Shannon Donnelly Backstory—the background needed to enrich a story—is one of those things that can drive any writer nuts. How much is too much? When do you reveal more? When do you hold back? Too much backstory can sink a story—because you’re not moving the story forward. You’re giving background, and while that can be […]

Sherry Thomas I like directions. I am, moreover, very good at following directions. Lately, however, I find myself balking at one particular set of directions: writing rules. Now I’m the last person to suggest that everything about writing is subjective and therefore any rule should be kicked in the gonads before it even walks through […]

Kathryn Craft Turning Whine Into Gold We have just experienced the longest night of the year, when keeping hope alive is a real challenge for those with seasonal affective disorder, those grieving losses, or those writers experiencing the Long Night of the Pre-Published Soul. It is hard to want something for so many years, so […]

Janice Hardy Unless you're incredibly lucky, at some point in your writing life you're bound to fall into a rut. The novel you loved yesterday feels flat today, all your ideas sound "meh" and nothing really excites you about your current manuscript. It happens, and scary as it can be, there are ways to knock […]

Angela Ackerman It’s that time of year...bustling crowds in malls, shoppers lining up in endless droves, bulging virtual carts at Amazon and other e-retailers...all in pursuit of the perfect gift. We make a list, check it twice, and the jump into the holiday fray, looking forward to the joy our thoughtful presents will bring. But […]