Try this: Think about your writing or writing business as a partner. Start by giving it a name. What would you call your writing (if you haven’t started selling yet) or writing business (if you are selling books)? Mine is “Dolores,” because she’s demanding. (If your name is Dolores, my … [Read more...] about How to Identify Your Writing Business Relationship Type
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Meet Our Resident Writing Coaches
I love being the Writers Helping Writers Blog Wizard…and am honored to work closely with the Resident Writing Coaches. They’re all talented, generous authors who share their wisdom to help take your writing to the next level. I've learned so much from them, and have a feeling you have, too! This … [Read more...] about Meet Our Resident Writing Coaches
Character Secret Thesaurus Entry: No Longer Loving a Partner
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 Entry: No Longer Loving a Partner
7 Tips for Finding Perfect Character Names
How much time do we spend thinking up character names? Too much. That name will represent the character we love, so the pressure’s on to get it right. And no one wants to get halfway through a manuscript and realize they have to make a change. Find and replace on that scale, with something … [Read more...] about 7 Tips for Finding Perfect Character Names
Five Pitfalls to Avoid When Developing Your Antagonist
By Savannah Cordova It’s been said that every good story needs a villain. While that villain doesn’t have to be another character — it can be something more abstract, like a supernatural force or even fate itself — this “person-to-person” conflict is often what’s most compelling for … [Read more...] about Five Pitfalls to Avoid When Developing Your Antagonist
Introducing…the Character Secret Thesaurus
Every character has secrets they don’t want other people to know. Some are benign (something they like that others don’t, what they really think about a co-worker, that box of Thin Mints they polished off last night). They’re interesting, but whether these secrets come to light or not, they won’t … [Read more...] about Introducing…the Character Secret Thesaurus
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! This contest is closed. Please try again next month. If you’d like to be … [Read more...] about Phenomenal First Pages Contest
Should Your Novel Have a Prologue?
All About Prologues Every word counts in a story and first impressions matter. Traditionally, a prologue is an introductory chapter that sets the scene, tone and genre of your novel. But should you write one? The million-dollar question! Believe it or not, using a prologue can be quite … [Read more...] about Should Your Novel Have a Prologue?
The Ultimate Guide for Giving and Receiving Feedback
Years ago I joined the award-winning site, The Critique Circle, where I learned to hone my writing skills and develop the thick skin needed to take criticism and rejection. In addition to writing well beyond a thousand critiques, I became a moderator for the site, and with members in the thousands, … [Read more...] about The Ultimate Guide for Giving and Receiving Feedback
How to Strengthen Our Story with Tropes
Every genre and medium of storytelling uses tropes—common themes or story devices. However, the frequency of certain storytelling ideas, such as “the chosen one,” makes them so common that readers get sick of them, and every type of trope can seem cliché or predictable. Yet tropes are so … [Read more...] about How to Strengthen Our Story with Tropes
Authors Are Assets, Not Competition
Most industries are competitive. Athletes go head-to-head for the medal or trophy. Car companies vie for market share as do grocery stores, restaurants, and delivery services. Reality TV show contestants duke it out for prize money, prestige, and in some cases (ugh) roses. And our favorite retail … [Read more...] about Authors Are Assets, Not Competition
The Missing Link in Three-Act Structure
In any discussion of story structure, the three-act model inevitably dominates the conversation. Even as plotting methods such as Save the Cat, the Hero’s Journey, and the Snowflake Method gain popularity, the classic beginning-middle-end form reaching back to the dramatic theories of Aristotle … [Read more...] about The Missing Link in Three-Act Structure