Story Development for Pantsers
By Jay Wilburn
Pantsers are the wild and wooly improvisational artists of the writing world. Here are some tools and approaches that can help them develop their stories without giving up their preferred style.
Storyville: The Intersection Between Plotting and Pantsing
Finding the intersection between plotting and pantsing.
The Obsolescence of The Hero's Journey
By Gabriel Hart
Those who prescribe to a set system might be condemned to repeat mediocrity.
Lessons I Learned Ghostwriting Romance (as a Non-Romance Writer)
By Jay Wilburn
After ghostwriting many romance novels, Jay Wilburn learned some lessons that helped with writing stories in other genres.
Curious not Confused
By Joshua Isard
Finding the right amount of information to include in a story can be a difficult task for any writer.
Welcome the Characters Who Show Up Too Early and Stay Too Late
Sometimes the most pivotal characters need to be conjured and coddled into the story, under the shadow of misstarts and dead-end plotlines.
Conflict Without Violence: How to Add More Depth To Your Fiction
Violence is fun. But finding other ways to resolve conflict can improve your writing, and turn an average story into one with depth and intrigue.
All Stories Are Existential
By Joshua Isard
The word existential may have, in some contexts, devolved into an epithet for things that seem deep or important, but that’s not really what it means.
Storyville: Writing a Compelling Novel Synopsis
Tips and trick for writing a compelling novel synopsis.
What Writers Can Learn From Watching The NFL Draft
Will this article finally bring Sports Twitter and Writer Twitter together? Will the Dolphins draft Tua? Can writers really learn writing tips from watching the NFL Draft?
Craft A Cozy Mystery In Three Killer Steps
Crafting a mystery series can be fraught with peril, but tackle these three questions and you’re guaranteed to unlock what lies at the heart of the terror.
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.
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 Three: Why the Agent Requested—and Then Rejected—the Full
Good news: The agent requested the full! Bad news: The agent said, “Thanks but no thanks.”
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.
Storyville: Creating Tension in Your Fiction
How do you create tension in your fiction? Here are some tips.
Storyville: Horror Story vs. Horror Novel
How do you know if your horror project is a story, novella, or novel? Some quick tips.
Through the Labyrinth: Plotting the Story
By Jeff Noon
Part 8 of Jeff's 10 part series on the writing of his new novel, "A Man of Shadows."
Story Structure: The Magic Bullet that Nearly Killed Me
Matthew Quirk, author of the newly-released 'Dead Man Switch,' talks about the secret code of storytelling he learned from screenwriting.
Open to Inspiration: How Your Own Family History Can Feed Your Fiction
By Alex Segura
Acclaimed crime/mystery novelist Alex Segura talks about finding inspiration for his next book in his own family's Cuban history.
Storyville: 10 Neo-Noir Films to Influence Your Fiction
10 Neo-Noir Films to Influence Your Fiction
Storyville: How to Write Flash Fiction
Tips and tricks for writing powerful flash fiction.
Storyville: Writer’s Block—Where It Comes From, and How to Break Through
Information on where writer's block comes from, and how to fix it.
Storyville: 10 Ways to Fool Your Readers
Ten tips for the best ways to fool your readers.
Storyville: Writing a Novel Without Plotting it Out
Tips on how to write a novel without plotting it out.