A well-written story is a well-paced story. It is in the rhythm and flow of events that readers find themselves on a heart-thumping adventure with the characters. And there are only a few stories that occur during an uninterrupted, brief period. Most, however, are spaced out in a span of days, weeks, months, or years…. Read more »
Not long ago, I worked on a copyediting project in which the story included time travel, a narrative element straight out of science fiction. As I worked my way through the manuscript, in which the characters were searching for a way to survive a dystopian future and decided their best option was to live in… Read more »
One of the most frequent things that writers complain about is finding time to write. And then when we do find time to write, all of these distractions are calling us away from our writing. Today, guest poster Sarah Van Arsdale shares her advice for how to resist and get some work done. 1. Shut… Read more »
Welcome back, poets! In my last article, I talked about some of the techniques I use to generate ideas and inspiration for poems, especially when on a deadline. Today, I want to take things a step further and talk about what to do after you’ve written and revised a bunch of poems, and are ready… Read more »
Everyone has heard that common writing advice about getting your butt in the chair, yet so many writers struggle to do just that. If you’re anything like me, you’ll recognize this typical scene that plays out in my house constantly. My husband comes into the living room and shuts off the TV while I am… Read more »
I’ve been thinking a lot about death lately. I suspect that’s a somewhat universal pastime given that we’re on what will hopefully be the tail-end of a global pandemic. But it’s also because my debut novel, The Wolf’s Curse, is narrated by a Grim Reaper-like character. I’m often asked why I chose to tackle such… Read more »
Talk is cheap. Rather than words, supply your characters with romantic gestures to back up their sweet little nothings. Your reader will love your character’s creative actions and so will an agent who considers your manuscript. A reader plucks your romance novel from the shelf to lose herself in a world she can only imagine…. Read more »
The comma is confusing and controversial. Seriously. In 2018, a Maine dairy company had to award $5 million in backpay to drivers—all due to a missing Oxford comma in their contract. If you want to make sure a missing or misplaced comma doesn’t ruin your manuscript, keep reading. Commas are one of the hardest punctuation… Read more »
Hey kids! Thanks for checking in, genius writer. I worry. I worry because you never call nor write. Texting counts as writing these days. But you never text me. You send your grandmother your TikTok posts. Me? I get nothing. So, why should I, the author of four books, a fifth and sixth forthcoming, share… Read more »
As I sit here writing about how to be a full-time author AND take weekends and evenings off, creating that perfect work-life balance, there is some real irony in the fact that it is currently Saturday afternoon. But to my defense, it is just a few days before I release a new book. While September… Read more »
