Compare My Manuscript to a Famous Book—A Writer’s Question

A reader’s asks whether or not to compare a manuscript with other books in query letters and elevator pitches.

read Compare My Manuscript to a Famous Book—A Writer’s Question »

Write hot, edit cold was advice originally given to ad writers, but it’s great advice for any writer. A look at the advantages of editing and analyzing manuscripts with a cool head and from a distance.

read Write Hot, Edit Cold? It’s Still Great Advice »

Tips for using the sense elements to differentiate characters, enhance mood, and make stories feel real.

read Come to Your Senses »

Use word choices to make your stories stand out, to involve readers in the fiction. Tips for twisting common words into memorable passages.

read Twist Words to Surprise Readers »

Tone, mood, and style—three of the elements of fiction—each contribute to the feel of a story. Learn what each is and how they affect one another.

read Tone, Mood, & Style—The Feel of Fiction »

Time elements in fiction both identify the setting of story and convey information, including character emotions and the feel of a scene. Discover easy ways to convey time as a way to keep readers deep in the fictional world.

read Marking Time with the Viewpoint Character »

How many words is too many? Does word count matter? Does word count matter more for first novels? An answer to a question posed by a reader.

read Should I Worry About Word Count—A Reader’s Question »

A whopping big list of questions to ask so you can get to know your characters and then manipulate them so you can create compelling fiction.

read Get to Know Your Characters »

A query letter is short and powerful—it’s often a writer’s first contact with an agent or editor. Here are the basics for query letters and a few do’s and don’ts.

read Writing the Query Letter »

Take your imagination in new directions—take the reins off—as you try to solve story issues. Purposely imagine beyond boundaries that you might not even know you’ve set around your imagination.

read Imagine Beyond What is Safe »