Writing Tips


Tactics success strategy concept

5 Unusual Tactics That Have Really Improved My Writing 4

Guest post by Desiree Villena. FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR, I’ve been journaling every day. I don’t always use the time in the same way; sometimes I’ll vent my feelings, plan my goals, or mindlessly philosophize (incredibly embarrassing to read back), other times I’ll structure my day or plan […]


How to Transform Exposition and Summary into Scene 2

YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD the mantra, “Show don’t tell,” a million and one times, and though exposition and summary play important roles in memoir and should not be excluded entirely, a book that is all summary and no scene is a yawner at best. Imagine going to the theater to watch […]


How Critique Can Help You Become a Better Writer 2

Definition of Critique — noun: a critical estimate or discussion. Examples: a critique of the poet’s work • an honest critique of her art. — Merriam Webster Dictionary Analysis, evaluation, assessment, appraisal, appreciation, criticism, review, study, commentary, exposition, exegesis. — Apple Online Dictionary IF YOU’RE A WRITER, soon or later […]


Writing Craft: How to Control Your Story’s Pace 2

WHAT IS “PACE,” and why should writers care about it? According to the dictionary, pace is “the speed or rate at which something happens, changes, or develops.” In writing, pace refers to the speed or rate at which the story is told and the readers are pulled through its events. […]


4 Essential Ingredients in Every Powerful Story 7

FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD, stories are an integral part of our lives — and for good reason. It is through stories that we learn about life, the culture we live in and its mores and expectations. Stories contain lessons and offer archetypes as role models, helping us to learn what is […]


When to Use Summary to Move Your Story Along 4

IF SCENE IS THE BUILDING BLOCK of story, summary is the glue that links and holds scenes together. To understand how scene and summary work together, it’s important to understand the difference between the two methods.   A brief definition of scene. Scene always takes place in a specific place […]


10 Tips for Strengthening Your Unique Writing Voice 7

“I write only because There is a voice within me That will not be still”  ― Sylvia Plath MUCH HAS BEEN WRITTEN about how to “find” your writing voice — I have written and taught classes on this topic myself — but maybe it would be more accurate to say that […]


What Can We Learn About Storytelling from Blockbuster TV Series? 5

WHAT IS STORYTELLING? It is the art of sharing narratives (stories) through, writing or theater, including oral storytelling. Stories help us interpret and share experiences. They are a universal and timeless form of communication, bridging age, culture, and religion. Everything we know and understand — including our memories — is […]


Can Technology Make You a Better Writer? 7

A few years back, at a meeting of my local writing club, a man came up to me and said, “I don’t believe you have to know all that grammar crap to be a writer. That’s what editors are for, right?” He grinned at me, expecting me to agree with […]