Beating Writer’s Block
Many writers never have a problem with writer’s block, and so we sometimes say, “There’s no such thing.” But that’s not quite right. The truth
David Farland
August 13, 2019
David Farland: Story Doctor Writing Tips
Recent Writing Tips
10 Career Killers
Most writers kill their own writing careers. Several people asked me to write about some of the ways they do this. So I’m going to
David Farland
August 8, 2019
Crossing the Finish Line
You may not know it, but you’re a racehorse. If you look at writers from a publisher’s point of view, that’s exactly what you are.
David Farland
August 6, 2019
Writing Made Easy
Read until the end for updates on upcoming writing courses and a special preview of my Serpent Catch series Book 1. *** I often say
David Farland
August 1, 2019
Playing Nice with Fandom
Many new writers, when they get their first book out, hope to go to writing conventions and be treated like a superstar. I’ve seen writers
David Farland
July 29, 2019
Writing the Impossible
When I fell in love with the idea of writing, it was after reading my favorite novel of all time. I thought, “I want to
David Farland
July 25, 2019
Measuring Impact
This morning, I read an article which claimed that “Avengers: End Game” has now become the all-time best-selling movie. In fact, here is a quote
David Farland
July 22, 2019
Building Better Relationships
When you create a relationship with an agent, editor, or publisher, very often you’re going into a long-term relationship. Some authors even compare it to
David Farland
July 18, 2019
11 Things You Want When Choosing a Publisher
Most authors don’t think about “choosing” a publisher. Most authors send out manuscripts, sometimes rather blindly, in the hopes that a good publisher will choose them.
But think about this. Before a publisher can respond to your manuscript, you have to initiate the contact. You’ll never get a good publishing deal without first choosing to send the manuscript out in the first place.
For most authors, the publisher might just be a name that they see on a list. The author doesn’t necessarily know if the publisher is a good one, a great one, or a terrible publisher—and publishers do run the gamut from fantastic to mediocre and down into terrible and hellish.
David Farland
July 16, 2019
Bad Agents
I mentioned last time that even an Indie writer might find himself in need of a good agent. A great agent can be a tremendous
David Farland
July 11, 2019
Why You Need an Agent, Even if You Go Indie
If you’re an Indie writer, you might be thinking, “Well, I sell all of my books online myself. I don’t need an agent.” Well, you
David Farland
July 8, 2019
Defying Expectations
Imagine this: you pick up a story and begin reading only to discover that the story seems to be about you. The main character has your name. He repeats all of your favorite phrases. His friends are all people that you know, and the story seems to be drawn from your life. In fact, as you read, you realize that you know every single scene that will come up. Would you read on? Probably not for long. You’d grow bored with it. It’s too familiar.
David Farland
July 5, 2019
Great Ideas
As a judge for one of the world’s largest writing contests, I’m often asked, “What are you looking for?” The truth is, I’m looking for
David Farland
July 1, 2019
Escalate Your Story
Every story consists of a character with a problem and deals with his or her attempts to resolve that problem. This happens in several phases.
David Farland
June 29, 2019
Considering Crucibles
In everyday life, a crucible is a container used to hold metal or liquid as it boils. For example, to melt gold, one takes a
David Farland
June 27, 2019
