Dig Deeper with your writing.
Our blog articles are designed to educate writers on the craft of writing, the world of publishing, how to navigate revisions, and the creative lifestyle.
The Voices of Memoir: Past You and Narrative You
Reading Time: 5 minutes There’s an innate disconnect in the way we approach our memories that may affect our ability to tell our impactful stories in a way that best connects with readers: Who we are today is not who we were when these events happened, but both voices have equal claim to the narrative. How do we reconcile your pre- and post-enlightenment perspective when writing your memoir?
How to Find Beta Readers
Reading Time: 7 minutes We talked a few weeks ago about the purpose of beta readers and why they’re an important step in the writing journey. But how do you find these elusive readers?
The Purpose of Beta Readers
Reading Time: 6 minutes Beta readers are a great resource for getting feedback from enfranchised readers (people who are well immersed in the genre and type of content that you’ve created) on how market-ready your book is in its current form.
You’re Not Buried, You’re Planted
Reading Time: 5 minutes I’ve felt like I’ve been buried and can’t see the light of creative energy anywhere. But now that I’m wiggling my way out of my darkness, I’ve come to realize that the inadvertent break from my creative pursuits has allowed me to germinate a new perspective on productivity and creative expression. And I wanted to share some thoughts with you all.
Do You Have a Passive Protagonist?
Reading Time: 3 minutes You’ve got a heart-pounding plot and a rich world…but something’s still not right, and you think it might have to do with your main character. Your beta readers have said they “can’t connect” with her, or that they’re having a hard time caring what happens to her. You’ve deepened her backstory, given her some great side characters to bounce off of, but you’re still hearing the same feedback. What’s going wrong? You may have a case of “Passive Protagonist.”
The Best Social Media Posts for Authors
Reading Time: 8 minutes So, you’ve set up your author social media accounts (remember: separate from your personal accounts!). Now comes the fun part: actually using them to connect with your potential readers! But, what do you post on these pages?
What to Do after a First Draft
Reading Time: 7 minutes Congratulations! You’ve finished your first draft. It’s not perfect, but here’s a trade secret…no one’s first draft is. Sometimes, when you look at all those pretty words you just wrote, you can’t imagine that any of them need to be edited, moved around, or (gasp!) cut. But, that’s the true process of writing a fiction novel. It takes rounds of revisions, of restructuring, refining, and tweaking, until your manuscript is in its final form. So, where do you start?
5 Writing Achievements to Celebrate
Reading Time: 4 minutes Behind on your word count goal? Feeling like you haven’t reached any major milestones lately? These are exactly the times when you need to celebrate the writing achievements you have completed.
3 Tricks to Keep a First Draft Going
Reading Time: 5 minutes Keeping your momentum going while writing the first draft of your novel can be tough. Use these three tricks to get out of the revision black hole and keep your first draft on track!
What is NaNoWriMo & Why You Should Participate
Reading Time: 5 minutes Every year in November, thousands of writers dedicate themselves to specific word count goals for National Novel Writing Month. Here’s how to get plugged in to the NaNo community.
The Benefit of Twitter for Writers
Reading Time: 7 minutes How can you build an author platform on Twitter? In the first part of our four-part series on this social media platform, find out how a Twitter account can benefit you as a writer.
Writer’s Block and Finding Your Chisel
Reading Time: 6 minutes It’s one of the many obstacles that keep us from writing, but how do you slay the beast? Here are a few knockout ways to take writer’s block down a notch and take control of your writing.
When Should I Hire an Editor?
Reading Time: 6 minutes Writing a book can be overwhelming, and no one can do it alone. But when should you seek professional help, and what other resources can you use before hiring an editor? Find out here.
An Editor’s Musings: Protecting Your Creativity
Reading Time: 6 minutes How do you avoid creative burnout and prioritize your personal projects while working full-time in the publishing industry? Amber shares her heart and some tips in this journal entry.
Four Steps to Making Writing a Priority
Reading Time: 5 minutes For aspiring writers, making time for creative work can feel almost impossible. Here are some tips to help you transition from hobbyist to author and achieve your writing goals.
Which Outline Structure Should I Use for My Novel?
Reading Time: 12 minutes Outlining your story is an essential part of crafting a great novel. But which outline structure should you use? In this post, we’ll look at four methods used by successful authors.
How Passive Action Can Actually Boost Your Pacing
Reading Time: 5 minutes You can use passive action to accelerate your pacing and draw attention to important events in your scene—without omitting necessary details or clunking up your sentences. Find out how.
Hiring an Editor: An Insight to the Process
Reading Time: 7 minutes Want to know whether or not you need an editor? In this post, we’ll discuss what editors do, how they can add value you to your project, and the importance of the author-editor relationship.
How to Generate Ideas for Your Writing
Reading Time: 6 minutes Stuck without fresh ideas for your writing? Afraid your story will be unoriginal? Guest writer Christi Martin addresses how to generate and cultivate ideas for any writing project.
What’s Your Writing Personality Type?
Reading Time: 6 minutes What’s your writing personality? The 16 personalities graphic can reveal how your dialogue, descriptions, length, and pacing affects your writer’s personality in the genre market.
The Benefits of Writing Contests
Reading Time: 4 minutes You’re a novelist who is considering writing short fiction for competitions. If you want to be a serious author, what are the benefits of writing contests? Find out in this article!
How to Use Metaphor to Support Your Character’s Arc
Reading Time: 4 minutes As you grow, you see the world differently, and so do your characters. Use metaphors effectively by tailoring them to demonstrate your characters’ motivations, personality, and growth.
How to Nail Your Chapter’s Ending
Reading Time: 6 minutes The end of your chapter should convince the reader to keep reading. Let’s talk about three strong techniques you can use to end chapters: cliff-hangers, bookends, and zooming out.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: A Spoiler-Free Review
Reading Time: 6 minutes Is this new Harry Potter tale worth the read? Was producing a screenplay to leave in the hands of novel readers and global directors a wise move? Find out in this spoiler-free review.
3 Tricks to Navigating Your Tough Scenes
Reading Time: 4 minutes Do you have a scene buzzing around in your head that refuses to get down on paper? Here are three techniques you can use to nail down a first draft.
6 Tips to Make Your Writing Group Work for You
Reading Time: 6 minutes Writing groups are a great way to grow your skill with the craft, network with other writers, and see definite progress on your projects. Meeting with others who share your passion for writing can be one of the most beneficial ways to spend your time outside of actually writing—if done correctly.
How Can Pinterest Improve My Writing?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Pinterest is great for finding tips and tricks to add to your writer’s toolbox, but it can also improve your personal project. Here’s how to create a mood board for your story.
The Anatomy of a Scene
Reading Time: 4 minutes Ever wonder what goes on beneath the surface of your favorite scenes? When drafting your scenes, you can put them under the knife to dissect their core elements using this nifty analogy.
When Should I Revise?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Revision is key to good writing, but what strategy will help you the most? In this article, we discuss different techniques to help you form a revision strategy that works best for you!
Why You Need to Know Your World’s Biomes
Reading Time: 5 minutes A biome is a region defined by its climate, terrain, animals, and plants. It affects the landscape, cultures, and people of your world, and when used well, can help bring depth to your story.
3 Ways to Leave the Scene: Talking about Transitions
Reading Time: 4 minutes Transitioning from scene to scene in your writing can be tricky. Here are three useful transitions you can use to keep your story moving without losing your reader. We’re talking about slides, summaries, and scene cuts.
Why You Want to Be a DAFT Writer
Reading Time: 4 minutes Writers aren’t born, they’re made. Great authors strive for dedication, ambition, finishing, and teachability. Practice and commit to improving your skills, and you will be a DAFT writer.
