How To Intrigue Your Reader—The Right Way
Writers often wonder if they’re “bad” at writing. But often the problem lies in simple misunderstandings. Here’s a straightforward solution for one “bad writer” problem—hiding the wrong information.
Up Close and Personal: What Is Third Person in Fiction?
A lot of writers struggle with Third Person limited point of view . . . how does it work, and why would you write in TPL instead of just first person? In this essay, originally published in Writer’s DIgest, I delve into the wonders of Third Person Limited in detail
Debut Author Hadley Leggett Interview
I first met Hadley Leggett in my Yearlong Class in 2018, when she was still in the relatively early stages of what has become her debut novel, All They Ask is Everything, forthcoming in 2024…
6 Tips for Dialogue in Personal Essays
Using dialogue in creative nonfiction (essays and memoirs) can be a powerful way to bring the reader into the scene. Tips on using dialogue more effectively in essays and nonfiction.
How to Write Dialogue: Formatting, Fundamentals, and More
The rules around dialogue are somewhat complicated. The good news—it gets easier with practice. Here are tips and tricks for formatting dialogue between characters.
Quick Guide: How to Format Punctuation in Dialogue
Here’s a quick guide to use when mastering the basics of how character dialogue and quote marks interact with periods, quote marks, and more.
What is a Writing Coach?
How does a writing coach work? How do you find a writing coach? Working with a book coach or creative writing coach can take your work to the next level. Find out how.
70+ Books on How to Write
70+ books on writing, craft, memoir, fiction, nonfiction, flash fiction and more.
Narrative Time...A Story that Covers a Lot of Time
A look at the challenges in writing a short story that takes place over a long period of time . . . how to manage the character’s story arc over time. Specifically, I look at one of my own stories, “Detonator,” which appeared in Guernica
Writing Craft: Characters, Sentences, Themes and More
Read my interview with Writer’s Connection, where I talk about writing process and craft questions, and how I and other writers can overcome challenges.