Writing About Writing

The Book Blog

for writers and storytellers

How to Write When You Can't Find the Time

For many of us, writing every day is a lofty goal, but actually doing it is easier said than done. I don't know about you, but my day is...

Developmental Editing & AI: When to Call in the Humans

Unless you've been living under a rock (and if that's the case, welcome, rock dweller!), you've heard about artificial intelligence (AI)...

Character Development Methods for Fiction, Part 1

Fiction novels have such immense power to take us on wonderful, whimsical adventures, to immerse us in new and exciting worlds, to...

Doing Good In Your Novel

Ever read a novel that made you feel good? About yourself? Your place in the world? Your unique set of experiences? What about a novel...

Storytelling 101

If you've ever sought out articles or information about storytelling, you've probably landed on several excellent pieces by various...

On Writing: Why Fiction Matters

From oral tales to printing press copies to the modern, ubiquitous e-book, stories—specifically fiction stories—have been part of the...

On Writing: Tackling Point of View

Point of view (POV) was one of the first choices you made when you wrote your novel, whether you knew it or not. And it affects every...

On Writing: The Importance of Your Opening Line

The first item up for comment during a developmental edit or manuscript evaluation is the opening line of the novel. Why? The first...

A Prologue's Purpose: Use It Well (or Lose It)

After sorting through my small library of hard copy works and setting aside boxes of book donations for my community, I found almost no...

On Writing: Outlining Your Novel

If you've ever started writing a novel but find yourself stuck halfway through, having an outline may benefit you and your process. While...

On Publishing: Nailing the Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a brief, one- or two-sentence summary of the book and a powerhouse marketing tool. Elevator pitches entice readers,...

Filtering in Fiction: A Choice in Style

What is filtering? When used to describe a stylistic device in fiction writing, filtering has little to do with the use of expletives or...

The MICE Quotient: On Story Structure

In the book Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction: How to Create Out-of-this-World Novels and Short Stories, Orson Scott Card expounds on...