What’s in a Character Name? Sometimes, the Success of Your Story
The naming of things is important. God gave Adam the task of naming the creatures of the world. Magical beings withhold their true names,...
Writing Prompt: Describing Music
During her interview with the Write the Book podcast, writer Melissa Perley suggests a musical writing prompt: listen to a piece of music and...
Variety is the Spice of Conflict
Conflict is at the heart of every story. It's what drives the plot, highlights the stakes, and increases tension. It's the main reason readers...
Use Character to Get Under Your Readers’ Skins
There's a lot more to horror than simply creating a monster or scheduling a few jump scares. The greatest horror hits your audience in...
Bringing the Dead (Projects) Back to Life
On Monday, we shared an article about the sunk cost fallacy, and knowing when it's time to put two tears in a bucket and...
Worldbuilding Should Reinforce Character and Plot
In their newest episode, the Writing Excuses hosts start a new series on worldbuilding. They talk with guest Fonda Lee about her process, which...
Not Hitting Your KPIs? Schedule a Staff Meeting With Yourself
With 2 months left in the year, it's a good time to check in on your writing goals. If you didn't quite make the...
Why are the Crazy Ones Always So Hot?
From Lucifer on down, we are culturally attracted to beautiful killers. The list is lengthy, but for many, it starts and ends with serial...
Don’t Preach: Craft an Emotional Experience When Writing Big Topics
In a post on Writer Unboxed, Kathryn Craft discusses the challenges of tackling important issues in your writing, while avoiding preachiness. Instead, Craft urges...
Re-Thinking the Passive “Was”
This editor admits: the overuse of the passive "was" in fiction is one of our biggest pet peeves. In fact, it's our major bone...
