Own Your Work
Just because you might be a first-time novelist, it doesn’t mean you’re not the authority over your work. No agent, publisher, or […]
The Great American Novel
Every American writer secretly dreams of writing the “Great American Novel.” What would that look like? It’s a book that captures the […]
Our Characters are Malleable
“Nothing changes more constantly than the past; for the past that influences our lives does not consist of what happened, but of […]
Reframing Your Protagonist’s Goal
“Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing true or beautiful makes complete sense […]
How to Become a First-Time Author
The journey to becoming a first-time author is different for everyone. For me, it involved letting go of the idea that I’d […]
How to Write Your First Novel
Writing your first book might actually be fun. I’m serious. I know you’re terrified. It’s a scary thing to do. But, at […]
Narrative Drive
“The purpose of narrative is to present us with complexity and ambiguity.”— Scott Turow If you’re rewriting and a point in your […]
Ten Signs of a Good Writing Instructor
Choosing a writing instructor is a big decision. They are not all created equal. Here are some guidelines and suggestions that […]
Writers, The Time is Now
I know writers who have struggled for decades to complete their first novel. They work on their novel for a while, then […]
Opportunities in Self-Publishing
The goal of every first-time novelist or memoirist is to see their book between covers. The paradox is that when we […]
The Theme of the Story
Shakespearean plays begin with the chorus telling us what we are about to see. They don’t tell us the whole plot […]
Making Time to Write
If you’re writing your first novel, you’re probably wondering how other writers ever make the time to write. We’re all busy. […]
What is My Title?
Those scant few words on the cover of our book or screenplay can be the most labor-intensive work of our entire manuscript. […]
Writing Fiction: Letting Go of Our Story
“Danger lies in the writer becoming the victim of his own exaggeration, losing the exact notion of sincerity, and in the end […]
Approaching the Rewrite
The first draft is about diving into the unknown, invoking the muse, and writing from our right brains. The next step, the […]
