Archive:

Fiction

How to End a Story

How to End a Story: 3 Secrets to Writing a Captivating Ending

May 29, 2022

You’ll find loads of advice to help you find a great novel idea, start writing, and push through what I call the Marathon of the Middle. But you may not find as much on how to end a story, though that’s every bit important. Of my more than 200 published books, more than two-thirds have […]

Read More
how to write a children's book

How to Write a Children’s Book and Submit It to Publishers

March 22, 2022

Publishing a children’s book in today’s extremely competitive market can be tough. And because most such books require four-color illustrations, they are also the most expensive to print — though most publishers have this done overseas. You might think it’s easier to write children’s books because they’re shorter than adult novels. Well, they might not […]

Read More
NaNoWriMo 2017

Participating in NaNoWriMo This Year? Caution!

March 3, 2022

The wildly popular phenomenon, National Novel Writing Month, starts November 1 every year, and you’re urged to write an entire 50,000-word novel by the end of the month. Wouldn’t it be great to actually finish a novel in 30 days? That very idea has inspired millions of writers from all over the world to embark […]

Read More
character profile

How to Create a Character Profile: A Step-by-Step Guide For Beginners

January 18, 2022

List your favorite novels, those you can count on one hand, and I’ll bet they have one major thing in common — an unforgettable hero. Regardless the genre, your characters must behave like real people in real-life situations who make mistakes, have regrets, and grow emotionally or spiritually throughout the story. Fail, and it shows. […]

Read More
Flash Fiction

How to Write Flash Fiction: 5 Tips for Writing Short Short Stories

January 4, 2022

Imagine a short story, then make it even shorter. That’s flash fiction. Short stories run anywhere between 1,500 and 10,000 words. Flash fiction stories run up to 1,500 words — but often much shorter. Usually up to 500 words. If you get down to 100 words or fewer, that’s micro fiction. Flash fiction contests tempt […]

Read More