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Beta reading is a critical part of the writing process. It’s a preview of how real-life human beings will respond to your work, something every author should get before their book hits primetime. And yet, I keep seeing authors mishandle the beta reading process. Over … read more »
Writer’s block is an unpleasant experience, to say the least. You’ve set aside time to write, gotten plenty of sleep, and had a decent meal, but you still can’t put words on paper. The blinking cursor just sits there, taunting you. On the bright side, … read more »
I’ve heard many people describe their progression as a writer, and I’ve been surprised not by how different these stories are, but how similar. That doesn’t mean everyone goes through these specific steps or does it in exactly this order, just that these growth experiences … read more »
When we start creating stories from concepts, it’s usually best to work on whatever grabs us. That way we can focus on shaping our inspiration into a strong plot structure that centers our darlings. If this process isn’t familiar to you, I have an article … read more »
Improving your work is a process fraught with conflicting feedback and emotional resistance. However, understanding some important principles can help you put the problems you encounter into perspective. Here’s five concepts that are useful for accepting feedback and making your stories better. Read more »
We all want to write what we’re passionate about, but sometimes that’s not as simple as it sounds. What happens when an author discovers halfway through a story that they’re more interested in a side character than the protagonist? What’s a writer to do when … read more »
Most writers rely on one or more beta readers to help them improve their work. In the right circumstances, beta reading is an invaluable tool. Unfortunately, it’s so full of potential pitfalls, it can weaken stories rather than improve them. Here’s what you should know … read more »
Even the longest novel series only has so much room for content. The length of a story not only limits the number of scenes but also how complex the story can be. Backstory, characters, plot twists, and a unique world all add to a story’s … read more »
As a literary agent at Trident Media Group, I see a plethora of science fiction and fantasy book ideas come across my desk, but only ideas that sell will make it to publication. Writers can find themselves in a stalemate when they’re writing more of … read more »
Sometimes a sentence is very long, and it keeps going and going with commas in places that a period could be and extra clauses that don’t necessarily need to be there. Other times a sentence is short. Which is better? As is so often the … read more »