This year, for the first time since graduating from college, I took a substantial amount of time off from writing. I don’t just mean a week or two after finishing a round of revisions. I don’t mean a month where I gently tinkered with side-projects. I mean a full-blown 4 months where I wrote ZERO… Continue reading 5 Tips for Rebuilding a Writing Habit
In A World… is a series of posts about world building, where our contributors share strategies and tips for creating well-rounded worlds. Usually, when we talk about world building in fantasy, we’re thinking about building one specific culture and how your characters move around within and interact with that culture. Today (and on Tuesday), I… Continue reading In A World…: Writing Cultural Outsiders Part 1
There’s a TV show on Syfy called Face Off, in which a dozen makeup artists (of various skill levels) are challenged to make new creations every single week. One by one, the artists are eliminated by three judges until there’s a winner. While watching a recent episode, I was hit with some hard truths about… Continue reading What I Learned About Revising From Face Off
Act I is the foundation and first impression of your story. It defines everything that comes after in terms of character, tone, and pace. Its how you convince your reader that they’re in capable hands. I could ramble about how I adore beginnings and the Act I formula and playing with pacing and structure, but… Continue reading On Plot: How to Nail Your Act I
“Hey Meg, what’s your favorite part of writing a book? Is it when you get to make things magically explode?” “That’s fun, but hmm… I don’t think that’s my favorite.” “Is it when characters look longingly at one another?” “OH! That’s great. Have you read my best friend Sabaa Tahir’s book AN EMBER IN THE… Continue reading “Hey you! Yes you!”: Writing Dialogue
In A World… is a series of posts about world building, where our contributors share strategies and tips for creating well-rounded worlds. If you write speculative fiction, you have probably heard the advice before to treat your world like a character. This advice is definitely spot on and is a key to creating vivid, dynamic settings… Continue reading In A World…: Writing A World Like A Character
Sometimes, you finish a giant revision and you think to yourself. “Finally, I’ve made it through Mordor and now I will throw this damned ring into the fires of Mount Doom!” Your finger hovers over the “send” button, you stare that beast in the eyes, the one that you thought you loved but that really… Continue reading Before querying & sub: cutting word count, filler words, & line-edits
