How Side Quests and Subplots Can Beef Up Your Story
Side quests aren't just for D&D or WOW - in a post on Well-Storied, Kristen Kieffer says that add-on goals or other distractions from...
Why Do Readers Love a Mystery?
We've said it recently: Every story has an element of mystery. In a recent interview with the Creative Penn podcast, Jonah Lehrer discusses his...
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...
Know Your Enemy…and Beat the Crap Out of It
Writing fight scenes between two human characters is difficult enough. We've all marveled at the way action movie protagonists can take massive amounts of...
Tips on Recovering from a Writing Break
Lately we've shared advice on determining when it's time to take a break from your writing and what you can do with that time...
How to Crack into a Character’s Head
Sometimes writers are lucky enough to have a character (or three) arrive fully formed in our heads. We know their wants and desires, their...
Your Story World Can Benefit From Small, Unlikely Connections
Otters aren't merely nature's adorable sea puppies; they also might be helping to fight climate change, according to an article from the BBC. "Sea...
Here’s Your Permission to Take a Break
Productivity goals. Word count challenges. NaNoWriMo. Five books a year. Write one, submit one. As a writer, you'll be forgiven if you feel like...
The Joys of Big Casts
Writers are often told not to feature too many characters in their novels. You'll find it hard to keep track of them all. Readers...
Watch Out for Unnecessary Redundant Words
In a post on Killzone, writer and writing coach James Scott Bell says writers should be wary of "gilding the lily" - over-explaining or...
