Tag Archives: writer unboxed

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Debbie Burke lists a dozen ways to tighten our prose while Jael R. Bakari provides an insightful guide to story development.

Dana Isaacson offers advice on keeping track of our story’s timeline, Paula Munier shows us ways to make readers fall in love with our protagonists from the first scene, and Chris Winkle discusses why some protagonists are unlikeable.

If you’re perplexed by the true meaning of premise, let Larry Brooks clear up the confusion and explain how the facets of premise should be applied to every story.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

12 Tips to Write Tight by Debbie Burke via Anne R. Allen

Suspense in Books: 6 Ways to Grow Anticipation by Now Novel

Charting a Fictional Timeline by Dana Isaacson

Writing Process: Developing a Coherent Story by Jael R. Bakari via Jami Gold

The Grand Entrance: How to Introduce Your Protagonist so that Readers Care by Paula Munier

Seven Common Reasons Protagonists Are Unlikable by Chris Winkle

Why I Actually Prefer Stories with Prologues by Vaughn Roycroft

How to Start Writing Again When You Haven’t in a While by Sarah Gribble

How to Use Vivid Verbs to Bring Your Scenes to Life by J.D. Edwin

How to Mine the Facets of Premise for Story Gold by Larry Brooks

How to Use Simple Psychology and Basic Common Sense to Sell More Books by Barb Drodzowich via Anne R. Allen

 

 

 

 

 

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Anne R. Allen reminds us that a story is more than just a series of disjointed, tragic episodes. Brian Andrews encourages us to use strong opening lines while Dana Isaacson, Barbara O’Neal, and Kim Bullock offer ideas for writing through these disconcerting times.

Jami Gold lists various ways a character’s occupation can be used to enhance a story and Terry Odell urges us to foreshadow some of our character’s skills before revealing them in a pivotal scene.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

Promoting Your Sci-Fi or Fantasy Novel on Social Media by Erica Verrillo

The Biggest Writing Craft Issue New Novelists Face, and 7 Ways to Avoid It by Anne R. Allen

How to Write a Powerful, Enticing, Intriguing, Amazing Opening Line for Your Novel by Brian Andrews

How to Write (or Not Write) about the Pandemic by Dana Isaacson

How to Write During a Pandemic, Even if it Feels Like You Can’t by Barbara O’Neal

What’s Our Character’s Job? by Jami Gold

If They Buy the Premise by Terry Odell

Description Makeover: Creating Magical Atmosphere by Chris Winkle

Crime Fiction is Complicit in Police Violence—But It’s Not Too Late to Change by Aya de Leon

Trademarks and the Writer’s Brand Strategy by Matt Knight

Writing Througnh Turbulent Times: Using Uncertainty to Enhance Your Story by Kim Bullock

A Plotstorming Technique by Jan O’Hara

 

 

 

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Charlie Jane Anders encourages us to write what is in our hearts regardless of current events. At Career Authors, David Bell provides five reasons for outlining your novel, while over at IndieReader, Savannah Cordova shows us five ways to get your novel noticed on Amazon.

Marlene Cullen explains how to use the freewrite method to chronicle traumatic experiences. Jami Gold delves into the risks and benefits of foreshadowing. John Gilstrap warns us against second guessing our writing. Kristen Lamb demonstrates how the Johari Window can be used to provide depth to our characters. Tajja Isen discusses the importance of sensitivity readers for stories involving minority characters.

Congratulations to writer pal, Amanda Headlee, on winning the “When Words Count Pitch Week XVII contest” with her upcoming horror novel, My Brother’s Keeper.

All that and a lot more. Enjoy!

Never Say You Can’t Survive: Everything is Broken! What Should I Write About? by Charlie Jane Anders

5 Tips for Navigating a Successful Novel Outline by David Bell

Freewrite: How to Write About Traumatic Events Without Adding More Trauma by Marlene Cullen

5 Tips for Getting Your Book Noticed on Amazon by Savannah Cordova

What’s the Point of Foreshadowing? by Jami Gold

Eyes Front by John Gilstrap

Pulp Diction. What We Can Learn from the Noir Czars by PJ Parrish

How to Characterize by James Scott Bell

The Johari Window: Understanding and Harnessing the Character Blind Spot by Kristen Lamb

Parody, Satire, and Fan Fiction: What’s the Difference? by Matt Knight

How Not to Write a Book About a Minority Experience by Tajja Isen

6 Ways to Incorporate a Dash of Foreign Language by Kathryn Craft

Blurbing and Being Blurbed by Barbara Linn Probst

How the Rising Action Works in a Story by Joe Bunting

Meet the Pitch Week XVII Finalists from When Worlds Collide!

 

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

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This week, Ruth Harris reminds us that writing is a marathon, not a sprint while Meghan Ward offers tips for ramping up the action in our stories.

Jami Gold provides a three-part series on point of view, Kristen Lamb discusses the benefits of using an unreliable narrator, Sandra Beckwith guides us through the challenges of book marketing, and Chris Winkle walks us through plotting a novel series.

All that, and a little more. Enjoy!

A Writer’s Guide to Patience, Practice, and Persistence by Ruth Harris via Anne R. Allen

Is Your Story a Bit Lazy? Five Ways to Improve the Action by Meghan Ward via Anne R. Allen

7 Questions to Ask Before Creating Your Book Marketing Plan by Sandra Beckwith

Is Our Story’s Point of View Really What We Think It Is? by Jami Gold

How Does Our Characters POV Affect Our Story? by Jami Gold

What Do Readers Want from a Story’s POV? by Jami Gold

Deception as a Storytelling Device: Introducing the Unreliable Narrator by Kristen Lamb

Will China’s Entry into U.S. Publishing Lead to Censorship? by Ed Nawotka

How to Plot a Novel Series by Chris Winkle

Getting Comfortable with Failure by Jael McHenry

Into the Woods by Dave King

Learning from Pinocchio: Creating Charaters Who Are Fully Alive by Barbara Linn Probst

 

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Melodie Campbell offers advice on how to save that sagging middle in your novel while Penny Sansevieri shows you how to optimize your Amazon Author Central page.

Jennie Nash provides a short checklist of common mistakes that might land your manuscript in the rejection pile and Jami Gold explores how our characters can drive the narrative—despite our best laid plans.

Esther Jones extols the benefits of reading SF and fantasy,  Julie Glover defends the practice of editing as you go, and Donald Maass helps us to understand how to develop a meaningful narrative.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

My Novel is as Mess: How to Survive the Chaos Point in Your Novel by Melodie Campbell via Anne R. Allen

Science Fiction Builds Mental Resiliency in Young Readers by Esther Jones

5 Quick Fixes for Making the Most of Author Central (and Why it Should be a Top Priority) by Penny Sansevieri

Do Your Characters Take on a Life of Their Own? by Jami Gold

In Defense of Editing as You Go by Julie Glover

The Secret to More Efficient Revision: Pattern Recognition by Jennie Nash

The Meaning of Meaning by Donald Maass

The Art of Condensing an Entire Book into a Brief Sales Pitch by Florence Osmund

Six Common Problems with Short Stories by Oren Ashkenazi

The Rich Can’t Hide from a Plague. Just Ask Edgar Allan Poe by Maya Phillips

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, we start strong right out of the gate with Gabino Iglesias and ten types of authors who, let’s just say, he doesn’t like.

Anne R. Allen advises us on how to prepare for life after death on social media, while Hank Phillippi Ryan, Brian Andrews, and Meg Dowell offer tips on writing—and surviving—during the pandemic.

Jami Gold reviews the concept of Scene and Sequel, the folks at Now Novel wax lyrical about crafting captivating prose, and Callie Sutcliffe differentiates between creating a new draft of your work versus editing.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

Ten Types of Authors Who Can Go F*ck Themselves by Gabino Iglesias

Don’t Become a Social Media Ghost: Appoint a Social Media Executor by Anne R. Allen

Getting Your Writer Brain Back on Track by Hank Phillippi Ryan

A Submariner’s Guide to Crisis and Isolation by Brian Andrews

12 Tips for Writing When You’re Not Calm and the World is Burning by Meg Dowell

Scenes & Sequels: Adding Reflections for Meaning by Jami Gold

Can Comic Books Survive the Coronavirus Era? by Dave Itzkoff

Using Letters in Creative Work—What Writers Should Know About Copyright Protection by Matt Knight

The Practice Novel by Dave King

First Draft, Second Draft, or Editing: How to Know What Draft You’re On by Callie Sutcliffe

Lyrical Writing: 5 Tips for Crafting Richer Prose by Now Novel