Writers Helping Writers^®

Posts by Marissa Graff

Five Micro-Edits to Hook Readers On Your First Page

October 18, 2022

Five Micro-Edits to Hook Readers On Your First Page

October 18, 2022

Ah, first pages. We angst over them. We change them incessantly. We hope they’ll nab readers and agents and editors. No pressure, right? While there are many big considerations for…

3 Tricks to Reel Your Reader in With Flashbacks

August 9, 2022

3 Tricks to Reel Your Reader in With Flashbacks

August 9, 2022

We oftentimes hear the word flashback and we begin to think of all the don’ts associated with them. Don’t use them too early. Don’t let them go on too long.…

4 Ways Your Protagonist Is Sabotaging You (And How to Fight Back)

May 19, 2022

4 Ways Your Protagonist Is Sabotaging You (And How to Fight Back)

May 19, 2022

We love our protagonists. We spend a ridiculous amount of time, blood, sweat, and tears championing their stories. But what if they’re undermining us by behaving in ways that drive…

Zig Zag Plot Arc

February 8, 2022

Zig Zag Plot Arc

February 8, 2022

As writers, the classic arc-plot diagram is burned into our brains. The one conveying that our characters should move through our books in one steady climb, both externally and internally.…

3 Simple Tricks to Immerse Your Reader In Your Story

November 9, 2021

3 Simple Tricks to Immerse Your Reader In Your Story

November 9, 2021

As writers, fusing our protagonist with the reader creates the ultimate reading experience. Teacher and writer John Gardener referred to this as “the fictional dream.” It’s a state the reader…

Don’t Let Excess Baggage Bring Down Your Character’s Plane

August 10, 2021

Don’t Let Excess Baggage Bring Down Your Character’s Plane

August 10, 2021

We’ve all heard that characters need backstory, and in particular, an emotional wound that they’re carrying around when we meet them on page one. (As an aside, if you haven’t…

Power Up Individual Scenes with a Scene Tracker

May 11, 2021

Power Up Individual Scenes with a Scene Tracker

May 11, 2021

One of the most powerful tools in a writer’s toolkit is a scene tracker, also known as a scene map. Whether you’re drafting or you’re looking to revise a finished draft,…

Opening Scenes: 3 Critical Elements

February 9, 2021

Opening Scenes: 3 Critical Elements

February 9, 2021

One of the most common questions I get as an editor is, “Am I starting my novel in the right place?” Let’s discuss how you can craft an opening that…

Why You Should Side-Write Your Protagonist’s Origin Scene

November 10, 2020

Why You Should Side-Write Your Protagonist’s Origin Scene

November 10, 2020

Side writing: Any exploratory piece of writing that helps a writer get to know elements of their story but isn’t intended to make its way into a draft in its entirety.…