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 five pages, 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 … [Read more...] about Phenomenal First Pages Contest – Guest Editor Edition
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Three Ways You’re Losing Your Reader’s Trust
There’s no better feeling than being in the hands of a great storyteller. They have command of the details we need to know, the scenes we need to see, and there’s a lock-step feel to the way the story advances. Strong storytelling isn’t just a unique premise or a character we love. Strong … [Read more...] about Three Ways You’re Losing Your Reader’s Trust
Character Secret Thesaurus Entry: Having An Undisclosed Bias
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: Having An Undisclosed Bias
A Description Database for Character Relationships
No matter what genre you write, your characters--and their relationships--are the heart of a story. In fact, relationships help us explore our characters' most meaningful layers while providing readers with the context they need to understand why each character thinks and acts the way they … [Read more...] about A Description Database for Character Relationships
Happy 9th Birthday, One Stop for Writers (Save 25%)
One Stop for Writers' BIRTHDAY WEEK is here! Nine years ago, Becca and I stepped outside our world of book-making and opened the doors of One Stop for Writers, a site filled with one of a kind tools and resources to make writing easier. Year by year, the toolbox at One Stop for Writers has grown … [Read more...] about Happy 9th Birthday, One Stop for Writers (Save 25%)
Character Thesaurus Entry: Using a False Identity
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 Thesaurus Entry: Using a False Identity
How to Identify Your Writing Business Relationship Type
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
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