• Dipping your toes into the writing world? Starting with a novel or nonfiction book can be overwhelming. Start small—here's how to write a short story!

    Start Small: How to Write a Short Story

    - By 

    If you’re just dipping your toes into the writing world, starting with a full-length novel or nonfiction book may feel overwhelming. Short stories allow you to get a feel for composing a story with a beginning, middle, and end. It also helps you tackle character development and a thorough plot structure without having to devote hundreds of hours to an 80,000-word manuscript. Short stories can also help pay attention to the complexities that come with the necessity of succinct word choice and help you hone your writing style and tone. The Basics of a Short Story Here are 5 simple…

  • You’ve probably heard the old adage that the best writers are the best readers. Here are 5 books you should be reading to improve your writing!

    5 Books Worth Reading for Writers

    - By 

    You’ve probably heard the old adage that the best writers are the best readers, but what should you actually be reading in order to improve your writing craft? Books published within the genre you’re writing will help you see the tone and style your future readers are accustomed to.  Reading other books in your genre isn’t about mimicking or copying, instead it provides insight into your book’s market. So, if you’re writing YA fiction, be sure to read up on popular novels in that genre. If you’re writing a self-help book geared toward couples who want to improve their relationships,…

  • How To Build Creative Confidence In Your Writing

    - By 

    I’ll let you in on a secret: writing is less about professional training and more about creative confidence. Anyone can string together a few decent sentences. The difference is that those with creative confidence will share their decent sentences with anyone and everyone, while other writers hide their work away from the world—proclaiming it isn’t good enough for public consumption. Don’t get me wrong, there is a difference between putting work out that hasn’t been revised, edited and proofread, and putting out work that you deem lesser than someone else’s work. Each time you negatively compare your work to another,…

  • Set the Scene for Writing Success

    - By 

    Most writers have a routine they like to follow, and bless your heart if you suggest changing it. Maybe you like to curl up on the couch with a notepad and pencil, or perhaps you have worn your imprint into the best seat at a coffee shop (you know the one: right next to an outlet, a table, and a window). Every now and then, though, it does the writer’s soul good to evaluate if your writing process is really working you, and find some easy solutions to shake it up a bit. 1.) What writing phase are you completing? It is no…