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.
Writing
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.
We Want More of These 4 Relationship Types in Fiction
While many stories zero in on the “will they/won’t they” romances, there are many other relationship types to be explored.
How to Write a Compelling Fallen Hero
Here are some steps to follow for when your hero decides to turn bad.
Murderbot, Voice, and Unreliable Narrators
As an editor, I’m often asked what voice is and how to develop it when writing a novel.
