Short stories, like all aspects of the written word, have taken their rise and fall in the course of time. Today, we not only have the timeless short stories of the past, but we also see writers daily adding to the plethora of short stories on the market. The short story is not a dying […]
writing
8 Ways to Excite Kids about Writing This November
Guest post by Kate Willis originally published on PerryElisabethDesign.com Contains affiliate links. For most of us, November means turkey, pumpkins, and coming winter; but for a small portion of the population it spells National Novel Writing Month (fondly shortened to NaNoWriMo). These certifiably artistic people commit to writing 50,000 words in 30 days. Hats off to them! […]
All the Beautiful People
I was just musing about something—a tendency I have. (You’ll have to let me know if I’m the only one.) When I was younger, every protagonist I wrote was me. In some (okay, most) ways, it was a version of me or how I wished I was. The girls were always short with dark hair […]
How Can Authors Get Story Ideas from Clickbait Titles? The Answer Will Shock You!
Ahh… clickbait. Those bizarre headlines that are annoyingly intriguing and make you feel like a failure for taking the bait and clicking on them. What if I told you there’s actually a good use for them? Welcome to your new way of coming up with story ideas! Seriously, clickbait titles make the best story prompts! […]
Confessions of a Notebook Hoarder
Well, folks, it’s been an embarrassing week. Promise you won’t tell anyone? I, um, well… I’ve bought two new notebooks THIS WEEK alone. There, I’ve said it. Feels so good to get that off my chest. The first one was on clearance and has a really nice cover that’s just begging for a Cricut vinyl […]
15 Times to Fit in Writing When Life is Busy
When I think of a great writer, I think of someone in a quiet house with a daily ritual that involves writing for hours at a time. When I was a teen I would write from 8-10pm most nights of the week. It was awesome. Is that practical for me anymore? Eh, no. While this […]
A Writerly Round-Up
This fine Friday, I wanted to share with you some fabulous resources and articles I ran across this week. Enjoy! 1. How to Keep Your Author’s Voice Consistent Across Genres by Victoria Minks This article pinpoints six things to consider when analyzing your author “voice” and then gives recommendations on how to carry that over […]
How to Draw Maps and Floor Plans for Your Story
Have you ever struggled with the layout of a setting in your story? Have you ever gotten a character lost? Or written something that isn’t physically possible? (“She turned to the left and entered the next room…” Oh, wait, the door was to her right. SHE’S WALKING THROUGH WALLS NOW, FOLKS!) If you missed it, […]
When Your Invention Has a Birthday
Once upon a time… …there was a girl who had her whole life ahead of her and serious doubts she’d ever get through all the writing ideas in her head. They assailed her night and day, but mostly in the middle of the night or the middle of a shower. They didn’t stop coming and, […]
Let’s Talk Dialogue: When to Break the Rules
Guest post by author EJ McCay Good dialogue is a wonderful thing. It can grab a reader and pull them into your story. Your characters feel real when the dialogue feels real. Bad dialogue can stifle your flow. It can make your entire work feel unbelievable. It can kill your characters, pace, and story. […]