Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
My wife once came across a story about a gorgeous writer (as in a writer of gorgeous prose) who complained that she couldn’t sell her
David Farland
May 1, 2018
David Farland: Story Doctor Writing Tips
Recent Writing Tips
Defining Yourself as a Writer
Years ago, I sat down to write and just didn’t feel up to it; I woke up with a backache at 3:30 a.m. (due to
David Farland
April 26, 2018
How to Write Powerful Scenes
Very often as a reader, I’ll come across a story that is well written in many regards: The characters have strong voices. The setting is
David Farland
April 24, 2018
Accepting Responsibility for Your Titles
It’s fairly common for editors to want to change titles. Sometimes a title might be too much like that of another book. For example, one
David Farland
April 19, 2018
Beware the Critical Eye
Most new writers join critique groups, but have you ever wondered if you’re spending too much time in one? Here are some problems that I’ve
David Farland
April 12, 2018
Writing, Your New Normal
Today at the Writers of the Future workshop, I assigned a dozen new writers to go finish a short story in 24 hours. For some
David Farland
April 5, 2018
Not for Love nor Money
Very often I have new writers ask if I will pass their work along to an agent or editor, sort of “walk it through the
David Farland
April 2, 2018
Publishing Tips for 2018 and Beyond
One of the most frequently asked questions that I get is, “As a writer in 2018, should I go Indie, or try to publish traditionally?”
David Farland
March 29, 2018
Your First Five Pages
When you send a novel to an agent or publisher, they normally ask for the first five or ten pages, just so that they can
David Farland
March 8, 2018
Artistry
There are a lot of people who want to write so that they can get rich quickly, and I worry about them. I don’t begrudge
David Farland
March 6, 2018
What “Rejection” Really Means
For weeks I’ve been judging a large contest. I’ve had to “reject” thousands of stories. I hate the word “reject,” because it doesn’t really express
David Farland
February 2, 2018
Building a Better Battering Ram – “When do I begin approaching agents?”
“When do I begin approaching agents?” I get that question at least once a week, and my answer is always the same: “When your novel
David Farland
January 30, 2018
Writing as Magic
Recently I met Orson Scott Card, and he asked me if I’m still teaching writing classes. I said yes, and I knew that he was
David Farland
January 25, 2018
Striking While the Iron is Hot
Here is a recent question from Drew Briney: “I’ve seen conflicting advice as to whether or not it is okay to self-publish while querying agents
David Farland
January 23, 2018
How to Avoid Writing a Dull Series
A reader asked: “I’ve been listening to a lot of trilogies lately (and I’m writing one!), and I’ve noticed that in a lot of trilogies
David Farland
January 16, 2018
