Writing Techniques

Most popular posts

A ship's mooring in a snowy part of the world to give a frosty visualization of Unmoored

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...
Someone reading a book in the darkness at a café on a very sunny day, emotional themes of relaxedness

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...
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...
Second Person POV
Blog
Alan Watt

Point of View: Second Person

You probably haven’t read many books written in the second person perspective, maybe since your last “choose your own adventure” novel. Most

Read More »
How Do I Begin?
Blog
Alan Watt

How Do I Begin?

“How do I begin?” The process of story creation is mysterious. Where do your story ideas come from? From where do your

Read More »
Asking Why
Blog
Alan Watt

Asking “Why?”

Always keep your ideal reader close by in your mind asking “Why?” Our subconscious is perfectly designed for this process. It already

Read More »

Recent posts

Situational Irony

How to Create Situational Irony

Situational irony is something we’ve all experienced: an unexpected outcome or an outcome that’s the opposite of the intention. We...

Muse

Invocation of the Muse: Cultivating Inspiration for Serious Writers

The idea of a Muse, inspiration, spirit, or genius, is present in any civilization in which great literature exists. When...

Verbal Irony

The Art of Verbal Irony: When to Quip and When to Feel

Verbal irony is a wonderful rhetorical device you can use to sharpen your character’s tongues and refine their wit. In...

epilogue

Epilogue: Extending Theme Beyond the Last Page

Just when you thought a story was done, sometimes there’s still room for an epilogue.  Stories often end with a...

Chekhov’s Gun

Chekhov’s Gun: A Foreshadowing Tool

Are all endings inevitably set by their beginnings, or do things occur at random? This question is, in part, answered...

Personification

Personification as a Literary Tool: Writing Emotion without Telling

Personification is a literary device so commonplace that it shows up everywhere in our language. The dictionary definition of personification...

Imagery

Imagery: Writing with All 5 Senses

As writers and engineers of stories, imagery is our bread and butter. In some sense, all the literary devices at...

irony

What is Irony? Exploring Its Forms and Power in Storytelling

A finely developed sense of irony is a wonderful tool for a writer. In this article, I will discuss different...

Second Person POV

Point of View: Second Person

You probably haven’t read many books written in the second person perspective, maybe since your last “choose your own adventure”...

first person point of view

Point of View: First Person

The first time you experienced the magic of storytelling, odds are it was a personal story you heard in first...

Pathos

How to Invoke Pathos in Your Writing

Pathos is a key aspect of any rhetorician’s approach to their oratory. If you are writing a speech in your...

third person limited pov

Point of View: Third Person Limited

Picking a perspective is like choosing your weapon before a gladiator match; it limits and defines your style of approach....

Third person omniscient

Point of View: Third Person Omniscient

Third person omniscient POV offers writers the rare power to see into every mind and move freely across the landscape...

How Do I Begin?

How Do I Begin?

“How do I begin?” The process of story creation is mysterious. Where do your story ideas come from? From where...

Hold Your Story Loosely

Hold the Story Loosely

Our idea of the story is never the whole story. The act of writing a novel, memoir, or screenplay is...

Humor is Not About Writing Funny

Humor Is Not About Writing Funny

Humor connects us. It makes us care. I don’t mean one-liners. Humor is not about jokes, but it is about...

Write What You Know Can Be Misunderstood

“Write What You Know” Can Be Misunderstood

Every writer hears the old song: “Write what you know.” This can be misunderstood. The fact is, we don’t write...

Asking Why

Asking “Why?”

Always keep your ideal reader close by in your mind asking “Why?” Our subconscious is perfectly designed for this process....