Writers Helping Writers^®

Writing Lessons

Is My Story A Mystery, Horror or Thriller?

March 15, 2022

Is My Story A Mystery, Horror or Thriller?

March 15, 2022

By Lucy V Hay Lots of writers enjoy mystery, horror and thriller novels … but are not too sure what differentiates them. As a result, when they attempt their own,…

Spinning a Yarn out of History: How to Craft a Plot from your Historical Obsession

February 24, 2022

Spinning a Yarn out of History: How to Craft a Plot from your Historical Obsession

February 24, 2022

By E. C. Ambrose Some of the most compelling fiction arises out of the writer’s engagement with a narrow aspect of history. It might be an event with an exciting…

When to Kill a Character

February 22, 2022

When to Kill a Character

February 22, 2022

Well, Valentine’s Day is in the rearview, so it’s time to move on to a less lovey-dovey topic: killing people. Fictional people, of course! Let’s face it, some of our…

Fear Thesaurus: Failure

February 19, 2022

Fear Thesaurus: Failure

February 19, 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 illness,…

The Measure of a Character

February 15, 2022

The Measure of a Character

February 15, 2022

One of my favorite characters of all time is Star Trek’s lovable android, Data. If you aren’t familiar with The Next Generation, and Data in particular, the most important thing…

Introducing…The Fear Thesaurus!

February 12, 2022

Introducing…The Fear Thesaurus!

February 12, 2022

Fear is an undeniable part of the human experience, for both real and fictional people. At its most basic, it warns our characters of potential danger and encourages them to…

Zig Zag Plot Arc

February 8, 2022

Zig Zag Plot Arc

February 8, 2022

As writers, the classic arc-plot diagram is burned into our brains. The one conveying that our characters should move through our books in one steady climb, both externally and internally.…

6 Cheats to “Tell” Well (When It’s Warranted)

February 1, 2022

6 Cheats to “Tell” Well (When It’s Warranted)

February 1, 2022

Most of us are familiar with the “Show, don’t Tell” rule. In short, it’s more effective to dramatize the story than to simply tell what happened. Nonetheless, almost every story…

Using Physical Pain to Show a Character’s Past Trauma

January 18, 2022

Using Physical Pain to Show a Character’s Past Trauma

January 18, 2022

There doesn’t seem to be much info out there to tell writers how to realistically capture emotions and trauma while still leaving room for plot, characterization, and genre tropes. The…

How to Write a Compelling Antihero

December 16, 2021

How to Write a Compelling Antihero

December 16, 2021

What is an Antihero? Heroes embody courage, perseverance and skill. They can easily turn into villains when they use their talents for personal gain. This means antiheroes are like their name…