Laurie Schnebly Campbell What makes people talk about your book before they've ever read Page 1? Well, maybe they remember you from high school and can’t wait to see if they’re featured on page 28. Or maybe they heard the publisher paid a billion-dollar advance to get your manuscript. Or maybe they saw that Josh […]

Sometimes you have a flat tire, real or symbolic, and a planned writing session doesn’t happen. Sometimes you are“stuck” and have to think awhile on a solution for the corner you’ve written yourself into. Life gets busy and other responsibilities take precedence. Or a host of other daily intrusions muscle into your schedule. This is not what I’m […]

Jami Gold Writing is often about finding a balance. Too much left in subtext can lead to confusion. Too much explanation can feel like an info dump or be too "on the nose." Etc., etc. With our characters, if we want our protagonists to seem heroic, they need to have strong traits. Yet at the same time, if […]

by Susan Spann “Mentor” was the tutor Odysseus placed in charge of his son, Telemachus, before departing on his now-famous odyssey across a mythological version of ancient Greece. Since Homer’s day, the word has come to mean an advisor who comes alongside a less-experienced person to offer help, education, and guidance. Mentorships exist in almost […]

Confession: I’ve never really bought into the muse idea or writer’s block for that matter. For me, it’s always been a case of “idea in, words out.” As I was finishing up the last WIP, I started brainstorming new projects. There were four stories I wanted to tell, but one in particular really intrigued me. […]