Are you playing it too safe as a writer? Writing isn’t meant to be easy. Some of the greatest works of writing come from a place of risk. Taking risks as a writer can help you become a better writer. It can also help you break out of a writing funk. Here are 6 risks … Continue reading 6 Risks Every Writer Should Take
If you really want to simplify things, a short story consists of three components: a beginning, a middle, and an ending. It’s tough to argue which of these components is the most important: Beginning - You have to hook the reader right away or they aren’t going to read your story. (Check out this article … Continue reading The Worst Ways To End A Short Story
You’ve completed your manuscript. Time to celebrate, right? Not so fast. There’s still the whole “getting it published” thing you need to worry about. Finishing a manuscript is certainly a huge accomplishment in its own right. But you didn’t spend countless hours typing away so your manuscript could gather virtual dust. You want someone to … Continue reading Should You Hire An Editor To Review Your Manuscript?
Your cover letter is arguably the least important part of a writing submission, but it can have a big impact on whether or not a piece is rejected. It’s easy to argue the merit of your writing should stand on its own independent of a cover letter, and many editors don’t even look at the … Continue reading 10 Things You Should Never Say In Your Cover Letter
Having your writing published is a huge accomplishment. Whether we’re talking about a short story published in an online journal or a big book deal, any publication is a big deal and should make you proud. Having your writing rejected, on the other hand, can leave you frustrated and make you think you aren’t good … Continue reading 3 Reasons Your Writing Hasn’t Been Published Yet
While some people prefer to write in complete silence, others depend on music or some other background noise to help motivate them and keep them focused. I’m in the latter camp. I love listening to music, but it has to be the right kind of music for my particular mood or writing task. If you’re … Continue reading Music to listen to while you write: 10 albums that inspire me to write better
Being a good writer isn’t easy. While some people seem to be naturally good writers, every proficient writer has to develop their skills through years of practice. On the other hand, some people seem like bad writers who just can’t craft a good sentence if their life depended on it. Fortunately, everyone can become a … Continue reading 9 Ways to Become a Better Writer
If you want to be a great storyteller, you have to know how to write dialogue. I’m about to make a shocking confession: sometimes when I’m reading a book, I’ll start skimming. And when I skim, I often will pass quickly through large blocks of narrative in search of dialogue. Thankfully, the dialogue will usually … Continue reading How to Write Dialogue with Good and Bad Dialogue Examples
I recently saw this pseudo-inspirational quote on Facebook: “If I only wrote when I felt like writing, I’d never write anything.” There’s a fair amount of true to this. How often do you really feel like writing? Unfortunately for me, the answer is not enough. More often than not, I'd rather fritter and waste the … Continue reading 9 Things You Can Do When You Don’t Feel Like Writing
When a publication rejects your work, it’s pretty final. They are telling you, “We don’t want this.” When they accept your work, it’s also pretty final (or at least it should be). It’s their way of saying, “We really like this and want to share it with the world.” But sometimes you get something in … Continue reading What a rewrite request really means
