General Archives - alanwatt.com

Blog, Free, General, Resources

Character vs. Character Conflict

Detective vs. criminal mastermind, knight vs. dragon, cowboy vs. rogue bandit — all these classic stories fit neatly into a conflict model […]

Alan WattMay 13, 2026

Blog, Free, General, Novel / Fiction, Resources

Writing Goals

What are your writing goals? Do you have dreams of winning the Pulitzer prize? Writing a bestseller or an Academy Award winning […]

Alan WattMay 12, 2026

Blog, General, Inspiration, Memoir, Resources

6-Word Memoir

Writing a 6-word memoir might feel impossible at first, too restricting, maybe even unfair. You might think, How do you tell a […]

Alan WattMay 11, 2026

Blog, General, Resources

Constructive Criticism

One of the most important skills you’ll learn as a writer is how to take constructive criticism. Feedback is an instrumental part […]

Alan WattMay 10, 2026

Blog, Free, General, Resources

What Is Alliteration? (And How to Use It in Your Writing)

One of the best pieces of writing advice I ever got was: read your work aloud. When you do, you begin to […]

Alan WattMay 9, 2026

Blog, Free, General, Novel / Fiction, Resources

How to Use Sensory Details in Your Story

Your goal as a writer is to immerse your readers fully in your story, to help them experience what it feels like […]

Alan WattMay 8, 2026

Blog, Dilemma, Free, General, Novel / Fiction, Outline, Resources

What Makes a Good Story? The Four Elements

This is a question that can often lead writers down the wrong path. Many try to answer this through the complexity of […]

Alan WattMay 6, 2026

Blog, Free, General, Novel / Fiction, Resources, Rewriting

The Rewrite

Once you’ve completed an editing checklist on your manuscript, you may find that your story requires a more substantial rewrite. Often dreaded […]

Alan WattMay 5, 2026

Blog, General, Resources

Ways to Describe a Voice

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called the human voice “the organ of the soul.” Writers must become skilled organists to differentiate and describe the […]

Alan WattMay 4, 2026

Blog, General, Inspiration, Resources

10,000 Hour Rule on Mastering Skills

“It takes 10,000 hours to truly master anything. Time spent leads to experience; experience leads to proficiency; and the more proficient you […]

Alan WattMay 3, 2026

Blog, Free, General, Novel / Fiction, Outline, Screenwriting

How Long Should a Screenplay Be?

Screenplays usually land around 90 to 120 pages. And the reason involves both technical considerations and the practical realities of making a […]

Alan WattMay 2, 2026

Blog, Free, General, Novel / Fiction, Resources

Character Name Ideas

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”– William Shakespeare, Romeo and […]

Alan WattMay 1, 2026

Blog, Free, General, Novel / Fiction, Resources

How Many Words in a Chapter?

Authors often struggle to figure out when to add chapter breaks and how to properly split up their novel or memoir. A […]

Alan WattApril 30, 2026

Blog, General, Novel / Fiction, Resources

Literary Agents: Steps to Securing Representation

Literary agents serve as the link between writers and the publishing houses that print and market their books. They’re often described as […]

Alan WattApril 29, 2026

Blog, Free, General, Novel / Fiction, Resources

Internal Dialogue

Internal dialogue does more than let you know what a character is thinking. It shows you what that character cannot bring themselves […]

Alan WattApril 28, 2026

Blog, Free, General, Resources

A Look at 5 Different Writing Styles

Just as your characters each have a distinct voice, every writing style carries its own purpose, logic, and effect. Knowing the difference […]

Alan WattApril 26, 2026

Blog, General, Novel / Fiction, Resources

Flash Fiction

If you want to become a better writer, flash fiction is a powerful way to strengthen your storytelling muscles. Flash fiction is […]

Alan WattApril 25, 2026

Blog, Free, General, Novel / Fiction, Resources

Realistic Fiction

There’s a particular kind of courage in writing about the world as it actually is. Although our imaginations can take us to […]

Alan WattApril 24, 2026

Character vs. Character Conflict

Writing Goals

6-Word Memoir

Constructive Criticism

What Is Alliteration? (And How to Use It in Your Writing)

How to Use Sensory Details in Your Story

What Makes a Good Story? The Four Elements

The Rewrite

Ways to Describe a Voice

10,000 Hour Rule on Mastering Skills

How Long Should a Screenplay Be?

Character Name Ideas

How Many Words in a Chapter?

Literary Agents: Steps to Securing Representation

Internal Dialogue

A Look at 5 Different Writing Styles

Flash Fiction

Realistic Fiction

Workshops

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