What Does it Take to Begin Your Novel?
We have trouble writing one beginning to our stories and novels. In a post on Writer Unboxed, Greer Macallister says every story actually has...
Writing a la Mode
While many of us spend our writing time in a t-shirt and yesterday's jeans, sometimes our characters might need a bit more elan. In...
Writing Lessons from L.A. Weather by María Amparo Escandón
Learning from other writers - reading other writers - is the best way for you to study and learn your craft. You don't give...
Understanding the Difference Between Style, Tone, and Voice
We believe it's worthwhile for a writer to develop their own voice. There are a number of sometimes-conflicting definitions of what that entails. Generally,...
What Makes a Story?
In an interview with the DIY MFA podcast, Charlie Jane Anders discusses:
What makes something an “idea” versus a “story” and how to tell...
Eavesdropping for Fun and Profit
Eavesdropping is (allegedly) not very nice, but for writers, this vice is a virtue. In an article for Lit Hub, Nikita Lalwani says she...
It’s Ok to Show Your Influences
In a guest post on Chuck Wendig's blog, Johann Thorsson shares what he learned writing his supernatural crime novel Whitesands.
Writing is all in...
Structure Sets an Expectation
In their latest podcast, the Writing Excuses hosts continue their conversation about structure and how structure makes a promise to the reader. Structure tells...
Rutu Modan: “It Can Be a Wild Story, but Everything Has...
Incomparable cartoonist Jason Lutes (Berlin) recently interviewed writer/artist Rutu Modan about her new graphic novel, Tunnels. Modan shares her process for creating the work,...
Use Wide Angle POV to Keep Your Reader at a Distance
Modern novels often go for a deep POV, bringing the reader directly into the protagonist's thoughts and portraying the novel's settings, characters, and events...
