It's hard to believe another year has passed, but it's birthday time again. One Stop for Writers is seven!Over the years, Becca and I have stuffed this web app with innovative tools that help you think and write like story experts. And it's been so great to see your confidence grow as you use them, … [Read more...] about Happy 7th Birthday, One Stop for Writers!
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Fear Thesaurus Entry: Never Finding Happiness
Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they're a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character's behaviors, habits, beliefs, and … [Read more...] about Fear Thesaurus Entry: Never Finding Happiness
Meet Our Resident Writing Coaches
I’ve had the pleasure of being the Writers Helping Writers Blog Wizard for a year…and have loved working with the Resident Writing Coaches. They’re all talented, generous authors who share their wisdom to help take your writing to the next level. This is the 7th year of our popular Resident … [Read more...] about Meet Our Resident Writing Coaches
How to Reveal a Character’s Internal Conflict
If you've been on the writing trail long enough, you've heard plenty of talk surrounding conflict and the role it plays in storytelling. Whatever form it takes—annoying neighbors, quarrels with loved ones, car accidents, fistfights, ticking clocks—conflict keeps the story moving. It creates tension … [Read more...] about How to Reveal a Character’s Internal Conflict
Fear Thesaurus Entry: Becoming What One Hates
Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they're a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character's behaviors, habits, beliefs, and … [Read more...] about Fear Thesaurus Entry: Becoming What One Hates
Phenomenal First Pages Contest
Hey, wonderful writerly people! It’s time for our monthly first-page critique contest 🙂 This contest is closed. Please try again next month. If you’d like to be notified when the next one goes live, consider subscribing to the blog (in the sidebar). If you’re working on a first page (in … [Read more...] about Phenomenal First Pages Contest
The Finishing Line: How to Celebrate A Completed Book
So, you’ve finished your book. Congratulations! Writers often work alone, with very little validation. We have to struggle uphill, putting up with rejection and radio silence. This is why we absolutely MUST celebrate our completed books. Here’s how … 1) Acknowledge the Win Look in the … [Read more...] about The Finishing Line: How to Celebrate A Completed Book
Fear Thesaurus Entry: Crowds
Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they're a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character's behaviors, habits, beliefs, and … [Read more...] about Fear Thesaurus Entry: Crowds
Feedback and Editing: The Right Eyes at the Right Time
Unless you wrote your book exclusively for your own satisfaction, once your creative vision is on the page, it’s time to zoom in on how the book works for readers. The key is getting the right kind of feedback for where you are in the revision and editing process—and dodging the kind that will pull … [Read more...] about Feedback and Editing: The Right Eyes at the Right Time
Point of View: Is Deeper Always Better?
Until relatively recently, most stories were written with an omniscient point of view (POV), which follows the story and characters from an all-knowing distance. But over the past several decades, storytelling techniques have trended to a closer POV, focusing on one character and their experience at … [Read more...] about Point of View: Is Deeper Always Better?
Fear Thesaurus Entry: Becoming a Parent
Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they're a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character's behaviors, habits, beliefs, and … [Read more...] about Fear Thesaurus Entry: Becoming a Parent
Release Day: The Conflict Thesaurus (Volume 2) Is Here!
A new writing guide is joining the family today, so please say hello to the SILVER Edition of The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles. In this second volume of The Conflict Thesaurus, we continue our in-depth exploration of challenges, roadblocks, … [Read more...] about Release Day: The Conflict Thesaurus (Volume 2) Is Here!