how to write a bestseller | Writers In The Storm

Why Tough Choices Create Stronger Stories

Guest Blogger — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:00:00 +0000

We all love strong characters. But how do they get that way? Through tough choices. How do we create tough choices? Janice tells us how in this great blog.

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Romance Isn’t the Same—But It’s Still Everything

Guest Blogger — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 09:48:00 +0000

For Valentine's Day, here's a full report on the romance genre in today's marketplace -- what's hot and what's not -- and why romance belongs in your books.

The post Romance Isn’t the Same—But It’s Still Everything first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

Writers, Are You Breaking the Cardinal Rule?

Guest Blogger — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Tips on how to avoid publishing a book that isn't ready, leaving the author disappointed and disillusioned when their novel fails to gain traction with readers.

The post Writers, Are You Breaking the Cardinal Rule? first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

Critiques – How to Get Them, How to Receive Them

Guest Blogger — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

As hard as they are to receive, critiques are a necessary element to your growth as a writer. Follow Diana Stout's advice for using critiques in writing.

The post Critiques – How to Get Them, How to Receive Them first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

Create Compelling Scenes with the MRU

Lynette Burrows — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Lynette M. Burrows demonstrates how you can create compelling scenes the MRU, a tool from Dwight V. Swain's Techniques of a Selling Writer.

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Writing Character Descriptions that Hook Readers

Guest Blogger — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 07:26:00 +0000

Angela Ackerman shows the details writers can use to open a gateway to great characterization and hook readers at the same time.

The post Writing Character Descriptions that Hook Readers first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

Hugs You've Got to Love!

Guest Blogger — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 08:15:00 +0000

Hugs carry psychological messages. Do you have those messages on your pages? Margie Lawson demonstrates how to dig deep to add fun and depth and power to the page...and to your characters' hugs.

The post Hugs You've Got to Love! first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

Tell Your Story Forward

Guest Blogger — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 11:00:47 +0000

Lori Freeland offers three ways to keep your story momentum going in a way that keeps your readers riveted. Includes how-to tips for dealing with pace-killing backstory.

The post Tell Your Story Forward first appeared on Writers In The Storm.

The Brilliance of Backstory Slip-Ins

Guest Blogger — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 11:01:32 +0000

by Margie Lawson I confess. I’m in love with the way some authors slip in backstory. I’m not talking chunks of backstory that sit on your page like cement blocks. The kind of blah blah blah that invites readers to skim. I’m talking about little hits of backstory. Those smooth keep-your-story-moving backstory slip-ins. What is […]

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How to Write a Great Last Line

Laura Drake — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 11:02:55 +0000

Don't you just love it when a line in a book so good, that you just have to stop reading to appreciate it for a few minutes? Me too. I think that's part of the reason I began writing - to, just once - write one of those sentences. You can find them scattered throughout […]

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