Quotidian Writer Episode 1: Starting New Writing Projects
What’s the most engaging way to start a story? How do you approach returning to an old project? Diane Callahan draws on her experiences...
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The Key to Great Storytelling
Countless elements contribute to great storytelling, but one in particular will strengthen your story’s potency on a character, plot,...
How to Write Engaging Descriptions in Fiction
Many writers dread writing descriptions. It’s difficult to know what to include, and it requires a lot of mental energy to summon...
How to Punctuate Dialogue
Incorrectly punctuated dialogue is one of the most frequent mistakes I see in manuscripts from writers who are just starting out....
Writing Q&A with Daily Prompt
I did a writing and editing Q&A with Daily Prompt over on their YouTube channel! We chatted about a smorgasbord of topics: + What makes...
4 Writing Lessons from a Novel Contest Judge
After judging novel openings for the Page Turner Awards this summer, I decided to write a Medium article filled with writing tips I...
Can You Be a Writer if You Don’t Read?
Can you be a writer if you don’t read? No one is stopping you from being a writer if you don’t read; however, if you truly want to be a...
How to Write a Strong Story Concept (Reverse Book Blurb Exercise)
A story concept is the general idea of what a story will be about in terms of the plot, characters, and setting. As a writing exercise,...
10 Common New Writer Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
As a developmental editor and writer, I’ve noticed patterns in the types of problems new writers often face. This video covers ten of the...
How to Title Your Novel (All Genres)
Titles shine a spotlight on the heart of the novel, directing readers’ attention to an important element that thematically ties the story...
Plotting vs. Pantsing
Plotters outline and plan their stories in advance. Pantsers write by the seat of their pants, inventing the story as they go along. And...
How to Show, Not Tell: The Complete Writing Guide
“Don’t tell me the moon is shining. Show me the glint of light on broken glass.” – Anton Chekov Writers often have different definitions...
All About Writing in Third Person
Third person (he, she, they) is one of the standard points of view for writing fiction. In this video, I’ll explore the advantages and...
Literary vs. Genre Fiction
Literary vs. genre fiction, mainstream vs. commercial, realism vs. escapism—do these distinctions really matter? For both readers and...
How to Write a Good First Line
I could write opening sentences all day. They’re what get me excited to begin a new story, both as a writer and as a reader. Journey with...
Creating Captivating Characters
Your characters drive the story, so it’s important that they be figures worth following. Using my acronym ARCS, I’ll show you how to...
All About Writing in First Person
Most writers are already familiar with the definitions of first, second, and third person, but in this three-part series, I’ll delve...
How to Motivate Yourself to Write Every Day
You don't need to write every day, but you can still aspire to reach a daily word count if the momentum keeps you going. Here, you'll...
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