Blog Archives - Page 2 of 17

Blog, Resources, Screenwriting

How to Write a Montage in a Screenplay

Learn how to write a montage in a screenplay to condense time and show character growth. Master the format and use this tool to elevate your story.

Alan WattApril 11, 2026

Blog, Novel / Fiction, Resources

How to Plan a Novel

Learn how to plan a novel by balancing creative intuition with a structured 90-day schedule, from initial inquiry to finishing your first draft.

Alan WattApril 10, 2026

Blog, General, Outline, Resources

The Rule of Three

Master the rule of three to create satisfying patterns, memorable character trios, and a rhythmic story structure that resonates with your readers.

Alan WattApril 9, 2026

Blog, Inspiration, Memoir

Unmoored: My Search for Meaning

Explore the transformative power of writing as a tool for healing trauma, finding self-acceptance, and discovering meaning beyond the search for fame.

Rochelle SquiresApril 8, 2026

Blog, First-Time Novelist, General, Novel / Fiction, Resources

How to Publish a Book

Master the path to publication. Learn how to polish your manuscript, query literary agents, handle rejection, and weigh the pros of self-publishing.

Alan WattApril 7, 2026

Blog, Inspiration, Resources

Writing a Foil Character

Unlock your protagonist's depth using foil characters. Learn how to use contrast and dilemmas to highlight key traits and drive your story forward.

Alan WattApril 6, 2026

Blog, Novel / Fiction, Outline, Resources

How to Plot a Novel

Balance your character's wants and needs if you want to learn how to plot a novel by using a central dilemma to turn events into a fleshed out story.

Alan WattApril 5, 2026

Blog, Novel / Fiction, Outline, Resources, Rewriting

Book Outline: Where Do I Start?

Transform your draft with a book outline. Learn 5 proven methods to map your character’s journey, master story structure, and beat the blank page today.

Alan WattApril 4, 2026

Blog, General, Inspiration, Resources

How to Become a Better Writer

How to become a better writer? Establish a consistent routine that prioritizes showing up. Practice, rest, and refill your creative tank.

Alan WattApril 3, 2026

Blog, General, Resources, Rewriting

Filtering

Filtering will disengage any good reader. Experiment with your sentences and you can cut down on this bad habit to hook your reader.

Alan WattApril 2, 2026

Blog, Memoir, Novel / Fiction, Rewriting

Beta Readers: Finding Trusted Insight for Your Work

Beta readers help writers feel safe to fall deeper into their work. Balance the proximity that your beta readers might have to you and your work and articulate the right framework to get what you and your work need most from them.

Alan WattApril 1, 2026

Blog, Free, Outline, Resources, Screenwriting

Screenplay Structure

Screenplay structure allows a writer to investigate their characters and theme and get to the heart of where they exist in story.

Alan WattMarch 31, 2026

Blog, Resources, Screenwriting

How to Sell Your Screenplay

Selling your screenplay is a battle of outreach, portfolio, and simplicity. Learn how to balance your professional expectations with the heart of your work.

Alan WattMarch 30, 2026

Blog, Free, Inspiration, Novel / Fiction, Resources, Screenwriting

Satire: Turning Humor into Insight

Understand satire, a technique that allows you to smuggle truth into critiques of power by critical construction of context and story.

Alan WattMarch 29, 2026

Blog, Dilemma, General, Memoir, Novel / Fiction, Resources

Types of Conflict in Literature

The types of conflict in literature serve to force protagonists to confront their deepest fear and reveal a story's soul through the resolution of dilemma.

Alan WattMarch 28, 2026

Blog, First-Time Novelist, Free, Novel / Fiction, Resources

A Guide to Pen Names

Create a powerful tool to protect your personhood and work with a pen name, but establish it intentionally and early in your career in order to use this device of authorship cleverly.

Alan WattMarch 27, 2026

Blog, Free, General, Outline, Resources, Screenwriting

Your 6-Step Road to Character Profiles

Create a functional map of your character's psychology and goals to make stories feel authentic and make their change deeper

Alan WattMarch 26, 2026

Blog, First-Time Novelist, Inspiration, Novel / Fiction

Follow the Dog: On Persistence and Self-Trust

Tess Callahan details her journey through authorship and publishing her manuscripts--the difficulty of not feeling enough as a writer and ultimately getting the break she owed herself.

Tess CallahanMarch 25, 2026