If you want to write a novel that hooks a reader’s interest, then you had better write an engaging first chapter. But how exactly do you do that? Since I’ve already provided resources on how to write a solid set of opening pages, and the big mistakes to avoid when writing your opening pages, I t...

In today's post, I'm covering the obligatory scenes of the crime genre. If you want to write an intriguing crime story that works—and that satisfies fans of the genre—then you need to nail these six key scenes in your novel. I’m also going to show you how these key scenes manifest in the movie K...

If you want to write a novel that hooks a reader’s interest, then you had better write an engaging first chapter. But how exactly do you do that? Since I’ve already provided resources on how to write a solid set of opening pages, and the big mistakes to avoid when writing your opening pages, I t...

If you want to write a novel that hooks a reader’s interest, then you had better write an engaging first chapter. But how exactly do you do that? Since I’ve already provided resources on how to write a solid set of opening pages, and the big mistakes to avoid when writing your opening pages, I t...

Writing an effective query letter is something that many writers struggle with. It can be a super nerve-wracking task even though most queries are only one page long. But if you've ever written a query letter yourself, you know it's not always the easiest or most straightforward thing! I work wi...

In today's post, I'm going to walk you through the ten action genre conventions. So, these are the character roles, settings, and events that need to be present in an action story in order for it to work and to satisfy fans of the genre.  I’m also going to show you how these action genre convent...

Do you want to write the kind of story that readers can't put down?  In this post, I'm sharing five reasons why readers might stop reading a novel, and then how to avoid making some of these mistakes in your own draft. Let's dig in!   5 Reasons Readers Might Stop Reading Reason #1: Nothing ...

Every book needs editing. And if we’re being honest, editing your own work is nearly impossible. But don’t worry, this is where professional book editors come in! Working with a good editor can help you take your book from good to great. And not only that, but a good editor can also help you imp...

Last week, I got an email from a writer that said, "I really want to make a career out of writing fiction, but to do so, I know I can't spend two years working on the same novel. Do you have any advice for how I can finish a novel faster while still maintaining its quality?" And I love this ques...

How do you know if the idea you have is strong enough to support a full-length novel? Is there a way to know the difference between a good idea and one that's better left in your idea folder?  If so, can you do this before spending all that time writing the first draft? The answer is YES! For...

It's almost time to ring in the new year, so to celebrate, I thought it would be fun to continue with last week’s theme of lessons learned over the last year.  So, as we inch our way closer to counting down until the ball drops, I wanted to count down some of the best clips from the Fiction Writ...

In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about writing unforgettable supporting characters. And I’m excited about this episode because supporting characters don’t always get the attention they deserve. But they’re often one of the best parts of stories. And if we want to immerse readers in a ...