If you’re like most writers, you only have a finite amount of time to call your “writing time.” But writers aren’t machines, which means that a two-hour block of time doesn’t instantly translate into two hours of peak productivity. So how do you utilize this limited...

Maybe you’re writing a first-person narrator for the first time. Or maybe you’ve written a first-person narrative, but the voice isn’t as strong as you’d like. Whichever stage you’re at, knowing how to use first-person effectively will make the difference between a...

Research is vital when it comes to storytelling. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing a historical romance, a contemporary YA thriller, or an epic fantasy set in a world borne solely of your imagination. There’s going to be at least one detail—whether it is a type of food,...

One of the joys of getting lost in a good book is when you read something that completely blows your mind. It’s unexpected. It’s intriguing. Now you’re flipping pages as fast as you can, not caring that your alarm will be going off in a few hours and you haven’t slept. You...

Many stylistic choices go into a new project. Who will your main character be? Will it be in first or third person? What is your setting? But one you may not have considered is whether your story will be in past or present tense. This is partly because as we start writing, our words automatically...

No one likes a liar in real life, but it can be thrilling to slide into the head of a dishonest character in fiction. Maybe they choose to embellish, hide part of the truth, or tell us a story that can’t possibly be real (or can it?).

As writers, these characters can make for narrative...

"Traditional publishing isn’t for everyone." Have you heard this advice before? Whether you’re a cross-genre author writing outside the mainstream, a hybrid author who prefers the control self-publishing offers, or a prolific author with the output and fanbase to succeed on your...

How does a #1 New York Times bestselling author add conflict to her scenes? Find out in this exclusive Writing Mastery interview!

From the moment Marissa Meyer hit the young adult fiction scene back in 2012, she's been on a skyrocket ride to the top. Her first novel, Cinder, (the first...

After working for months, or even years, on your novel, the moment you release it to the world will be the greatest time of your life. But whether you’re publishing independently or traditionally, you’ll find that the most discouraging response isn’t bad reviews or unwanted tags...

Have you ever heard a story idea so catchy that it grabs you with just a handful of words, despite the idea itself sounding almost too simple? Dinosaurs in a theme park escaping their enclosures. One day repeating over and over. Cinderella, but as a cyborg. These short descriptions of Jurassic...

You’ve heard it a million times: “Show, don't tell.” But what does "show, don’t tell" really mean? How do we spot telling in our own writing? And is showing always the better choice, or are there instances where telling might be better? We have answers to help...

You’ve done it: You finished your manuscript, revised it, received feedback on it from your critique partners, and maybe even paid to have it professionally edited. If you’re opting for the traditional publishing route, the next step is equally huge. Now it's time to...