DON'T Query (or Publish) That First Draft!
Take time away from the manuscript before you revise, then get some insight from beta readers before you revise again.
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- Nov 17
- 3 min
Embrace Variation in Your Writing Style
Mindfulness plays a huge role in becoming a skilled writer. Understand how sentence and paragraph lengths affect your readers.
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- Nov 10
- 1 min
"Writing is rewriting." –Donald Murray
While everyone has their own process, the revision phase of writing is typically a longer journey than the initial drafting.
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- Sep 15
- 4 min
Writing Unreliable Narrators
Unreliable narration is a literary device that can create a deeper sense of suspense or mystery, engaging your reader on a fresh level....
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- Aug 18
- 3 min
Writing Believable Dialogue
Well-crafted dialogue pulls the good from how we write and the good from how we speak to create something that feels natural and believable.
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- Jul 20
- 1 min
Create Flawed Characters
Don’t be afraid to get rough with your characters, even if—no, especially if—you love them. If you make their path too easy, your novel...
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- Jul 13
- 1 min
Let Your Story Come to You However it Wants
Think of your story like a puzzle. We don't put pieces together in a specific order. Some people dive in, some look for corners or edges,...
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- Jul 6
- 1 min
Trust Your Creative Gut
Writing one scene but thinking of another? You risk losing a great idea if you force yourself to work on one thing when your mind is...
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- Jun 15
- 1 min
Friday Tip: Know Your World
What YOU know about your world and your characters should be greater than what makes it to the page. If you find yourself explaining...
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- Jun 8
- 1 min
Friday Tip: Make Sure Your Scenes Are DOING Something
In genre fiction, each scene you write should be moving your plot forward. That doesn’t mean it’s all about the ACTION—you also need time...
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- Jun 1
- 1 min
Friday Tip: Writing Multiple Points of View
Writing your story from multiple points of view can allow greater perspective and a slow reveal of the full picture, but this structure...
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- May 25
- 2 min
Friday Tip: Do Your Research
“Write what you know” is often taken literally, but it can also be interpreted to mean that you should have a clear understanding of the...
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- May 18
- 1 min
Friday Tip: Mindfulness During Revision
Accept even before you begin writing that the final draft of your story or manuscript will likely look very different from the first...
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- May 4
- 1 min
Friday Tip: Own Your Writing Process
There’s a lot of advice out there telling writers what the process should look like: Get up early. Write X amount of words or hours per...
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- Apr 27
- 1 min
Friday Tip: Publish Short Stories to Grow Readership
If you enjoy writing short stories in addition to full manuscripts, publishing in popular literary magazines is a great way to start...
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- Apr 6
- 2 min
Friday Tip: Consistent Verb Tenses
Note: This tip was requested by a follower over on Twitter (Aug. 3, 2023 Update: RIP little bird). Copy editors, please step in to add...
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- Mar 30
- 1 min
Friday Tip: Using Mentor Texts
Looking to improve your writing and style? Try copying out a short excerpt of writing by an author whose work you enjoy. This is...
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- Mar 23
- 1 min
Friday Tip: Get Messy
The best thing you can do while drafting is to get out of your own way. Worrying that you’re not doing it “right,” or that you’re messing...
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- Mar 3
- 1 min
Friday Tip: Switch Up Your Reading Habits
Strengthen your creative muscles by reading or writing in a genre, tense, or point of view other than the one you usually read or write...
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- Feb 24
- 1 min
Friday Tip: Writing Sprints
Ever feel restless, unfocused, or unable to find a rhythm while you write? Try writing in quick sprints! Set a timer for ~15 minutes and...
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