How Are Writers like Holly Bushes?
How Are Writers like Holly Bushes?
I learned something fascinating about holly this week (besides that it can be a bush or a tree). What I learned is specific to the leaves. Apparently, holly leaves don’t…
Read more…What To Do If You Feel Overwhelmed With Writing
What To Do If You Feel Overwhelmed With Writing
You’re Not Alone Most writers feel overwhelmed with writing at some point. It’s part of the process! However, knowing this and dealing with it are two separate things. It’s all…
Read more…Win Feedback on 10 Pages!
Win Feedback on 10 Pages!
Want to win editorial feedback and take your storyfrom good to great? Well, my writerly friend, you’re in luck! It’s time for our monthly Phenomenal First Pages contest. In this draw,…
Read more…Falling in Love: Types of Romance Stories
Falling in Love: Types of Romance Stories
From subgenres to tropes and beyond, there are many ways to categorize a romance story. We may not know exactly what type of story we’re writing while drafting (especially if…
Read more…How Universal Fears Pull Readers into the Story
How Universal Fears Pull Readers into the Story
No matter what genre you write or who your audience is, one thing is certain: Everyone experiences fear. It shapes how people think, the choices they make, and influences how…
Read more…How to Generate Better Story Ideas Using the Ones That Don’t Work
How to Generate Better Story Ideas Using the Ones That Don’t Work
Generating ideas is the most underrated skill in a novelist’s toolkit—more essential than an appetite for cold-blooded revision, a head for structure, or a gift for dialogue. Generating more story…
Read more…Coping Mechanism Thesaurus: Cultivating Trust
Coping Mechanism Thesaurus: Cultivating Trust
When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or…
Read more…Five Truths I Learned Editing Hundreds of Books That Might Change Your Life
Five Truths I Learned Editing Hundreds of Books That Might Change Your Life
As a Book Coach and developmental editor, I work on hundreds of books with writers each year, in full or in part. I give feedback on drafts, debuts, and nearly…
Read more…8+ Ways to Signal Your Character’s Fear to Readers
8+ Ways to Signal Your Character’s Fear to Readers
With no shortage of things that can trigger a character’s fear, learning how to show it becomes just as important to writers as plotting, character-building, and crafting a realistic story…
Read more…Coping Mechanism Thesaurus: Visualization
Coping Mechanism Thesaurus: Visualization
When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or…
Read more…A Mother Lode of Resources on Character Fear
A Mother Lode of Resources on Character Fear
Writing The Fear Thesaurus taught us so much about the psychology of fear and how that translates for our characters. The difference between minor and deep fears, the role fear…
Read more…The Art of Withholding Information
The Art of Withholding Information
As authors we hold all the cards when it comes to how and when we reveal key information to our readers. Withholding certain details can create intrigue and set up…
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