shailee shah | Phil Giunta – Award-Winning Writer of Fun, Frightening, and Fantastic Tales

This week, take some lessons in suspense from the master himself, Alfred Hitchcock.

Speaking of lessons, Amy Wilson and Anne R. Allen offer advice about writing effective dialogue while Maggie Smith teaches us several ways to make our secondary characters stand out. Over at Mythcreants, Chris Winkle discusses passive voice and how to create a story outline.

The nice folks at Good Story Company show us how to build a better author website and at BookBub, it’s all about promotion and crafting a captivating book description.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

Using Dialogue Tags Effectively by Amy Wilson

Electrify Your Thriller with These Tips from the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock by Dana Isaacson

Writing Under a Pseudonym by Good Story Company

How to Write a Book Description: Tips from BookBub Editors by Lauren Aldrich

What Fiction Writers Should Know About Passive Voice by Chris Winkle

How to Outline Your Story by Chris Winkle

From Sidekick to Scene-Stealer: Making Your Secondary Characters Memorable by Maggie Smith

Who Should Be Telling This Story? by Jeanne Kisacky

9 Common Dialogue Problems and How to Fix Them by Anne R. Allen

10 Author Websites and Why They Work by Good Story Company

12 Fantastic BookBub Ad Designs Promoting New Releases by Shailee Shah

25 Authors Running Fantastic Book Promotions on Instagram by Shailee Shah

In this month’s roundup, Becca Puglisi reminds us to enhance our characters by imbuing them with unique talents and skills.

Struggling to write a compelling start to your novel? Maggie Smith can help. Over at Career Authors, Brian Andrews and Gina Panettieri show us how loglines help authors answer that dreaded question, “what’s your book about?”

If you’re grappling with impostor syndrome, as many creatives do, Ruth Harris and Tiffany Yates Martin have some encouraging advice for you.

There’s no denying that TikTok has become one of the hottest sites for book promotion. Shailee Shah offers a roster of writers who are using the platform to build an enormous following.

All that and a lot more. Enjoy!

Character Traits & Skills: Beyond the Superficial by Becca Puglisi via Jami Gold

Seven Components of a Successful Novel Opening by Maggie Smith

Exposing Inner Conflict in non-POV Characters by Kathryn Craft

It’s Messy in the Middle: Unpacking Cultural Appropriation by Colice Sanders

Understanding the Three Types of Character Arcs by Britton Perelman

Why a Strong Plot Requires a Significant Goal by September C. Fawkes

The Upside of Impostor Syndrome by Ruth Harris

Are You Telling Yourself the Wrong Stories? by Tiffany Yates Martin

What is Your Book About… Do You Know? by Brian Andrews

Loglines and Comps by Gina Panettieri

14 Indie Authors to Follow on TikTok for Ideas and Inspiration by Shailee Shah