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Phenomenal First Pages Contest

Hey, wonderfulwriterly people! It’s time for Phenomenal First Pages, our monthly critique contest. So, if you need a bit of help with your first page, today's the day to enter for a chance to win professional feedback! (We've had past winners tell us they've found their dream editors through … [Read more...] about Phenomenal First Pages Contest

How To Write A Likeable Character

Likeable characters can become the beating heart of your narrative. Readers root for them and stick with them throughout their journeys. But what exactly makes a character likeable? It’s not just about being nice but making them relatable. So, let's look at how to write such … [Read more...] about How To Write A Likeable Character

Character Secret Thesaurus: Hiding Wealth

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What’s at stake if it’s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden? This is some of the important information you need to know about your character’s secrets—and they will have secrets, … [Read more...] about Character Secret Thesaurus: Hiding Wealth

How to Show Emotional Volatility

Facts are facts: writers throw a lot of rocks at characters. Enemies. Obstacles. Maybe a rabid zombie or two. And we aren’t nice about it, spacing out each projectile, no. We like to line up our canons and see just how many hits a character can take…all in the name of character arc … [Read more...] about How to Show Emotional Volatility

How to Choose the Perfect Talent for Your Character

I truly believe that excellent stories require excellent characters. And with so many books already out there, we’ve got to be able to deliver compelling and realistic characters to set our stories apart. How do we do it? By focusing on the details. And one of the markers that can really boost … [Read more...] about How to Choose the Perfect Talent for Your Character

Character Secret Thesaurus: Knowing Where a Body Is Buried

How to Use Amplifiers to Motivate Emotionally Challenging Characters

Like many other kids, I got my first job as a babysitter. You’re probably picturing me as a competent, CPR-trained teenager armed with craft supplies and a boatload of determination. But this was 1981, which means I was a whopping nine years old when someone put me in charge of their kids. Who … [Read more...] about How to Use Amplifiers to Motivate Emotionally Challenging Characters

Best Ways to Pace Your Story’s Key Moments

Great novels don’t hook readers by accident. They strategically build up tension and feelings, then release them at just the right moment. This perfect timing isn’t about fancy writing tricks; it’s baked into how the story itself is built. When a story pulls readers through the pages so smoothly … [Read more...] about Best Ways to Pace Your Story’s Key Moments

6 First Page Inclusions for Drawing Readers In

There are a lot of Dos and Don’ts for a story’s first pages. Do introduce the protagonist(s). Do start in medias res. Don’t start with a dream sequence. Don’t info dump. These techniques are important because they accomplish one of the main purposes of your opening: they encourage reader … [Read more...] about 6 First Page Inclusions for Drawing Readers In

How to Avoid Flat Characters in Your Story

Has an editor or critique partner said, “Your character is flat” when offering feedback on your story? Or perhaps they worded it another way: “Your protagonist didn’t grab me,” or “This character needs more depth.” However it’s phrased, being told we’ve missed the mark on a character is a bit of … [Read more...] about How to Avoid Flat Characters in Your Story