Category: Writing Tips

In this month’s writing group, one of my fellow writers brought up that they were told they need to show more, the old show don’t tell writing rule. While this rule is one hundred percent true, it also fails it’s own advice. It’s too vague to be helpful. A...

Today’s writing tip (let it go) is one that I have only recently understood. By trying different types of prompts and working on beloved ideas, I’ve realized that my best writing comes when I’m able to get out of the way. It sounds counterintuitive, but the work I don’t...

The biggest secret to worldbuilding is knowing that it’s more than a backdrop. Yes, scenery and fantastical weapons and costumes are part of it, but if that’s all you include, your story will fall flat. That’s because worldbuilding is more than mountains and trees and cityscapes or fun pops...

One of the most common pieces of writing advice I hear is to join a writing group. And while I wholeheartedly agree with this, it’s a lot easier said than done. First, let’s start with the benefits. Writing groups are a community Writing is a solitary practice. However, by...

Writing tips often focus on the technical aspects of becoming a better writer. And sometimes the abstract. But what is often overlooked is the practical precursor—curiosity. Writing is more than getting words down in the correct order to tell a compelling story. Most of us don’t open a blank...

Writing advice is never absolute. It often changes with circumstances and sometimes, like now, it’s a straight up contradiction. Of course you’re going to hide information. If the reader already knows what will happen, there’s no incentive to keep reading. Even when the reader expects the ending, like with...

What does this image have to do with writing? It’s a good visualization of a basic story structure. Let’s break it down. The colored balls are stationary representing the status quo. This is what the day to day life is for your main character at the beginning of the...

The most commonly accepted writing advice is reading more will help you become a better writer. Most writers are naturally drawn to reading. For a lot of us, it’s why we want to be writers. Just like people in the film industry like to watch movies, we love to...

Last week I talked about When to Give Feedback, this week let’s talk about how. Most writers, at some point, will find themselves in a quid pro quo situation with feedback. Critique groups usually expect you to give feedback in order to get it. And writer friends may ask...

I recently saw a tweet asking if you should give unsolicited feedback to a friend. Clearly, the person wanted to be helpful but also wanted to be considerate. You’ve probably found yourself in a similar situation wanting to balance fixing something and keeping your friendship. As you can imagine,...