Writing

I have three events left this year. One with E.M. Tran at University of New Orleans on November 3, and two at the Texas Book Festival on November 5. If you are interested in having me come speak at your organization, please contact my speaking agency

The following first appeared in Lit Hub’s The Craft of Writing newsletter—sign up here. At a literary festival a few years ago, during question time after a panel discussion, an audience member tol…

And you both have full-time jobs

A character cheat sheet can help in the early stages of character development and ensure you write well-rounded characters every time.

A few checks you can do to try and work out once and for all if your writing is – you know – any good.

When it comes to idea generation and development, what are ways to both provide structure and room to explore?

Are you a writer? Do you like learning about the creative process, either for your own projects, or just cause you think it’s interesting? This post is about to make your day. As I’m su…

So many ideas, so little time.

An anecdotal account of my experience writing and selling "India World" to Tor.com

Seriously, it’s really weird. But it’s helped me for 25 years!

Writing a perfect ending for you novel is hard. We've put together 8 mistakes to avoid in order to ensure your best chance at success.

I would go so far as to say talent is an overrated component. If I was a gambler, I’d put my money on an average writer who knows how to work hard over someone who is supposedly talented but doesn’t know how to apply the AOC rule (Ass On Chair).

We write when we can. But every now and then you get a day that's a gift--or even just half a day--where you can set your imagination free. How do you seize that day?

How to get your writing started by recording yourself thinking out loud.

A handy reference for writers and teachers of fiction and creative nonfiction

Keep your text library in order, and become a well-organized writer

JRR Tolkien created Elvish and many other writers have made up new words and phrases. But can you really construct a whole new lexicon? Hephzibah Anderson takes a look.

When I learned “show, don’t tell,” I thought I’d discovered a guide that would never fail me. And sure, it was good for me, in the way training wheels help in learning to ride a bike. The directive…

Can we all agree it sucks?

1. Read like mad. But try to do it analytically – which can be hard, because the better and more compelling a novel is, the less conscious you will be of its devices. It’s worth…

A list of the top 13 blogs & top 11 podcasts NYT bestseller Gail Carriger finds most useful as a hybrid author. Great tips!

Fiction University is a site dedicated to helping writers and authors improve their writing craft and their publishing careers.

Become a better creative writer with The Write Practice. Find the best writing lessons, get timed writing prompts and exercises, and then publish your writing in our community to get feedback.

Our seven-step guide will help you tackle common problems all writers face during the first draft: from writer’s block to scenes that are difficult to write.

I wrote stories for over a decade before I began to think that I might have enough material for a collection, and when I sat down with those stories with the vague idea that the ones I chose for a book should share a theme, I was startled to find that although I’d been reading story collections for many years, I didn’t know what made for a successful one.

From Charles Dickens’ nineteenth century work Bleak House to modern classics like the Divergent series, the English language is full of great novels written in the present tense. If you are working on your first book or first novel, writing in the present tense can be a great way to hook readers and create suspense. Choosing between different verb tenses is one of the most important decisions you can make when writing the first draft of a fiction novel or short story; the present tense can give your writing an unmatched sense of immediacy.

These tips from our founder and director Anna Davis will help you craft a compelling first page and instantly capture the imagination of your reader.

Some books grab you right from the start.

Henry David Thoreau did not consider his time on Walden Pond a writing retreat, per-se. He was retreating from all of life, and he wrote about how brilliant that was. Despite his assured and unrema…

Reflecting on moments that shaped his life, actor Ethan Hawke examines how courageous expression promotes healing and connection with one another -- and invites you to discover your own unabashed creativity. "There is no path till you walk it," he says.