writing craft


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 […]


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 […]


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 […]


Seven Steps to a Solid Second Draft 2

YOU’VE FINISHED the first draft of your book, and you feel great — for about five minutes. You know your next step is to revise, but the task seems overwhelming. You’ve spent months, maybe years, writing those chapters, those pages, those carefully crafted scenes. And you’re supposed to . . […]


Writing Memoir: The Perils of Research 4

YOU ARE WRITING YOUR MEMOIR. Memories are the basis of memoir, and we all know how fallible memories are. Naturally, you want your memoir to be as truthful as possible, so you set out to research the truth. You choose your methods: Interviewing family members and friends. Going to the […]


Discover Your Memoir’s Underlying Themes 15

MEMOIRS ARE DRIVEN BY THEME. When you begin writing your memoir, it’s because you want to tell a story about a particular aspect of your life. It could be the discovery of a family secret, going through the loss of a loved one, overcoming an abusive childhood or addiction, or […]


Annual Reader Survey and About Those Adverbs 3

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR, when I begin planning articles and content for the following year! Please take 3 minutes to complete the following survey and help me provide the most relevant and helpful content for you in 2018. As a thank you for your time and thoughtful feedback, when […]