Writers Helping Writers^®

Writing Lessons

Beginnings and Backstory

December 4, 2018

Beginnings and Backstory

December 4, 2018

You will find writers who argue that there should be no backstory at all in your first chapters. Why not? Because, by definition, backstory is what has happened before your…

Character Arc and Narrative Arc

November 20, 2018

Character Arc and Narrative Arc

November 20, 2018

Character arc: someone living their life Narrative arc: the things that happen when someone lives their life When I worked with children, I’d always teach them the simple, zen fact: every…

Context, Text, and Subtext: What They Are and How They Help Storytelling

November 13, 2018

Context, Text, and Subtext: What They Are and How They Help Storytelling

November 13, 2018

In writing tips, we talk about text a lot. But I feel like we don’t talk enough about context and subtext in this industry. Both are vital to good storytelling…

A Mother Lode of Resources on Strong First Pages

November 1, 2018

A Mother Lode of Resources on Strong First Pages

November 1, 2018

As many of you know, I run a monthly critique contest here at the blog, where I offer to read first pages and share my feedback. People are so grateful…

How to Nail the First Three Pages

October 16, 2018

How to Nail the First Three Pages

October 16, 2018

Let’s face it, talking about writing the first pages of a novel is stressful. It can strike terror into the heart of even the most seasoned writer, because as writers…

Representation in Literature: Why It’s Important & How To Handle It

October 10, 2018

Representation in Literature: Why It’s Important & How To Handle It

October 10, 2018

Happy to welcome Deborah Dixon, a passionate author, editor, and racial justice activist to talk a bit on Representation in Literature, a topic of importance and something I think many…

Create Killer Twists: Learn How to Redeem Your Villain

October 9, 2018

Create Killer Twists: Learn How to Redeem Your Villain

October 9, 2018

You might think a villain can’t be redeemed. After all, they’re sinister and twisted and think killing people is a post-dinner dessert choice. But even villains are people, and, no…

On The Quest for Knowledge, Writers Must Show Courage

October 4, 2018

On The Quest for Knowledge, Writers Must Show Courage

October 4, 2018

When we step onto the writing path, we know there will be a lot to learn. We see the mountain ahead and sure, it’s intimidating. But hey, we’re head over…

Capturing Complex Emotion: A Writer’s Superpower

October 2, 2018

Capturing Complex Emotion: A Writer’s Superpower

October 2, 2018

Our brain is driven by emotion. We may like to think we’re rational beings, applying the rules of logic calmly and sensibly to those little and not-so-little decisions, but our…

And…Action! Applying TV Lessons to Chapter Hooks

September 11, 2018

And…Action! Applying TV Lessons to Chapter Hooks

September 11, 2018

We’ve probably all heard the advice to end our scenes and chapters on a hook. At the end of every scene or chapter, readers might put down our book and…