13 Reasons Why Your Novel Sucks At Diversity
A list of thirteen egregious offenses committed while creating diverse stories, coupled with solutions writers can adopt to approach race or any other minority status with sensitivity and respect.
The Top Three Things Your Character Needs
By Cina Pelayo
Want to write memorable characters? You're going to want to give them these.
So You Want to Write Women
Writing women sounds easy... until you have to make them realistic. How does an author craft female characters that real women can relate to?
Storyville: Living Vicariously Through Our Fiction
Some thoughts on how and why we live through our stories and protagonists.
Is It Really Such A Bad Thing To Give The Audience What They Want?
Fan service is seen as a four-letter word, but that doesn't mean it's actually a curse.
Writing a Novel With Save the Cat!
By Cina Pelayo
The Cat has had its way with the screenplay, and now it has turned its sights on novels.
5 Lessons Fiction Writers Can Learn From Video Games
If you're a writer who likes games and needed an excuse to play more, here it is.
The Great Game of Balancing Character and Plot
It's no secret many "Game of Thrones" fans were disappointed in the final season. But what lessons can writers take away from it?
Storyville: Sympathy for the Devil
In order for your bad guys to truly resonate, we need to care about them, and feel strong emotions. Even if that emotion is hate.
Storyville: What is Head-Hopping and Why Should You Avoid It?
Tips for avoiding head-hopping in your fiction.
Improve Your Stories By Eliminating Agendas
By Joshua Isard
The agendas with which you approach your story might be holding the narrative back.
Dirty Little Secrets, Part Two: Why Your Beta Readers Never Finished Your Novel
You worked hard on that book, and your beta readers never even finished the damn thing. Why?
Dirty Little Secrets, Part One: Why No One Cares About Your Protagonist
Many an agent has rejected a novel with the phrase, “I’m just not in love with this protagonist.”
10 Must-Know Tips For Outlining Your Novel
If you're struggling to get your novel off of the ground, an outline can potentially rescue you from all of your toils.
Narrative Detour: Rediscover Your Novel
By BH Shepherd
A fun exercise to help you push forward when writing your novel becomes a slog.
Dialogue: The Number One Mistake Newbie Writers Make
There's no lack of online advice about how to write dialogue in fiction. But there’s one issue I see over and over in the dialogue of newbie writers, and I have yet to find one post that tackles it.
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Religion in Your Fiction
Religion is a huge part of life. Here are a few reasons why you shouldn't ignore it in your fiction.
Three Exercises for Improved Character Development
If you want your characters to be as deep and nuanced as your narrative, here are three things you can do.
Engage Your Readers By Putting Them To Work
By Joshua Isard
As writers, then, we want to ask our readers to do the right kind of work, the kind that helps them engage with our stories as much as possible.
7 Ways to Prepare for NaNoWriMo Right Now
Want to write a novel but don't know where to start? NaNoWriMo 2018 might be the perfect opportunity — here's 7 ways you can prepare for it now.
Folding Real-Life Detail into a Fictional Narrative
Is there an ethical line when it comes to incorporating real-life details into fiction? And if so, where does that line exist?
5 Essential Character Traits For Ourselves, Not Our Creations
By Joshua Isard
It’s important to develop the kind of personal character that’ll help us get through everything the writing life throws our way.
Taking the Stage: How Storytellers Saved My Ambition to Write
The story of how I fell into a hole with my writing career, and the strategy I developed to climb back out.
When To Utilize An Ensemble Cast and How To Do It Well
By Joshua Isard
Would your story benefit from multiple POVs? And does it have the scope to sustain them?
