How to Read to Improve Your Writing
Not everything you read will make you a better writer. By following these five tips and tricks you can use your reading time to improve your craft and get closer to your dreams of becoming a published author.
Category: Writing Advice
The Dialogue Tag Controversy
They said there was a right way to write dialogue tags. Then they screamed that there wasn’t. The truth about this highly controversial topic lies somewhere in between. Here are our tips and tricks for writing strong conversations, however you choose to tag them.
21 Questions to Ask Your Character
The key to writing engaging, hard-to-forget characters is to truly get to know them before you even begin plotting your story. Here are 21 questions to help you get there.
Writing 101: Show Don’t Tell Basics
Most writers know about the concept of “show don’t tell” but many still struggle to put it to use in their own writing. Here, we’ll give you some easy tips to help improve your “show” skills.
5 Questions Create a Character
Engaging characters entrance your readers and suck them into their world. These 5 questions will help you create interesting, believable, and relatable characters that will have your readers hooked on every word.
5 Things Aspiring Writers Should Do (Before They Write)
Being a career writer isn’t all about the writing. Doing these five things before you start your first novel will help assure your long term success.
Writing Exercise: Yes, But; No, And
Learn about the importance of try/fail cycles in building compelling stories and find out if your novel has enough of the right kind of tension to engage readers up until the very last page with this must-do writing exercise.
Writing Exercise: She Talks to Angels
Practice applying show-don’t-tell to character descriptions with this fun writing exercise based on the Black Crowes song, She Talks to Angels.
Writing Exercise: The Spark That Starts the Fire
Learn all about inciting incidents and how to create the right one for your book to ensure your character embarks on an engaging journey that your readers won’t be able to put down.
Writing Exercise: Standing Up
This character building writing exercise will help you figure out what your character believes in while adding some possible points of tension to your narrative.