Writers read because they love experiencing the “trip to another place in someone else’s head” but also to expand their vocabulary, learn diverse writing styles and techniques, and gain a deeper understanding of storytelling and reader expectations, ultimately improving their own craft. … Read the post

Point of View, Part One

Ideally, the experience of reading both fiction and nonfiction is transformative. Readers pick up a book for that transformation, even if it is only to learn a new skill or to be entertained while the piece is being read.… Read the post

No matter how many days or months or years it took you to get to the current draft of your story, revision is almost always in the cards. No matter how much some authors insist they never revise, my guess is that they do.… Read the post

by Lynette M. Burrows

Before you can improve your writing, you have to know where your story is strong and where you can strengthen it. That means understanding story structure and taking your book apart bit by bit, examining it, strengthening it, and reassembling it.… Read the post

by Lynette M. Burrows

So you’ve written a first (or 100th) draft of your novel. Your emotions range from “Look how good I write” to “It’s rough, but I can fix it,” to “It’s broken beyond repair.” Maybe you’ve done this revision thing dozens of times before, but this novel is turning into a nightmare.… Read the post