It may seem like a challenge to write characters wrong. We're all human after all, right? However, I think there are quite a few traps...

"Character development is the craft of giving a character a personality, depth, and motivations that propel them through a story."

I think this is one of those basic questions that has a really complex answer. Possibly because every writer you ask is going to have a...

So you have an idea, should it become a book?

TW: depression, anxiety, PTSD, intrusive thoughts, self-harm. This isn't a post I thought I'd be sharing. At least not any time soon. I'm...

It's tough out here. I think every author knows that. We essentially have two options once a manuscript is complete. 1) Make the query...

I love openings. I love that feeling of turning the page and being immediately dunked into a new world and new characters. Those first...

Pacing is key when writing a book. You want to ensure that whatever you're writing about, the story is able to keep readers hooked and...

I've seen a trend recently--specifically in YA, but also in the larger media scape--of justified villains. That is to say, villains that...

I sent out my first queries this week. Honestly, I thought that it would feel different. I thought that I would have a rush of...

Why are there some books that just grab us? We can sit down, throw open the first page, and instantly be drawn in to new worlds that feel...

I think something that is unique to the arts industry is the need to have a thick skin. Rarely (actually it probably hasn't happened)...

Pretty sure there were a bunch of things told at me when I revealed I was writing my first book. Don't get me wrong, I love advice (hence...

Every genre has tropes. They seem to be especially prevalent in YA Fantasy (and consequently either loved or hated), but you can find...

I finished writing the first draft of another book this week (Manuscript 5). I didn't expect to, it just flew onto the page and now it...

I'm pretty sure everyone has heard the phrase, "Inspiration comes from everywhere." And no matter how many times it's thought, spoken,...

There will always be days when writing comes as a struggle. Sometimes we sit down at the computer--or with a notebook--all excited to get...

Many of my writer friends were found through Adrienne Young and Kristyn Dwyer's hashtag: #findmywritingcommunity on Instagram. When I say...

I am not an expert by any means. However, as I am beginning to prepare myself for the world of querying and traditional publishing, I...

We talk a lot about how every scene in a book should be moving the plot forward. This is one of those helpful-ambiguous statements that...