Fiction

Do you start your novel with a Prologue? Or do you dive right into Chapter One? The choice can determine whether readers are drawn in or never get past the first page. I lean away from a Prologue whenever possible. When I do use one, it’s only because there’s backstory the reader cannot do without. […]

Guest blog by: Becca Puglisi Emotional wounds are tricky to write about. Abuse, betrayal, victimization, and the death of a loved one may exist in our characters’ pasts and so must be explored. But these are also real life events that cause damage to real people. So as I talk today about personalizing wounds for […]

Guest blog by Gabriela Pereira Of all aspects of the writing craft, dialogue is by far my favorite. Maybe it’s because dialogue makes me feel like I’m in the scene with the characters or lets me see their dynamic personalities bounce off each other. Or maybe it’s just because I’m impatient and don’t like to weed […]

Writing a series is daunting. Each installment must both stand alone and work as part of the whole. You’re forced to keep up with all the elements you exploit in a single novel and make sure they serve the entire entity: characters, plot, settings, everything. Having written six adult series and ten children’s series, I […]

Guest post by K.M. Weiland “Cut this scene. It doesn’t move the plot.” That is my most frequent comment on manuscripts I edit for others. It causes most writers to groan. Not only am I telling you to cut your beloved scenes (perhaps even your favorite), but you’re left to figure out why these scenes […]