
How to “Kill Your Darlings” Without Killing Your Voice
“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.” – Stephen King Of
Simply put, the dramatic question is your story’s theme framed as a question. “Can the truth set you free?” “Can...
The term “kindlepreneur” is a combination of “Kindle” and “entrepreneur,” describing a self-published author who approaches their writing and book...
What is reverse outlining? While many writers outline before they write a single scene, others follow a “pantser” method where...
Whether you’re brainstorming your first story or publishing your ninth book, there comes a point when all writers wonder the...
A cliffhanger is not a trick, but a promise. As a storyteller, you want to grab your reader’s attention and...
Theme ideas aren’t something tacked on to the end of a story. They are central to the narrative, and woven...
Coming of age is never easy. You might have been the popular kid in school, armed with academic excellence, physical...
Occasionally, tucked somewhere between an introduction, epigraph, and dedication, a book might have a prologue. This is the story before...
Magical realism invites the impossible into the ordinary. This genre asks us to accept the fantastical without question. The supernatural...
A powerful way to shift the perspective of your audience is to employ dramatic irony. This literary device lets the...
The first time you experienced the magic of storytelling, odds are it was a personal story you heard in first...
Motifs are one of the best literary devices you can have in your writer’s toolbox. Essentially, a motif is a...

“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.” – Stephen King Of

Stories become richer when they wink at the world beyond their pages, and that’s exactly what an allusion does. By dropping hints

Rhetorical choices shape not just what we say, but how we make people feel and think. Every speech, story, or written argument

Motifs are one of the best literary devices you can have in your writer’s toolbox. Essentially, a motif is a recurring element

An allegory is like taking a step back in an art gallery to analyze a painting in its entirety. Characters become like

Coming of age is never easy. You might have been the popular kid in school, armed with academic excellence, physical prowess, and

Before a story begins, you can include an epigraph to signal your protagonist’s dilemma, the tone, and even foreshadow the ending with

In the modern world where the town square is a digital place and the zeitgeist is a worldwide phenomenon, we don’t practice

Literary devices are the various techniques writers employ to create stylistic effects, convey deeper meaning, evoke emotion, and enhance the overall impact

Flashbacks are one of the most powerful tools you can use to reveal the deeper layers of a character’s life. They allow

Foreshadowing is a key element in creating a satisfying conclusion to a story. This is the craft of planting quiet promises in

A powerful way to shift the perspective of your audience is to employ dramatic irony. This literary device lets the audience see

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

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

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

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

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

Personification is a literary device so commonplace that it shows up everywhere in our language. The dictionary definition of personification is “to
“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.” – Stephen...
Stories become richer when they wink at the world beyond their pages, and that’s exactly what an allusion does. By...
Rhetorical choices shape not just what we say, but how we make people feel and think. Every speech, story, or...
Motifs are one of the best literary devices you can have in your writer’s toolbox. Essentially, a motif is a...
An allegory is like taking a step back in an art gallery to analyze a painting in its entirety. Characters...
Coming of age is never easy. You might have been the popular kid in school, armed with academic excellence, physical...
Before a story begins, you can include an epigraph to signal your protagonist’s dilemma, the tone, and even foreshadow the...
In the modern world where the town square is a digital place and the zeitgeist is a worldwide phenomenon, we...
Literary devices are the various techniques writers employ to create stylistic effects, convey deeper meaning, evoke emotion, and enhance the...
Flashbacks are one of the most powerful tools you can use to reveal the deeper layers of a character’s life....
Foreshadowing is a key element in creating a satisfying conclusion to a story. This is the craft of planting quiet...
A powerful way to shift the perspective of your audience is to employ dramatic irony. This literary device lets the...
Situational irony is something we’ve all experienced: an unexpected outcome or an outcome that’s the opposite of the intention. We...
The idea of a Muse, inspiration, spirit, or genius, is present in any civilization in which great literature exists. When...
Verbal irony is a wonderful rhetorical device you can use to sharpen your character’s tongues and refine their wit. In...
Just when you thought a story was done, sometimes there’s still room for an epilogue. Stories often end with a...
Are all endings inevitably set by their beginnings, or do things occur at random? This question is, in part, answered...
Personification is a literary device so commonplace that it shows up everywhere in our language. The dictionary definition of personification...