My favorite part of writing is creating conflict. Well, my true favorite part of writing is angst but really good angst stems from really good conflict. So what is conflict exactly? Conflict is basically what keeps a character from getting something that they want. Without it, the character would just go on living their life… Continue reading Thoughts on Creating Conflict
We’re so excited to have Sarena Nanua and Sasha Nanua for this week’s Author Spotlight to celebrate Asian (American) Pacific Islander Heritage Month! I put *American* because Sarena and Sasha are Canadian and this month is for celebrating all API diaspora writers! SISTERS OF THE SNAKE is out on June 15th and you can find… Continue reading AAPIHM Spotlight: Sarena and Sasha Nanua
As a mostly pantser who desperately wanted to be a plotter, outlines have long been my nemesis. I was so envious of people who would just know a whole story upfront without going through the trouble of writing the whole thing wrong multiple times. But after nearly 5 years of warring with outlines, I finally… Continue reading Outlines Are Lighthouses, Not Destinations
Beginnings are hard because there are so many elements to introduce. You have to consider character dynamics, point of view, pacing, world building, voice, narrative flow–and it’s incredibly hard to figure out how to balance all those aspects in a cohesive, clear, and engaging manner. While there’s no easy formula to crafting the perfect beginning,… Continue reading 3 Questions To Ask Yourself For A Stronger First Chapter
We’ve written about pacing before and specifically pacing with multiple POV books, but today we wanted to talk about something a little different though it goes in hand with pacing: tension. This post is cowritten with Ashley Burdin. What is tension anyway? There’s an interview between Francois Truffaut and Alfred Hitchcock that we love where… Continue reading Building Tension in Stories
I know my first drafts are messy. As hard as it can be to accept, I know that no matter how much time I spend brainstorming or outlining, until I have that draft written, I don’t fully know how the story is going to turn out or how to fix it. But writing that first… Continue reading Writing A First Draft After Revising Forever
I’m so excited to have Mai K. Nguyen join us on the blog today! Mai’s an awesome writer, illustrator, and fun fact: one of my childhood besties! Her debut graphic novel PILU OF THE WOODS released last April from Oni Press, and I’m so thrilled to be chatting with her today! Hi Mai!! I’m a… Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Mai K. Nguyen
We are often asked how we cultivated and maintain such a “large” critique group. When we started out, most of us didn’t have agents or book deals. As the years have gone on, many of us have moved on to different stages in our publishing careers. But given that we all have very different experiences… Continue reading Tips to maintain a totally rad writer group (& how to set boundaries)
Through our Pub Life posts, Writer’s Block Party will be hosting guests and contributors who talk about their jobs within the publishing industry. There are many more career paths in publishing than a lot of people realize, and we’re so excited to spotlight a few of them for you guys! Today, we’re super excited to… Continue reading Pub Life #6: Publicity
My favorite part of starting a new project is getting to write new characters. Usually I go in already knowing what POV (or POVs, since most books I write have multiple) the book will be told from. But recently, as I started to brainstorm a new idea, I realized I was trying to choose between… Continue reading Picking The Right POV
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