Craft + Creativity
Blog posts to help you learn, grow, and succeed as a writer.
Whether you're writing your first novel or revising your fifth, you'll find practical advice, craft tips, and publishing insights designed to help you move forward with confidence.
Seven Essential Elements of Scenes in Fiction
Make sure every scene in your novel adds to the story by including these seven essential elements.
Four Reasons Your Novel Needs Backstory
Backstory is an important component of characterization. Here’s why you shouldn’t overlook it.
Why Characterization Charts Don't Work
Learn what really makes your characters tick with these four questions.
Four Most Common WIP Problems
Here are the four most common problems I find in novel manuscripts...and how to fix them.
Four Ways POV Can Transform Your Novel
Let's take a deeper look at how POV, perspective, and narration impact your novel
To Prologue or Not to Prologue...
Many writers love prologues, but many readers (and agents) aren't keen on them. Let’s review the pros and cons of including a prologue in your novel.
Nail the Ending: Troubleshoot Your Novel’s Conclusion
Eight Tips to Troubleshoot Your Novel’s Ending
Nail the Ending: Write a Great Conclusion to Your Novel
Six options to write a solid ending to your novel
The Dreaded B-word: Backstory
Do not fear backstory! Here are five questions to deepen your protagonist's past.