Words Can Light Fires: How to Write Riveting Dialogue
Dialogue can be a tricky aspect to nail down, but when you do, it will level up your writing like nobody’s business! Read this chapter sample from MAKING MYTHS AND MAGIC.
Writing
Archetypes Part 1: Wise Fools and Loveable Oddballs
This series explores archetype pairings and what makes them interesting.
5 Fantasy Subgenres You Should Know
Today’s follow-up to “Should I Care About Genre?” explores some of the prominent sub-genres of fantasy. While certainly not an exhaustive list, these are a good place to get start if you’re thinking about what sub-genre your book might fall into.
Should I Care About Genre? An Introduction to Speculative Fiction
Assigning categories to books allows retailers to pitch themes and helps readers find stories similar to ones they’ve liked in the past.
Religion as a Colonizing Force (Fantasy and Religion, Part Two)
The Mists of Avalon explores the conflict between two religions.
Does Length Matter? A Guide to the Word Counts of 17 Book Genres
If you’re writing with the goal to get published by a traditional press, length matters to publishers, agents, and editors.
The Fallibility of Religion (Fantasy and Religion, Part One)
The Priory of the Orange Tree portrays two characters who struggle with differing versions of the same story.
10 Ways to Describe Your Character’s Appearance Without Being Boring
Deciding when to describe your character’s physical appearance can be tough. Do you do it right away? Do you wait until they look in a mirror? Do you list characteristics all at once?
Should You Include a Rape Scene in Your Story? — On Game of Thrones, Mad Max, and Sexual Assault
So many women, myself included, are tired of seeing their beloved female characters abused again and again and again.
NaNoWriMo Prep: Discord Community + the Novel Planner Spreadsheet
Participating in NaNoWriMo next month? We’ve got some resources to help you succeed!
Four Ways to Prepare for NaNoWriMo
The most wonderful time of the year is right around the corner: National Novel Writing Month! Here’s how you can prepare.
NaNoWriMo Prep: Use a Beat Sheet to Plan Your Novel
Novel structure is important to know about because it keeps readers turning pages.
