by Elizabeth S. Craig Crutch words are a funny thing. When I first started seriously writing, in the early 2000s, the overused words I leaned on were different from the ones I have [...]
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by DiAnn Mills, @diannmills Writers hear so much about deep point of view, yet we question where it fits and how to use it? Much of the curiosity is centered on today’s readers. [...]
by Felicity Green When I first started self-publishing in 2014, I was familiar with the German book market. I had worked at small publishing companies in Zurich, as an editor and in marketing, [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig I was reading a mystery recently, a book that I was enjoying. It was a British police procedural with great, atmospheric settings, interesting characters, and a puzzling murder. [...]
by @AngelaAckerman @WriterThesaurus Writing is no easy task, especially as it means juggling dozens of story elements at once: characters, plot, setting, dialogue, description, pacing, symbolism, you name it. And when we become [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig A little over a year ago, I started work on a new project. Three weeks later, I abandoned it. It’s the first time since the 1990s that I’ve [...]
by Mike Martin, @mike54martin It seems like I have been writing the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series forever. Well, it has been a long time. The Walker on the Cape came out in 2012 [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 free articles on writing related [...]
by Anna A Armstrong Everything in life and books comes down to character. There are few more enjoyable ways to while away a morning than spending time in a café with a really [...]
by Hugh Cook A cardinal principle of fiction writing is that effective characterization lies at the heart of all good fiction. This holds true whether you write thrillers, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, or literary [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig It’s been a while since I started writing a new series. Late-2018 was the last time, actually. The reason I don’t start new series all the time is [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig Here’s a quick reminder for those of you who get book covers from your designers before working on the book. Make sure, before the paperback version goes live, [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 free articles on writing related [...]
This post is for self-publishing writers (because traditionally published writers get free editing) and writers who might be on the fence about outlining. Here’s my usual caveat: if you’re not outlining, and that’s [...]
By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethspanncraig One of the big mysteries to me when I was starting out as a writer was where the drafting “sweet spot” was. Some writers seemed to have things [...]
by Rose Atkinson-Carter, @Reedsy Like many writers out there, I have my favorite strategies when it comes to my craft, from setting realistic goals to carrying a notebook with me everywhere I go. [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 free articles on writing related [...]
by Hugh Cook A quick look at our everyday language indicates that metaphor is an essential part of our casual conversations. Metaphors roll off our tongues as easily as, well, falling off a [...]
by Hugh Cook A writer once observed that someone’s first seven years provide enough to keep that person writing for the rest of their life. An interesting observation, and true for many, I [...]
by Shannon Symonds ,@shannonsymonds7 As writers, we talk a lot about the hook, the first sentence, the first page, the thing that sucks you into a book and won’t let you go. You [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig “I only write when I’m inspired, so I see to it that I’m inspired every morning at nine o’clock.” by Peter De Vries I’ve always said much the [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig It’s recently struck me how much I’ve had to say about outlines lately. I’ve gone from being a pantser, to being a reluctant outliner, to having a grudging [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig Although I started out with a pretty antagonistic relationship with outlining, I’ve learned to both make my peace with it and to find ways to make it [...]
Hi everyone! Today I’m guest blogging over at The IWSG. The topic today is on series: why they’re great, tips for writing them, and how to promote them. Hope you’ll hop over and [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig One thing that always gets me out of any writing-related issue is temporarily writing longhand. There’s something about getting out a notebook and pen or pencil that helps [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 68,000 free articles on writing [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig Every two-three months, I get a series of critiques and feedback from beta readers, ARC readers, and my freelance editors. I always open those emails in a hurry [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig I’ve mentioned before here that I love writing series. Not only are they easier to write (the recurring characters and story world are already developed), but readers seem [...]
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig First drafts are meant to be messy. It’s the time when we hammer out our story, taking it from a concept to something that, at least vaguely, resembles [...]
by C.S. Lakin, @LiveWriteThrive Setting is largely ignored by writers, and that’s a shame. Setting is not only important in fiction to transport your readers into your story, it’s one of the most [...]
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