Book as Enemy
Adania Shibli. Photograph courtesy of Adania Shibli. Smoking might be banned at book fairs, while one…
Embrace Complication to Develop a Can’t-Put-It-Down Narrative | Jane Friedman
Photo by Espen Bierud on Unsplash Today’s post is by author and book coach Susanne Dunlap. There…
Second Selves
Vincent Van Gogh, Oleanders, 1888. Public domain. I. Jill Price has remembered every day of her…
Your Small Press Submission Checklist | Jane Friedman
Photo by Oleksandr P Today’s post is by author, editor, and book coach Julie Artz (@julieartz). Download her…
Enneagram Types for Writers: Types 1-4
The writer’s journey is a quest that transcends the mere act of stringing words together. It…
Dream Gossip
From Alice Notley’s zine Scarlet #1. Digitized by Nick Sturm as part of Alice Notley’s Magazines:…
Avoid, Persevere, Endure, Fight: 4 Goals for Unforgettable Opening Scenes | Jane Friedman
Photo by Nate Neelson on Unsplash Today’s post is by book coach Ayesha Ali. Your protagonist…
7 Growth Milestones to Build a Character Arc
From KMW: On the one hand, deciding how to build a character arc is pretty simple:…
A Writer’s Secret Weapon: Add a Listening Pass to Your Editing Arsenal | Jane Friedman
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash Today’s post is by author, editor, and book coach Suzy…
Turn Fact Into Fiction—Without Hurting Someone or Getting Sued | Jane Friedman
Photo by Antoni Shkraba Today’s post is by author Caroline Leavitt (@carolineleavitt). I’m sitting at a…
How to Use Symbolic and Archetypal Settings in Your Story
Story settings serve as the backdrop, providing a tangible environment in which characters interact and events…
Boundaries Are About More Than Simply Carving Out the Time to Write | Jane Friedman
Photo by Erin Larson on Unsplash Today’s post is by writer Mirella Stoyanova (@mirellastoyanova). There are a select…
Why Your Flashbacks Aren’t Working | Jane Friedman
Photo by Eduardo Sánchez on Unsplash Today’s post is by editor Tiffany Yates Martin (@FoxPrintEd). Join her for…
Checklist for Beginning Your Story: Plot Considerations
Welcome to this week’s post, which is a continuation of what we talked about in last…
How to Deliver Backstory Without Confusing the Reader | Jane Friedman
One of the key pitfalls of backstory, especially early in a novel, is either confusing backstory…
Writers With ADHD: Strategies for Navigating the Writing Process
Note From KMW: Earlier this year, I received an email from Bret Wieseler, requesting, “I would…
How to Gain Traction in Your Career: Q&A with The Thriller Zone’s David Temple | Jane Friedman
Podcast host, author, and actor David Temple discusses his shift from being in radio to writing…
How to Teach Word a Scrivener Trick | Jane Friedman
Today’s post is by author Wendy Lyons Sunshine. Just as mountain climbers need a sturdy harness…