Are You Eager or Anxious?
Despite the fact that they are often used interchangeably (and Merriam-Webster calls them synonyms), anxious and eager do not mean…
Showing Settings through the Eyes of Your Characters
“It is impossible to powerfully capture a place via objective description—at least to capture it in a way that readers…
On Rejection and Renewal: A Note to Aspiring Novelists
Today’s guest post is from acclaimed American novelist Warren Adler, well-known for his best-selling-novel-turned-box-office-hit The War of the Roses. Warren is now a…
I Continue to Be Continuous
I continue to be concerned about good writing. That’s why I want to point out to you that continual and…
How Settings and Locale Shape Us and the Characters We Create
If you think settings in a novel are inconsequential, think again. Consider for a moment how locale has shaped you….
How Best-Selling Writers Sabotage Themselves (and How to Learn from Their Mistakes)
You encounter an author, and it’s love at first page. You declare your devotion over Facebook and write giddy reviews…
Both and Only Are Four-Letter Words
Not those kind of four-letter words. But in the same way you might ask yourself whether those four-letter words are necessary…
Setting with a Purpose
Sad but true, setting and locale in novels is mostly ignored. It’s as if writers feel they must sacrifice attention…
Easy Tips to Help You Save Money on That Necessary Edit
Today’s post is by editor Katherine Pickett: Finished that novel? Time to get it edited by a professional? For the…