Writers Helping Writers^®

Writing Craft

Find Creative Gold with Author Collaborations

November 1, 2022

Find Creative Gold with Author Collaborations

November 1, 2022

So often, writing feels lonely, doesn’t it? We’re alone in our writing cave getting words onto the page, and it’s not until we’re ready to show polished pages to a…

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Feeling Unsafe

October 29, 2022

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Feeling Unsafe

October 29, 2022

Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they’re a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health…

Phenomenal First Pages Contest

October 25, 2022

Phenomenal First Pages Contest

October 25, 2022

Hey, wonderful writerly people! It’s time for our monthly first-page critique contest ? This contest is closed. Please try again next month. If you’d like to be notified when the…

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Being Pitied

October 22, 2022

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Being Pitied

October 22, 2022

Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they’re a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health…

The Top Three World-Building Pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

October 20, 2022

The Top Three World-Building Pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

October 20, 2022

By Julie Artz One of my favorite parts of being an obsessive reader is the feeling of picking up a book and instantly being immersed in the world. A few…

Five Micro-Edits to Hook Readers On Your First Page

October 18, 2022

Five Micro-Edits to Hook Readers On Your First Page

October 18, 2022

Ah, first pages. We angst over them. We change them incessantly. We hope they’ll nab readers and agents and editors. No pressure, right? While there are many big considerations for…

Less Is More—When It Comes to Describing Setting

October 15, 2022

Less Is More—When It Comes to Describing Setting

October 15, 2022

By C. S. Lakin If you’re writing fiction, it’s your job to create rich, descriptive settings in which your characters live and breathe. The challenge—as any seasoned fiction writer can…

The Key to a Successful NaNoWriMo? Using October Wisely

October 13, 2022

The Key to a Successful NaNoWriMo? Using October Wisely

October 13, 2022

Are you one of tens of thousands of intrepid writers participating in NaNoWriMo? If so, know this: you’re a rock star. Writing a novel is something many people talk about…

The Skeleton of Your Story

October 11, 2022

The Skeleton of Your Story

October 11, 2022

Think of Milestones (aka story beats) as a human skeleton. The skull, spine, sternum (breastbone), scapula, ribs, and pelvis are vital for life. Without these large bones in place, we’d…

Writer’s Fight Club Story Contest Winners!

October 8, 2022

Writer’s Fight Club Story Contest Winners!

October 8, 2022

Thank you for celebrating the release of the SILVER Edition of The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles. Angela and Becca create amazing books—and find…