horror novel that thrills and chills, blending psychological tension with gripping plots to evoke deep emotional responses.| Novel Software Public Website
There are plenty of opportunities for submitting your short stories, if you know where to look. But it can be overwhelming to hunt for...| S.E. Reed
Open Calls for Submission - There are plenty of opportunities for submitting your short stories, if you know where to look.| S.E. Reed
This is a must read for querying authors! Hear from 4 Literary Agents on the state of publishing.| S.E. Reed
Hey everyone! I’m very excited to share that I, along with Yecheilyah, a friend of mine (and WordPress blogger) will be presenting a workshop focused on how to self-publish. This workshop is separa…| K E Garland
Watching this one writer struggle with his great idea taught me about overcoming writer's block.| Kimberly Van Ginkel
You’re actually doing it – you're writing your novel. Or at least, you're trying to. But between grappling with all your plot threads and rewriting that| Novel Software Public Website
My advice on writing? Do not take or give advice on writing. There is no one way to write but the way you write.| Speculative Fiction Writers Association
When I was an intern at Ice Cube Press, I attended some events with my boss. At every event, the same questions always came up: “Can I send my manuscript to you?” “I sent you a query. Have you read it yet?” (Awkward!) “My book is XYZ. Is that something your press will publish?” “I […]| Editor's Quill
We’ve heard the saying before: a strong voice is a must. But a common problem writers complain about is that their writing is dry and boring. Many factors play a role in voice, but there are two that have the most impact. One is word choice, the other sentence structure. Yes, other issues can hurt […]| Editor's Quill
There are two ways to look at third person limited. 1. A “narrator” narrates the story, using “he”, “she”, and “they” pronouns, but this narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of only one character, usually the protagonist. This narrator follows the main character throughout the story and stays in this character’s perspective. 2. The […]| Editor's Quill
Third Person Omniscient Definition: A “narrator” narrates the story, using “he”, “she”, and “they” pronouns. This narrator knows everything, including events prior to and after the story and all the feelings, emotions, and opinions of every character. Omniscient means “knows all”, so this narrator knows everything. It’s as though the narrator is a God-like being. […]| Editor's Quill
Third Person Objective Definition: A “narrator” narrates the story, using “he”, “she”, “it”, and “they” pronouns. This “narrator” can only narrate the characters’ external actions—anything they express or do. Some people just call this third person. It’s also called third person dramatic. Out of the three third person point of views, third person objective […]| Editor's Quill
Second Person POV Definition: This narration addresses the reader as the protagonist, using “you” and “you all” pronouns. Second person is rarely, almost never, used in literature. Most readers feel it’s unnatural and pulls them out of the story. There are a few second person books such as Choose Your Own Adventure and Bright Lights, […]| Editor's Quill
First Person POV Definition: The main character narrates the story, using “I” and “we” pronouns. Just about every writer knows what first person point of view is, and if you’re an avid reader, then you have read many books in this POV. First person allows the protagonist to speak directly to the reader. The reader […]| Editor's Quill
Understanding point of view is crucial to novel writing. I have found that POV issues are the most common problem in the manuscripts and submissions I read. POV issues are not an easy fix– a…| Editor's Quill
Last month, I was a speaker at Chris Guillebeau’s Neurodivergent2025 conference in Austin. My workshop was called “Sensory Alchemy” — I was talkin...| Sarah Selecky Writing School
When I was back home on my book tour, I was asked to speak to high schoolers at my alma mater. I’ve gotten pretty well versed at giving my author talk, but I knew I couldn’t rely on that to engage this crowd. They didn’t care as much about the| Meagan Church
I used to be a fan of the notion that no plot was no problem when it came to writing a book. I took part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) because that mantra spoke to me. After all, I was a pantser at the time. I spent that November| Meagan Church
In a recent webinar hosted by First Editing, founder of The Novel Factory and award-winning writer Katja Kaine joined JoEllen to discuss how authors can| Novel Software Public Website
For many novel writers, entering a competition can feel like an exciting but daunting step. Is your manuscript ready? What do judges look for? Could this| Novel Software Public Website
You open the fridge and brush your hand against a fuzzy blue-green ball tucked behind the yogurt. Ugh, was that once a lemon? Your phone buzzes—you...| Sarah Selecky Writing School
How do you know if your idea is good enough to be a novel? By reading and writing a lot. I realise now that the early stuff I wrote was utter drivel, I just| Novel Software Public Website
You want to write a novel – you really do. The problem is, you're just... never in the mood for writing.| Novel Software Public Website
Discover the power of using personal struggles to fuel your screenplay, along with three tips on how to incorporate them into your story.| WeScreenplay
Ready to write that book you've been always meaning to but don't know where to start? Never fear, my guide to writing during a global pandemic is here.| Business, Writing, Love
They say the one who reads, lives more than the one who doesn’t. So, how much are you actually living in this one lifetime? Have you lost touch from books, completely? Or are you in a complicated relationship with them? Or are you someone who keeps buying titles and never gets around to actually read […]| Bookish Bubble
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
Aside from “What’s best in life?” there are two sentences from the Conan stories that are more or less widely known, even outside REH fans. The most likely winner would be “Barbarism is the natural state of mankind,” the borderer said, still staring somberly at the Cimmerian. “Civilization is unnatural. It is a whim of … Continue reading Writing dense descriptions and generative rhetoric.| Emperor's Notepad
Following from the previous post, I was going to jump straight into the next part (the writing of dense, cumulative descriptions), but then I realized that post might have left some points unanswered or not appropriately explained. So, in this post, an intermission of sorts, I will try to show, almost quantifying it if possible, … Continue reading More limits of description (II)| Emperor's Notepad
The Narrator is the medium through which storytelling occurs, and the writer is the man behind the curtain that pretends to be the former. The characters in a story should know as much about the two as an ant is required to understand thermodynamics to live and die. What does this mean? It means that … Continue reading The Narrator and the Reader can know things none of the characters know.| Emperor's Notepad
Interview with Seth Godin on The Tim Ferriss Show podcast.| The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss
Coffee and Inspiration: Winter Birds| Illustrator's Way
