alan watt on writing

Recent posts

A woman set in foil and pins to her face to quickly visualize the concept of foil characters

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...

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...
Someone measuring a piece of leather on a marketing board to visualize the question of "book outline: where do I start"

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...
Image depicting the lightness and ease of how to become a better writer, a multifaceted question that starts with planning and goes through organizing your work and eventually making it easier to give yourself the permission to write

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...
Window with a frosted glass filter on it that stops the viewer from seeing the beautiful outdoors

Filtering

Filtering will disengage any good reader. Experiment with your sentences and you can cut down on this bad habit to...
Someone reading a book in nature on fire, a suggestion that without proper management a work can burn up in the hands of a beta reader.

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...

Book Editing

See all articles
Getting Notes – Ten Things to Consider
Book Editing

Getting Notes – Ten Things to Consider

Banishing Redundancies
Book Editing

Banishing Redundancies

Conflating Characters
Book Editing

Conflating Characters

Own Your Work
Book Editing

Own Your Work

Approaching the Rewrite
Book Editing

Approaching the Rewrite

Book Outline

See all articles
Book Outline: Where Do I Start?
Book Outline

Book Outline: Where Do I Start?

The Pantser Method: Writing Without an Outline
Book Outline

The Pantser Method: Writing Without an Outline

How to Outline a Dramatic Opening
Book Outline

How to Outline a Dramatic Opening

What is a Thematic Statement? Examples and Writing Strategies
Book Outline

What is a Thematic Statement? Examples and Writing Strategies

The Snowflake Method of Outlining
Book Outline

The Snowflake Method of Outlining

Character Development

See all articles
Writing a Foil Character
Character Development

Writing a Foil Character

Your 6-Step Road to Character Profiles
Character Development

Your 6-Step Road to Character Profiles

The Purpose of Flat Characters
Character Development

The Purpose of Flat Characters

Master Character Arcs for Compelling Storytelling
Character Development

Master Character Arcs for Compelling Storytelling

Round Characters: Techniques to Create Depth in Character Arcs
Character Development

Round Characters: Techniques to Create Depth in Character Arcs

How to Edit a Book

See all articles
Beta Readers: Finding Trusted Insight for Your Work
How to Edit a Book

Beta Readers: Finding Trusted Insight for Your Work

How to Publish a Book

See all articles

How to Write a Memoir

See all articles
How to Write a Memoir: From First Draft to Lasting Impact
How to Write a Memoir

How to Write a Memoir: From First Draft to Lasting Impact

What is a Memoir? From Personal Experience to Universal Truth
How to Write a Memoir

What is a Memoir? From Personal Experience to Universal Truth

Memoir: Mastering the Impossible
How to Write a Memoir

Memoir: Mastering the Impossible

Tell Your Truth
How to Write a Memoir

Tell Your Truth

Writing Memoir
How to Write a Memoir

Writing Memoir

How to Write a Novel

See all articles
How to Plot a Novel
How to Write a Novel

How to Plot a Novel

How to Write a Novel: Step by Step
How to Write a Novel

How to Write a Novel: Step by Step

“How Many Words in a Novel?”
How to Write a Novel

“How Many Words in a Novel?”

Novels vs Books — What’s the Difference?
How to Write a Novel

Novels vs Books — What’s the Difference?

How to Outline Your Novel in 5 Steps
How to Write a Novel

How to Outline Your Novel in 5 Steps

How to Write a Screenplay

See all articles
Screenplay Structure
How to Write a Screenplay

Screenplay Structure

“Save the Cat” Story Structure: A Screenwriter’s Practical Guide
How to Write a Screenplay

“Save the Cat” Story Structure: A Screenwriter’s Practical Guide

Script Format 101: Writing for the Screen and Stage
How to Write a Screenplay

Script Format 101: Writing for the Screen and Stage

Screenplay Format Made Simple: Tips & Essentials
How to Write a Screenplay

Screenplay Format Made Simple: Tips & Essentials

Storyline: Marrying Plot to Theme
How to Write a Screenplay

Storyline: Marrying Plot to Theme

How to Sell Your Screenplay
screenplay

How to Sell Your Screenplay

How to Write a Logline
screenplay

How to Write a Logline

Story Structure

See all articles
Types of Conflict in Literature
Story Structure

Types of Conflict in Literature

The 5 Core Stages of Freytag’s Pyramid
Story Structure

The 5 Core Stages of Freytag’s Pyramid

Mastering Story Arcs for Stronger Storytelling
Story Structure

Mastering Story Arcs for Stronger Storytelling

Mastering the Three-Act Structure for Stronger Stories
Story Structure

Mastering the Three-Act Structure for Stronger Stories

Backstory: What to Reveal and When
Story Structure

Backstory: What to Reveal and When

The Writing Process

See all articles
What is Creative Writing? How to Shape Ideas into Art
The Writing Process

What is Creative Writing? How to Shape Ideas into Art

How to Start a Story: Crafting Openings That Captivate
The Writing Process

How to Start a Story: Crafting Openings That Captivate

Stream-of-Consciousness Writing: Tips for Creative Expression
The Writing Process

Stream-of-Consciousness Writing: Tips for Creative Expression

Morning Pages: A Daily Habit to Boost Creativity
The Writing Process

Morning Pages: A Daily Habit to Boost Creativity

How to Start Writing a Book: The No-Fluff Starter Guide
The Writing Process

How to Start Writing a Book: The No-Fluff Starter Guide

Writers on Writing

See all articles
Follow the Dog: On Persistence and Self-Trust
Writers on Writing

Follow the Dog: On Persistence and Self-Trust

4 Tips for Writing a Novel
Writers on Writing

4 Tips for Writing a Novel

Authoring – and Other Writerly Pursuits
Writers on Writing

Authoring – and Other Writerly Pursuits

What I Need to Write
Writers on Writing

What I Need to Write

writing process

See all articles

Writing Resources and Tools

See all articles

Writing Techniques

See all articles
Satire: Turning Humor into Insight
Writing Techniques

Satire: Turning Humor into Insight

Intertextuality
Writing Techniques

Intertextuality

Paradox in Writing: Revealing Truth Through Contradiction
Writing Techniques

Paradox in Writing: Revealing Truth Through Contradiction

Hyperbole: When Exaggeration Strengthens Story
Writing Techniques

Hyperbole: When Exaggeration Strengthens Story

Extended Metaphors: Turning Simple Comparisons into Lasting Impact
Writing Techniques

Extended Metaphors: Turning Simple Comparisons into Lasting Impact