Category: The Craft of Writing
Why “It” Matters in Your Book
When you’re editing your book with AutoCrit, it can be quite surprising to see the word it appear high up the list as one of your most overused words. After all, as a wide-ranging pronoun, it is one of the most commonly used words in the English language. You’d hardly be surprised to see it […]
Fiction Writing Advice from Famous Authors: 20 Pieces of Brilliant Insight
The world is full of people who want to give writing advice, but not everyone’s qualified. The only people who truly understand writers and the writing life are writers themselves. We’ve compiled twenty quotes from famous authors with some of the very best advice on living the writing life, the craft itself, and the only […]
How to Be Mean to Your Characters: Understanding Narrative Conflict
It ain’t easy being mean. You’ve spent a lot of time developing a character your readers will care about, and you’ve grown fond of that character, too. But, in the name of good fiction, you’re going to have to make her suffer. That’s narrative conflict. Storytelling is about conflict. If your character isn’t struggling, you’re […]
When Feedback Hurts: How to Handle Criticism as a Writer
For some of us, hearing criticism or seeing those red marks on our drafts indicating places where we may need to make changes is like hearing our newborn baby is ugly. How can you make receiving feedback easier and more productive? Here’s how to handle criticism without getting disheartened. Why Does Criticism Hurt? You pour […]
What Does “Show, Don’t Tell” Mean?
“Show, don’t tell.” Every fiction writer has heard the phrase ad nauseam. It’s handed down from seasoned scribes to newbies with seriousness and reverence. We’re told it’s the key to writing stories that come alive rather than fall flat. Most fiction writers have at least a basic understanding of what “show, don’t tell” means, but […]
How to Use Power Verbs to Amp Up Your Writing
Mark Twain said, “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is . . . the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” Powerful language fills your writing with energy, which impresses agents, editors, and readers. Here’s how to use power verbs to make an impact. 10 Examples of Power Verbs […]
4 Writing Books That Will Make You Better at Self-Editing
Take a quick browse through a bookstore or Amazon’s virtual shelves and you’ll discover that there are hundreds of books about how to write fiction. But when you need to get serious about self-editing your manuscript, pickings are slim. Still, a few fantastic books stand out as tremendous guides to help fiction writers self-edit. Here’s […]
Why (And How) Should You Organize Your Writing?
To the collective AutoCrit mind, organization is important. Essential, even. The public might imagine writers as messy creative types, perched behind desks that overflow with coffee-stained pages, tattered sticky notes, and half-empty Starbucks containers. While there may, admittedly, be some truth in there, the fact remains that some organization is a must for a happy […]
Flat Character? Here’s How to Add Depth
What is a flat character? Indiana Jones. Sherlock Holmes. Juliet Capulet. None of these could be accused of being flat. The dream of every writer is to create a character that is so real – so believable – they take on a life of their own. From a commercial perspective, a great character will drive […]
