What makes a relationship compelling? We'll look at why Shadow and Bone fails to create a compelling relationship, and how you can do better!

When writing sex scenes, relying on metaphors is distracting at best and cringey at worst. Let's talk about sex scenes and anatomy!

It’s the season of love (or blanket burritos, or both), so I’m continuing my romance tropes series with the obvious sequel to my enemies...

Were you taught "Show, don't tell" as a golden rule of writing? It's time to break it, and Guy Gavriel Kay is here to show us why.

Self-editing is scary, but using developmental editing techniques can help! Let's talk about story maps and how to make them work for you!

Ah, romance tropes. Where would we be without you?  Romance novels are built on established and well-loved tropes. Other genres, of...

Characters, like us, have goals that drive and motivate them. What are your characters' internal and external goals? What are yours?

If a story just isn't working, when do you choose to let go and set it aside? Jack Wong joins me this week to provide an author's viewpoint on letting a story go.

Choosing the correct point of view for your story changes how your readers receive your words. Which point of view is right for you?

It's important to make monsters and villains scary for the right reasons. Let's look at racism and ableism in fantasy and how to avoid them.

Villains are an important part of fantasy writing. Let's look at what makes a convincing villain—and why some villains fall flat.

Many writers and readers view romance novels as less legitimate than other genres. But romance holds an important place in the literary canon, and is so much fun!

When writing about characters from different backgrounds or cultures, should you include accents and dialects in your writing? Let's discuss!

Think about the last time you read a book and a non-English word was set in italics. How did that change your reading experience? Was the...

A few weeks ago, my partner and I watched Captain Fantastic , the quirky Vigo Mortensen movie about a man living in the woods with his...

The opening sentence to Pride and Prejudice is our first impression to the book. What are the first impressions we give in our own writing?

Ambiguous pronouns leave sentences muddled and confusing. Today we explore ambiguous pronouns and how to keep your writing clear!

Characterization is strongest when we consider tone, word choice, and even sentence structure. Take a lesson from the master: Jane Austen!

Young writers are often told, "Show, don't tell!" However, effective description is a mix of techniques. It's time to let "show, don't tell" go.

The purpose of speech tags is just to tell the reader who is speaking at a given moment. Use "said" or "asked" to avoid distracting your reader.