Nonfiction 101: How to Preach Without Being Preachy
Nobody likes preachy writing. But what, exactly, makes writing preachy? Is it possible to inspire readers to change their minds and actions without being preachy?
Writing Outside the Block
This week’s post is a mess–but that’s kind of the point. Breaking your writer’s block doesn’t have to look pretty.
Should an Unpublished Author Start a Newsletter?
Why do publishers and agents expect unpublished authors to have a newsletter with hundreds of subscribers? What’s the point of a newsletter for an author who doesn’t have a contract yet?
How to Navigate Critique Group Challenges
What challenges can writing critique groups experience, and how should a member respond?
What to Look for in a Critique Group
Whether you’re joining a group or starting your own, it’s important to know what you’re looking for. Online? In person? A range of veterans to novices, or a group of peers? Once a week? Once a month?
In this article, we’ll ask the questions every critique group must ask—and give you the tools you need to answer them.
Critique Groups vs. Editors: Do You Need Both?
Why would you need an editor if you have a critique group? And why would you need a critique group if you have an editor?
9 Reasons to Join a Critique Group
What if you could have a whole group of people meet regularly to analyze your manuscript, for free? Sound too good to be true? It isn’t. It’s called a critique group.
What If I’m a Bad Writer?
“The night was dark.”
Yes, that was a real opening line. And the author had no clue how bad it was.
Is there hope for bad writers? Or is writing simply a matter of talent?
Don’t Write for Yourself
If you are writing for yourself, it doesn’t matter if you had three typos on page 43, or that chapter four is a bit redundant, or that your protagonist doesn’t make a strong first impression. None of that matters. What matters was the experience you had while writing it. But as soon as you start querying agents or put an e-book up on Amazon, everything changes.
As soon as that happens, you’re no longer writing for yourself.