C. S. Lakin has penned nineteen novels of various genres. She works professionally as a copyeditor and writing coach, and critiques more than two hundred manuscripts a year. She also guest blogs on the top writing blogs, such as Writers’ Digest and Grammarly, and teaches workshops around the country. Her award-winning blog Live Write Thrive … Read more
This article is by Isobel Mitton. Speculative fiction writers often tackle social issues. The Hunger Games tackled the social class system. And so did the Divergent series. Both series were about the haves and have-nots. They were also about dictatorial governments in a world where one person had all the power to decide life and … Read more
One of the best ways to engage readers in a story is to include personal interests. Some interests are shared by lots of people: pets, or baseball, for example. People who love pets usually cry when a furry secondary character dies. Baseball isn’t just a game, it’s a culture, a team, a relationship with your … Read more
This article is by Anne Marie Gazzolo. Many authors borrow from fairy-tales, myths, and legends and adapt or transform them to suit their own stories. I recently read The History of The Hobbit for a class and was struck by how many elements from Celtic and other mythologies J. R. R. Tolkien wove into his … Read more
Thank you, internet, for making this job harder. Strong characters and worldbuilding are no longer enough. The well-timed spot of humor was once the mark of Shakespeare. But now fellow writers, all of us have to learn to be clever. Let’s start by reading a novel that’s funny. Do you accept your first reading quest? … Read more
This article is by Neil B. Tafani. A novel needs a strong ending in order to tell a good story. This doesn’t mean that you need to have a “happy” ending, or even an ending that gives total resolution. Your primary focus when writing an ending is to make it memorable and enjoyable to read. … Read more
You know, there was always something that really irked me about Star Wars. Through all of the battles, duels, and reconstructions of planetary annihilation devices, the audience is never directly told what the rebels are, erm, rebelling against. The galaxy is decimated, legends are born and snuffed out across the board with unimaginable death tolls, … Read more
In order to make your words come alive on the page it is important to understand how the reader’s mind works. If you understand how the mind processes text, and how it turns words and sentences into images and impressions, you have a tremendously powerful tool to use to your advantage. What Is Association? From … Read more