The world is full of possibilities, but unless you push yourself, struggle to drive your story to its limits, you will never make real discoveries. You won’t glean the insights that your story needs to take it from the mundane to the sublime.
Is your opening powerful? If not, why not? I’ve been judging a huge writing contest this week, and had literally a couple hundred stories that
Burnout. Few words spark such dread among writers. Avoiding it, surviving it, and recovering from it are each the focus of many articles, blogs, podcasts, books, and conference classes. Still, most of us have or will find ourselves grappling with it. This struggle resembles a hiker who has fallen off an unforeseen cliff and now clings to the sheer rockface with desperate, failing fingers, unable to pull themselves up.
Today I was listening to author Nedi Okorafor—winner of the Hugo, the Nebula, and the World Fantasy award, and she spoke of a method of
A story needs to be honest. Now, that isn’t quite the same as saying that a story must be true. Obviously when we are writing
Black Friday Exclusive Ends Monday, December 1st at 11:59 PM Finish Your Book. Finally! With the Mentorship That Helped Launch 100+ Bestselling Authors. This Black
Brainstorming is one of the most magical—and challenging—parts of being a writer. Ideas may arrive in a rush or drip in slowly, but either way, they form the first threads of story. The truth? Waiting for inspiration won’t always serve you. Instead, the key is to explore how to spark fresh ideas from familiar tropes, surprising “what ifs,” and creative collisions. Originality doesn’t mean inventing something brand new—it means putting your unique spin on timeless patterns so readers experience them as both familiar and exciting.
The Super Writers Bundle Get All The Writing Courses You Need to Kickstart Your Writing Career Brainstorm your world, characters, and conflicts Outline the plot
Subtext is the unspoken layer that turns good writing into unforgettable storytelling. Learn how to weave meaning beneath the surface of dialogue, body language, and setting — and avoid the common pitfalls that can make it disappear.
Pantsing your novel? Learn how to blend structure with spontaneity using trail markers, breadcrumbs, and emotional anchors that won’t cage your creativity.