Every time I hear about a writer finishing a book, I want to jump up and down and go into a gospel choir of Hallelujahs! It’s a momentous accomplishment for two reasons. 1. Finishing your book is the most important thing any writer will ever accomplish. 2. Not many writers do it. Seriously. Depending on the source you […]
April 24, 2016 by 62 Comments Writer's HelpDo You Have a Writing Superpower? (And Why You Shouldn’t)
There’s a refrain I often hear in popular writing advice–and I hate it. Basically, it runs like this: All writers are naturally better at one part of writing over another. It’s kind of like having a very unbalanced writing superpower. On the surface, this idea is as true as it gets. We all have our […]
July 17, 2015 by 36 Comments Writer's Help5 Writing Lessons I Learned Ghostwriting for New York Times Bestsellers
I’m a bestselling author you’ve never heard of, an invisible man. While ghostwriting, I’ve collaborated with New York Times bestsellers, concepting and writing stories that have reached audiences worldwide and topped sales charts. It’s been a unique gig, and some of my friends don’t understand why anyone would work in the shadows. But in a culture where […]
June 28, 2015 by 48 Comments Writer's Help3 Ways to Make Writing Your Novel Easier
Writing is hard. If you’re a writer, you don’t need me to tell you that. In the unlikely event that you’re not a writer, then all you have to do to be convinced that writing is hard is to take a quick sampling of writer humor: it’s pretty much all self-deprecating, masochistic, laugh-so-you-don’t-cry stuff. Yeah, you know what […]
June 5, 2015 by 32 Comments Writer's Help3 Ways Doctor Who Can Help You Become a Fantastic Writer
BBC’s Doctor Who began broadcasting over fifty years ago, and after a few years off the air, it has been rebooted to a new generation and is more popular than ever. Personally, I love the show. And as a writer I am always impressed with the writing–well developed stories and excellent characters. I know a lot of […]
March 18, 2015 by 34 Comments Writer's Help3 Myths Holding You Back From Your Best Writing
The odds are, if you publish your best writing, you want people to read your work. Seems like a reasonable assumption. I mean, if we don’t care if anyone’s reading our work, then we should stick to personal journals hidden under our pillows. You can hide your work if you want to, and if you […]
February 20, 2015 by 43 Comments Writer's Help3 Tips on How Not to Stink at Writing
Do you write as a hobby? Do you never have worries about how not to stink at writing? Do you belly up to the keyboard just to dip into your brain’s well of dopamine and enjoy the warm fuzzy buzz of creating something you can later read? You have zero ambitions for publication? You’ve burnt […]
December 19, 2014 by 24 Comments Writer's HelpWriting for Young Adults: How to Create Exceptional Literature
“I wrote a few children’s books…not on purpose.”–Steven Wright. It can feel that way sometimes, when I am writing for young adults. Finding the right voice which speaks to both (Young Adult) YA and adult audiences can prove maddeningly elusive. But conscious effort to understand your chosen genre and audience, and to speak to them […]
December 12, 2014 by 27 Comments Writer's HelpThe Secret to Writing a Protagonist Who’s Both Unique and Universal
All creative writers must strike that terrible balance between the needs of the characters and the needs of the plot. It’s a wretched ping-pong game sometimes, and we can feel as if one will win over the other. But deep down we know it shouldn’t be that way. The elements of character and plot are not in […]
November 12, 2014 by 29 Comments Writer's HelpThe Hilarious 2-Step Plan for Writing Humor in Fiction
This week’s video talks about the successful premise of comedy in any book—and the two crucial steps to writing humor in your story. Video Transcript: Somebody once said the key to writing humor is realizing comedy is just tragedy turned on its head. In fiction, the success or failure of this technique largely comes down […]
