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Guest Post

Mystery Writing: Characters & Plot Elements

November 20, 2013

Mystery Writing: Characters & Plot Elements

November 20, 2013

Staci Troilo is here with the basics of what plot and character elements a successful mystery novel needs. Ah, the mystery novel. The whodunit. The sleuth story. Sherlock and Miss…

Finding Your Character’s Weakness

October 17, 2013

Finding Your Character’s Weakness

October 17, 2013

Flaw: Arrogance Jordan McCollum is here to discuss the importance of giving your character realistic flaws, so please read on. Who doesn’t love a shiny new idea? Crafting a plot,…

Tips on Raising the Stakes

September 30, 2013

Tips on Raising the Stakes

September 30, 2013

Suspense & Thriller author José Bográn shares his expert advice on how we can raise the stakes. Story Stakes: How High Is High Enough? When asked what “raising the stakes”…

How to Write a Tagline for Your Book (And Why You Need to)

September 12, 2013

How to Write a Tagline for Your Book (And Why You Need to)

September 12, 2013

Marcy Kennedy provides expert advice on book taglines (different from loglines), so read on. As writers, we hear about loglines all the time—how to write them, why we need them,…

Sagging Middles: How to Fix Your Story’s Muffin Top

August 21, 2013

Sagging Middles: How to Fix Your Story’s Muffin Top

August 21, 2013

Welcome story expert K.M. Weiland, here to help us get our story’s saggy middle into shape! How Structure Prevents “Saggy Middle” Syndrome How do I fix my saggy middle? is…

How to Write Fight Scenes When You’ve Never Thrown a Punch

August 14, 2013

How to Write Fight Scenes When You’ve Never Thrown a Punch

August 14, 2013

Today Author Erin Flynn is showing us how to write believable fight scenes so that when characters throw down, readers feel like they’re right there with them. I’m an enigma…

MFA in WRITING: Lessons From Semester One

July 8, 2013

MFA in WRITING: Lessons From Semester One

July 8, 2013

If you are a career writer, chances are you’ve wondered if you should invest in a MFA (Masters of Fine Arts) for Writing. Marissa Graff decided to take this plunge,…

10 Things You Don’t Want In Your Novel

June 26, 2013

10 Things You Don’t Want In Your Novel

June 26, 2013

While many talk about the elements you need for a successful novel, editor Jodie Renner wants to save you heartache by discussing all the things you DON’T want in your…

Turning Story Opening Don’ts Into Do’s

May 24, 2013

Turning Story Opening Don’ts Into Do’s

May 24, 2013

Author Lisa Gail Green is looking at problem story openings and how to make yours stronger, so read on! We’ve all heard the tips on what NOT to do in…

Realistic Dialogue Exchanges: Showing Communication Breakdowns

April 3, 2013

Realistic Dialogue Exchanges: Showing Communication Breakdowns

April 3, 2013

Author & story expert David Corbett offers us some great techniques on how to show a realistic, tension-filled communication breakdown between characters. It’s often said that the writing of dialog…