Writers Helping Writers^®

Show Don’t Tell

Identifying Your Character’s Primary Attribute

August 27, 2020

Identifying Your Character’s Primary Attribute

August 27, 2020

When I think about some of my favorite protagonists, I can usually identify a trait that defines each one: Sam Gamgee: LoyaltyAnne Shirley: ImpulsivityJames T. Kirk: Boldness However, if each…

The Character-Building Detail Writers Shouldn’t Overlook

July 2, 2020

The Character-Building Detail Writers Shouldn’t Overlook

July 2, 2020

The farther I get into this writing and coaching career, the more I find myself talking about details and how important it is to get them right. Whether we’re figuring…

The Occupation Thesaurus: Firefighter

June 23, 2020

The Occupation Thesaurus: Firefighter

June 23, 2020

Sourced from The Occupation Thesaurus OVERVIEWA firefighter is a rescuer who extinguishes and prevents fires that threaten life, property, and the environment. They also respond to car accidents, chemical spills,…

3 Ways to Differentiate Your Characters

May 30, 2020

3 Ways to Differentiate Your Characters

May 30, 2020

We’ve invited Resident Writing Coach Sacha Black to give us an extra dose of wisdom as she’s just released a new book that I think will help a lot of…

How to Describe a Location You’ve Never Visited

April 23, 2020

How to Describe a Location You’ve Never Visited

April 23, 2020

One of the big decisions writers make is whether to choose a real location for the backdrop of their overall story or create one of their own imaginings. Crafting a…

How a Career Can Reveal Your Character’s Deeper Layers

February 29, 2020

How a Career Can Reveal Your Character’s Deeper Layers

February 29, 2020

Did you know that before Becca became an author and writing coach, she was a teacher? It’s true. And if you know her, you’re probably thinking, I can see that.…

How to Build Powerful Character Relationships

February 20, 2020

How to Build Powerful Character Relationships

February 20, 2020

Character relationships are, in many ways, the glue that holds a story together. Almost every tale has at least one relationship at the heart of it, often more. Rarely can…

Tools to Help You Become a Powerful Writer

February 4, 2020

Tools to Help You Become a Powerful Writer

February 4, 2020

The start of the year is when I pay close attention to what is happening in our industry: what publishers and organizations are focusing on, the changes occurring on sales…

Mastering Show, Don’t Tell

December 5, 2019

Mastering Show, Don’t Tell

December 5, 2019

We hear it over and over: Show, don’t tell. You can’t get away from this advice, not in writing workshops, at conferences, or heck, even when visiting this blog. Writers…

Surprising Your Readers in Every Scene

November 12, 2019

Surprising Your Readers in Every Scene

November 12, 2019

Often we think of surprising audiences with large twists and turns, with thrilling midpoints or shocking losses, but bringing surprise into smaller story pieces, like interactions and beats, can sometimes…