Fiction

You’ve settled on the idea for your novel. You’ve narrowed it to a sentence or two, and you’re ready to tackle what seems an insurmountable task—developing your lead character. If you’re an Outliner (one who outlines your novel first), it’s time for character development, an… [Continue reading below]

If you’re a Pantser (one who writes by the seat of your pants), outlining a novel can appear impossible. Trust me, I know. I’ve written nearly 200 books, had 21 New York Times bestsellers, and sold over 71 million copies—and guess what? I’m not an… [Continue reading below]

Naming your characters doesn’t sound that hard, does it?  Then why is it? Naming characters can be nearly as stressful as naming a newborn. You want something interesting and memorable, but not quirky or outrageous—unless you’re writing a comedy. You definitely don’t want to be… [Continue reading below]

If your writing bores you, it’ll put your reader to sleep.  And unfortunately, your first reader will be an agent or an editor.  Your job is to make every word count—the only way to keep your reader riveted until the end, which is no small… [Continue reading below]

You’ve got a great story idea you’re confident can become a page turner.  This is the one that won’t leave you alone. Every time you think or speak of it, you embellish it. Now what?  Plan your story like you’d plan a vacation — you… [Continue reading below]