How to Amp up Your Story Setting
How to Amp up Your Story Setting
Taking the time to choose the right setting for each scene is one of the best ways to ensure our writing has impact. Why? Because the setting touches everything. It…
Read more…How to Find Symbols in Your Settings
How to Find Symbols in Your Settings
We all want our writing to be layered. Like a gourmet meal, we want there to be more to them than just what’s seen on the surface. In stories, this…
Read more…Should You Write What You Know or Aim to Experiment?
Should You Write What You Know or Aim to Experiment?
Savannah Cordova suggests ditching writing what you know for the new and improved version: Know what you write. Show-don’t-tell! Kill your darlings! Don’t use adverbs! Sound familiar? Most writers will…
Read more…Three Strategies for Creating Progressively Escalating Complications
Three Strategies for Creating Progressively Escalating Complications
Unputdownable stories keep readers off balance, as one scene tips into another, and another, and the next. Each scene’s challenge demands a response, and each response spirals into fresh complications.…
Read more…Writing Tips from a Neurodivergent Brain
Writing Tips from a Neurodivergent Brain
Last fall, when I wrote about writing a novel “scene by scene” as someone neurodivergent, I received a ton of interesting feedback. Most of it was a variation on these…
Read more…How to Use Show, Don’t Tell to Strengthen Your Story
How to Use Show, Don’t Tell to Strengthen Your Story
Writers hear it all the time: Show, don’t tell. This advice is so iconic that I wouldn’t be surprised if a few tattoos are kicking around the community. After all,…
Read more…Be Our Valentine: Save 25% at One Stop for Writers®
Be Our Valentine: Save 25% at One Stop for Writers®
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Becca and I want to ensure you have a bigger budget for any I-Love-You gifts, so for the next two weeks, you can snag…
Read more…Book Structure for Disorganized Writers
Book Structure for Disorganized Writers
A while back, I shared a post at WHW about Scene Writing, and why it’s such a valuable tool for writers (especially those like me, whose brains get easily overwhelmed…
Read more…How to Leverage Humanity to Outshine AI-Generated Books
How to Leverage Humanity to Outshine AI-Generated Books
AI is reshaping the book industry, and writers are polarized; some have integrated AI into their writing process while others refuse to. No matter which camp you align with I’m…
Read more…How to Write Unputdownable Psychological Thrillers
How to Write Unputdownable Psychological Thrillers
“I read your pages,” said my critique partner. “And I think it’d really increase the tension if you tore the one page out of the book that your main character…
Read more…Five Pitfalls to Avoid When Developing Your Antagonist
Five Pitfalls to Avoid When Developing Your Antagonist
By Savannah Cordova It’s been said that every good story needs a villain. While that villain doesn’t have to be another character — it can be something more abstract, like…
Read more…Should Your Novel Have a Prologue?
Should Your Novel Have a Prologue?
All About Prologues Every word counts in a story and first impressions matter. Traditionally, a prologue is an introductory chapter that sets the scene, tone and genre of your novel.…
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