The Writing Craft

Guest post by Becca Puglisi Realistic, evocative dialogue is an important part of any successful story. We need our characters’ interactions to be authentic, consistent, and engaging to draw readers in to what’s happening. So when we’re learning to write, we spend a lot of time on mechanics—learning all the grammar and punctuation rules. But […]

Would you believe that even after writing and publishing nearly 200 books, including 21 New York Times bestsellers, I still take daily steps to hone my writing skills? Whether you’re a beginner or have been at it for decades as I have, writing well takes work. No shortcut, no secret sauce will turn you into […]

Guest post by Emmanuel Nataf You’ve wanted to write a novel for ages, but can’t seem to ever find the time to start writing. Or maybe you’ve started and just keep hitting walls. Why? For most of us, the answer is that commitments like family, jobs, and life keep getting in the way. Or, it […]

Without a deeper meaning than just its plot, your story remains a shell of what it could be. A story with a theme answers, what does this mean? That’s the kind of a story that resonates with readers and stays with them. Getting Started: What Is Theme? Plot is what happens Theme is why it […]

How I wish I had known as a teenager what I know now! At 19 I worked full-time as a sportswriter for a daily newspaper. I loved my job, but I was ambitious and wanted to see if I could sell a story to the Features editor. I worked hard on one, on my own […]