The Art of the Pitch and Synopsis
In:
Abstracts
You want to sell your novel or land an agent? Well, you need an elevator pitch and synopsis to do so. Here's Elevator Pitch 101.
Productivity Methods for Writers
In:
Abstracts
You want to write words, but you'd rather watch some TV and eat nachos. Don't, I'll help you get writing.
5 Things the Grammar Nazis Get Wrong
In:
Grammar
The Grammar Nazi's mission in life is to point out all the ways that you, the writer, have managed to butcher the English language. Sometimes those people are right. But sometimes they're wrong.
DIY Book Covers for the Self Publishing-Inclined Part 2
In:
Research
You've learned how to combine stock images to create vaguely interesting book covers. Time to learn some easy typography tricks.
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.
5 Ways to Fall in Love with Your Character
In:
Character
These tips and tricks may help you find love again!
10 Reasons To Draft 10 Times
By Peter Derk
In:
Rewriting
Ever tried drafting a piece 10 times? Maybe you should. Maybe you need to.
5 Great Books About the Craft of Writing
In:
Research
Sometimes you'd rather read about writing than write. That's okay, we got you covered.
Advice From A Literary Character: Dean Moriarty
In:
Character
Your favorite literary characters answer life's big questions.
Long Story Short: 10 Tips for Trimming an Overly Long Novel Down to Size
In:
Rewriting
Maybe you've written an epic novel that requires 110,000 words or more to tell its story. Or maybe you've written a novel that's 30,000 words too long.
So You Want to Edit A Book Part 3: The Paper Project
By Leah Rhyne
In:
Rewriting
There comes a time in every author's life where they get to see their book on paper...and then they tear it up, write all over it, and do it all over again. I'm there now. Let's talk about it.
Storyville: 10 Ways to Fool Your Readers
Ten tips for the best ways to fool your readers.
So You Want To Edit A Book Part 2: The Dreadful First Rewrite
By Leah Rhyne
In:
Rewriting
In this installment of So You Want To Edit A Book, we talk about the first, dreadful rewrite - how I do it, what I try to fix, where I mess up, and what I intentionally leave for later.
Five Ways Scrivener Can Help Your Work In Progress
Why Scrivener? What can it do for your writing? Go beyond the "click here" tutorials and consider how this software can improve your work habits and the quality of your content.
The Brick by Brick Method of Writing
By Robbie Blair
In:
Rewriting
I explore a central lesson I learned from writing my thesis: A "brick-by-brick" writing approach that makes projects more manageable, less stressful, and easier to complete.
So You Want To Edit A Book Part 1: The Dramatic First Read Through
By Leah Rhyne
In:
Rewriting
Last fall, we (maybe) wrote a book together. Now I'm editing mine, and I'll walk you through my process, a step at a time. Hopefully I've got something to share that'll be helpful to YOU!
Storyville: Shifting Sympathies
Tips and suggestions on how to shift the sympathy of the reader from one character to another.
5 Problems with the Humble Protagonist
In:
Character
Unconventional protagonists make for great fiction—but beware the humble protagonist, who will hamstring your novel at every turn.
The Minds of Others: 6 POV Hacks for Fiction
In:
POV
In fiction, each point of view (POV) choice comes with both strengths and limitations. Consider this your cheat sheet for overcoming those limitations.
Brainstorm Your Next Novel with Fiasco - Part 2
In:
Plot
We come back to our work in progress, ready to fill in some details about our fictional town and its inhabitants.
5 Reasons Why We Love Lannisters (and Other Morally Gray Characters)
By Robbie Blair
In:
Character
A look at why morally gray characters are so compelling, using the Lannisters of Westeros as my primary examples. Beware: Spoilers abound!
Giving Up the Ghost: How to Bury Dead Writing
In:
Rewriting
Giving up on a piece of writing seems counterintuitive. We’re told from an early age that if we just keep trying, one day we’ll succeed. But sometimes effort just isn’t enough.
8 Undateable Male Characters
In:
Character
I'll read about them, but I won't take them up on dinner.
Trash or Treasure? A List of Five Obscure Literary Movements
In:
Structure
From to Spiralism to Martian poetry, not every idea finds a solid foothold in history or a wide audience.
