Sierra Godfrey Flashbacks can explain a lot about your character. Adding them into your story often gives the reader a glimpse of the texture that explains why your character does what she does—and goodness knows, we spend a lot of time thinking about how our characters got to where they are when we start telling […]

Kathryn Craft Turning Whine into Gold Writers, like other artists, are among the most socially liberal people I know. The artist within understands that all human emotions and perspectives beg expression; the storyteller within understands that all humans face tough stakes if we can’t reach our goals. As in story, our life journeys matter because […]

Lori Nelson Spielman At one time or another, most of us writers have second-guessed the choices we made about our book. Was the cover a misfit? Should we have gone with the original title? Would it have done better with a summer launch? If only we were allowed a do-over, a chance to republish the […]

Vaughn Roycroft I’m a Believer? I always thought I knew what I believed. Don’t you? I always knew I believed in, you know—stuff. Stuff like … um. Well, there’s my longstanding belief that the best way to a championship is still a consistent running game and a great defense; that the first beer is always […]

Kate Moretti Congratulations, you did it! You typed “The End”. Finite. Have a glass of wine, heck have a bottle. Now, polish it up, send it out to agents, maybe editors. Maybe you get a few rejections, no problem. Maybe a few more. Maybe they sort of hinge around one thing: It didn’t grab me […]