“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 […]
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 […]
Pacing in writing is the key to creating stories your readers can’t put down. Think of how many times you’ve heard someone comment on a book they’ve abandoned by saying “I tried to get through it, but it was just so slow” or “It just raced along, but it didn’t have any substance.” What is […]
About Me pages fill some fiction writers with dread. And yet, a good About Me page is essential to connecting with readers, winning new fans, and even impressing agents, editors, and publishers. The problem is, many of us are introverted artists. We scrawl fiction in our lonely writers’ caves, where the sign at the door […]
Stephen King said, “I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs.” Hemingway, known for his spare writing style, used -ly words far less often than the average writer (42% as often, according to LitCharts.) But what are adverbs? And are they really that bad? What are Adverbs? Adverbs are words used to modify […]
Self-editing is a challenge for even the most skilled fiction writers. Once you’ve poured your heart and soul into a draft, it’s difficult to slash and revise the words you’ve become attached to. But, as the famous writers’ expression goes, you must kill your darlings if you hope to create a work of fiction readers […]
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 […]
What is the natural habitat of the happily published, career author? Is it sat in a boutique café with a deconstructed coffee, thundering through chapters on the newest laptop? Maybe it’s perched in the corner of the living room at midnight, clicking away on a vintage typewriter? What does a real daily routine look like, […]
Given the wide reach of the internet, there’s no shortage of writing competitions available to enter nowadays. In fact, if you spent enough time exercising some Google-fu, chances are you could pull out thousands of competitions, spread across almost any genre and style you could think of. Some competitions are free, while others ask for […]
Quick! Name something that can make you feel happier and more productive and inspires creativity. Your first thought might have been “a hot cup of coffee” – and okay, that’s valid. But did you know that keeping a writing journal has the same benefits and they last long after the caffeine buzz has worn off? Why Keep […]
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