Giving Constructive Writing Feedback

Photo by Ann H on Pexels.com If you belong to a writer’s group or know other writers, odds are that they will ask you to give feedback. Constructive feedback shouldn’t leave the writer feeling dejected and ready to give up, but inspired and motivated to make their manuscript better. Here are some tips on how …

Utilizing Beta Readers

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com Whether you’re polishing up that NaNoWriMo manuscript or have a New Year’s resolution to get that work in progress to press, you need reliable feedback. Beta Readers are a great way to discover what the average reader’s response will be to your book and to find out if there is …

Writing Prompts–75 Ideas to Get the Creativity Flowing

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Sometimes writers get stuck. It happens to all of us. One way to get over a slump is to use a writing prompt. A writing prompt is a topic that provides a starting point for writing ideas. It gets the creativity flowing, helps you practice the craft of writing, and …

How to Write a Back-Cover Blurb

Photo by Monstera on Pexels.com The back-cover blurb has many names: book blurb, blurb, flap copy, back-cover copy, jacket copy, and book description. Whatever the name, the blurb has one major purpose, to sell your book. It is a marketing tool designed to produce sales and is the first thing a potential buyer will read …

A Guide To Children’s Book Categories

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com So, you have an idea for a children’s book. But where to start? Navigating the world of children’s books can be confusing, and it can be difficult to pinpoint how your idea will fit in to that world. Before you begin to write, you need to choose a category. Children’s …

75 Character Interview Questions

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com All great stories have one thing in common–memorable, realistic, well-rounded characters. Dynamic characters draw the reader into the story and entice them to become emotionally involved. The need to know what is going to happen next with those characters keeps the reader turning the pages. To create characters that …

Why Your Book Needs A Logline

“What is your story about?” This inevitable question can send authors either into a stammering stupor or a ridiculously long-winded explanation of the intertwined subplots and fantastic twists of your novel. Either way, without a succinct answer, you’ve lost your audience and maybe even a sale. There’s a simple solution to this situation. The logline. …

10 Tips for Receiving Critique With Resilience

Photo by geralt Having fellow writers and professionals read and critique your work is a necessary step on the way to publication, but hearing all that is wrong with the words you poured your heart and soul into can feel stressful and disheartening. It doesn’t have to be this way. When you embrace the critique …

5 Types of Supporting Characters

Photo by Arifur Rahman on Unsplash You’ve nailed down your main character and constructed a worthy adversary and now need to flesh out the cast and people your book. You need more characters. Well-developed supporting characters help to create a more rounded protagonist and reinforce the story between the protagonist and the antagonist. Supporting characters …

Plotting in 5 Acts

(or How to Get Your Readers to Binge-Read Your Story) It’s the end of the day and you’re curled up on the couch (stretchy pants on) binge-watching a show. Just before the break your favourite character gets shot (or fired, or kissed)!  You need to watch just a little bit more. Before you know it, …