How to Choose Setting with a Purpose
Settings in fiction are often in the background—literally. Characters are talking and doing things, but readers get merely a glimpse…
Getting the Big Picture Across in Your Scenes
Today’s post is a reprint from one I published two years ago. It bears repeating! Writing scenes can be daunting,…
Are You Serious about Becoming a Successful Self-Published Author?
If you’ve thought about self-publishing, or you are already deep in the mire, you know how daunting it is. Publishing…
Nailing Your One-Sentence Story Concept
I’m launching my new online video course this month, so we’ve been taking a look at key elements novelists need…
Still Room to Join In on Plotting Madness!
There is so much to know about crafting a solid plot. If you’ve been following my blog awhile and studying…
Nail Your Ten Key Scenes ~ Half Off My New Online Course!
Writing a terrific novel is a complex endeavor. And while there are hundreds of books, podcasts, and blog posts that teach…
The Burden of Your First Fifty Pages
I critique a lot of first chapters of novels. Having written twenty novels, I can attest to how difficult it…
Three Aspects of Your Book’s “Aboutness”: Goal, Question, and Premise
Today’s guest post is by Barbara Linn Probst. So what’s your book about? We’ve all had that question put to…
How “Pantsing” May Be Harmful to Your Health
Pantsing? No, it’s not in the dictionary. But it’s a common word among novelists. Hey, we’re wordsmiths. We can make…