Drawing Power

Trigger warning—contains memories of sexual abuse I’m reading Drawing Power, a new comics anthology (edited by Diane Noomin with an introduction by Roxanne Gay). Inspired by the #metoo movement, sixty-three comics artists, including Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Liana Finck, Ariel Schrag, Una, and Emil Ferris tell their stories of sexual harassment and abuse. I was excited when… Read more »

Five Tactics to Battle Impostor Syndrome

Many writers, especially those early in their careers, suffer from impostor syndrome: the persistent feeling that one is fraudulent and doesn’t belong in one’s chosen field, and it’s only a matter of time before the world uncovers that fact. Such feelings can be magnified if you’re self-publishing. Without the external validation of an agent choosing… Read more »

#5onFri: Five Tips for Writing Nail-Biting Suspense

Halloween is just around the corner, which means it’s prime time to read — and write! — some spooky, scary stories. And whether you’re a fan of the classic ghost story à la M.R. James, the darkly imaginative tales of Stephen King, or Gillian Flynn’s unique brand of psychological horror, you probably realize that all… Read more »

storytelling superpower

Unleash Your Storytelling Superpower

Hey Word Nerds! Gabriela here. This is the first of a super special series of four articles discussing one of my favorite topics — your storytelling superpower. I’m so excited to share it with you!  Some say that at the heart of every story, you find a compelling character. I agree… almost. Characters are more… Read more »

Six Things Editors Want Writers to Know

The typical idea of an Ask the Editor column is for you (a writer) to ask me (an editor) questions, which I then explain as larger concepts for the benefit of other writers. But without your questions, I’m stuck picking my own topics—a dangerous thing. This month, I decided to flip the meaning of this… Read more »

Deep Dive into Short Forms: Novelettes and Novellas

The novella is the comeback kid of literature. (Just ask The Atlantic Monthly and Forbes magazines.) And it’s brought a sidekick, the novelette, along for its return. Of course, I couldn’t be happier. I love novellas. Which comes as no surprise, I’m sure.  I bet you love novellas too but don’t realize it. Have you… Read more »