What can you learn about writing from the first 10 minutes of a movie? Let me show you! — Introduction As writers, we’re often looking for ways to efficiently build our writing toolkit. So how do we do that? Sure, if you have time to painstakingly plod through a movie while taking notes about every turn of the character and plot, go for it! …

Studying a best-selling author’s character writing process — Do you want to write characters that readers obsess over? Then you need to hone your ability to create a unique character voice. To find out how to do this, we’re going to go to the experts.​ ​ Lisa Jewell is the best-selling author of more than twenty novels. She has become…

Burnout is real and writing is hard. Here are a few ways to set yourself up for a great year! — So it’s the new year and I’m making some commitments to myself as a writer. My last few months have been filled with querying, revising, and resubmitting to agents, starting a new manuscript, and more. If you’re a writer, that probably just sounds like any old day of the week. …

An Unusual Lesson on Keeping Readers Reading from a Top Author in the Thriller & Suspense Genre — Have you ever made a cake? Apparently developing suspense is nothing like that. Allow me to explain… Introduction So Rob Hart is a phenomenal author who I had on as a recent guest on the Writerly Lifestyle podcast. …

Using master storytellers as guides to help develop your own writing craft — Introduction While I watched the most recent season of Stranger Things, I kept thinking about what made it such a powerful piece of storytelling. It proved over and over that it had the power to impact viewers so emotionally. So what was it about the plot, the characters, and the dialogue…

The Slaughterhouse-Five author shared his daily routine, but he also shared so much more. — Introduction A few weeks ago, I decided to live and write for a whole day like Kurt Vonnegut. I’m not sure really how to say the day went. But I certainly learned some things about writing and about my own craft in the process. If you’re familiar with Kurt Vonnegut Jr…

Why this new writing career might be the best option for writers to make serious money! — The myth There’s a myth that hangs around writers. It’s this idea that writers don’t make money. That writing is a hobby but you can’t make a living. The old, ‘Don’t quit your day job’ comment often floats around when people talk about writing. But that’s not necessarily the case! Copywriting is…

Featuring Sinem Günel, founder of “The Medium Writing Academy” — Maybe this is the first Medium article you’ve ever read. Maybe you’ve been trying this “getting paid to write” thing for a while. Or maybe you’ve been poking around without any consistency, and you’re ready to give up. I’m that last one. And now, it’s decision time. Background Sinem Günel is…

As a sometimes overlooked publication route, an independent publisher might be the best place for your manuscript! — Size Independent publishers are smaller than the larger publishing houses, so you’re more likely to maintain their attention when it comes to marketing and selling a book. In this interview, Chantelle Aimée Osman (editor at Agora Books) talks about the ways she supports her authors long beyond release date. …