“That’s Not Writing, That’s Typing.”
Word count goals. NaNoWriMo. Writing sprints. Everywhere you turn, writers are told to ignore their inner editor, shut the thesaurus, tune out the world,...
Petty Slights or Systemic Violence: Vengeance Writing Can Help You Vent,...
Writers often joke about the role revenge plays in their writing. "Don't piss me off," they'll say, "or I'll kill you off in my...
How Much Honesty Can Your Writing Stand?
In a post on Writer Unboxed, Jim Dempsey writes about giving a colleague feedback on stories that fictionalize real people and events. The colleague...
Andrew Martin on the Fine Line Between Autofiction and Autobiographical Fiction
During a conversation with Lit Hub Radio's Thresholds podcast, Jordan Kisner, author of the new essay collection Thin Places, discusses the difference between autobiographical...
The Best Characters are Problematic
One of the key tenets of fiction is that your characters must be well-rounded. Your protagonists must have strengths and flaws. Your villains should...
Let Your Story Tell You What It’s About
Many writers don't fret about theme. They might have a basic idea about moral, but rarely delve into the meatier element of theme, preferring...
Genre is a Distinction Without a Distinction
What's in a genre? Are Fahrenheit 451 and Slaughterhouse 5 science fiction novels, because they involve a dystopian future and time travel, respectively? Or...
Preach! (Without Getting Preachy)
If you're feeling like the world has been veering from one crisis to another for the last 2 years, you're not alone. Big topics...
Write the Tale That Scares You
While a lot of writing advice focuses on crafting page-turners and bestsellers, sometimes we need to be reminded to plumb the boundless depths of...
Advice for Sticking With Your Unique Writing Vision
In a guest post on Well-Storied, writer Stephanie BwaBwa says the world needs writers to express their unique voices now more than ever. "I’m...
