by Pekoeblaze As regular readers of this site probably know, I’m more of a TV fan than a film buff. One of the interesting things about watching American TV shows in a few specific genres (eg: the sci-fi, detective, thiller and/or horror genres) is that there’s a group of actors and actresses that… Read More Can Comics and Fiction Do What TV Shows Can?
by Elethwyn Salutations, fellow elves and writers! Elethwyn is here today to share her thoughts, ideas, and tips for overcoming writing slumps. Writing slumps – also known as writer’s block, also known as writing depression, also known as the-reason-future-Newberry-winners-gave-up-writing – is something all writers face. It’s when we lose that spark to write and find… Read More Surviving Writing Slumps – Everything You Need to Know
by Teagan Berry A little more than a year ago, I was hard at work on a novella about a main character from my in-the-process-of-editing book trilogy. This main character made new ‘friends’ (if that’s what you call cellmates in prison) who were required to help push the plot along. One of these… Read More When Side Characters Become Interesting
by Kyle Massa Novels are cool, but they’re tough to write. I’ve been working on a manuscript about a rock and roll star who inexplicably rises from the dead. Think Mick Jagger meets Jesus Christ. I think the premise is interesting and I like the characters, but once I really got into it, I found… Read More Subconflict, and Lots of It
by Kelly D. Smith I have to admit, I’m a descriptive writer, and in turn, I love reading books that are very descriptive! I like to feel like I’m immersed in the book. And for both Rock Stars Are Fun and Summoning the Demon, I’ve been told that I “drew the reader into the book.” I have… Read More 2 Exercises To Work On “Show, Don’t Tell”
by Kelly D. Smith Recently I did something I never thought I would do. I queried an agent. See, there are so many options out there for authors that I never really thought it would be worth it for me (personally) to bother. So I just figured I’d always stick to just submitting… Read More How to Write a Query Letter to a Literary Agent
by Christopher Slater I would be completely shocked if I am alone in saying this, but I am way too busy! I mean completely, totally, don’t-know-how-I’ll-ever-get-caught-up busy. As a parent, a husband, a teacher, and a writer, I have found myself with far too many projects, requirements, requests, and desires to do all… Read More How to Set Your Writing Priorities
by Meg Dowell Have you ever tried something and failed miserably? It’s not fun. Sometimes you do whatever you can to avoid it, but it still hits you hard. And it hurts. A lot. Everyone fails, or will fail, or is afraid of failing. Myself included. To be completely honest, there are a… Read More This is What Failure Will Teach You
by Graciella MK Sometimes, we have a well-planned detailed character in mind, but with no plot/ story to incorporate it. This can be a frustrating process and an all too common one. If you are in a similar situation, try a few of these tips and see if it works for you.
by Rachael Hanel Whenever I give writing workshops or teach a writing class, I always end with “going from here.” Now that the students have learned something (hopefully!), what do they need to do to get their work published? I say, don’t even think about publishing until you’ve done the following:
