Category: Craft

The Rights Stuff

Breaking Down the Complicated Lingo of Image Licensing Note: The information provided here is not legal advice and should not be taken as such. It is meant for general education purposes only. Furthermore, these definitions are always subject to change; be sure to do your research and consult legal professionals if you have specific questions. […]

Modern Love: Why Contemporary Romance Remains the Leading Subgenre

Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy gets girl back. This simple formula for writing a romance is timeless, but Contemporary Romance puts a modern spin on these stories that makes them relevant for today’s readers. Contemporary Romance reflects the issues, themes, problems, values, relationships, and lifestyle choices readers deal with in their own lives […]

Why We Need Disabled Stories (And How to Write Them)

Megan Linski-Fox As an individual with a rare chronic disease, I’ve centered my career in writing stories about disabled characters. Disabled people are everywhere, and they deserve to have their stories told—and not just those about their conditions.  It’s not enough to make a story inclusive. Stories featuring disabled characters need to be just as […]

5 Tips for Adding Diversity to Your Manuscript Draft

Writing about topics that do not belong to your culture can be tricky. In today’s society, writers venturing into those areas are sometimes worried about being accused of cultural appropriation or the use of topics from other cultures for gain or profit or in a way that reinforces stereotypes. Even more so, we’re taught as […]

A True ‘Slice of Life’ Story: How to Make Memoirs that Mean Something

In his essay titled “The Narrative Idea,” David Halberstam has a simple piece of advice for writers who want to succeed at their craft: “The idea is vital.” His words, published in 2007 in the book Telling True Stories, were directed toward narrative journalists, but they apply to some extent across every genre, whether fiction […]

Walking the Wire

Adding Tension to Your Stories Kasia Lasinska Tension is not just reserved for Thrillers—it spans across all genres. In Romance, there’s sexual tension (just kiss already!); in Dystopia, there’s the ever-present threat that one wrong move could draw the attention of the government; in Horror, we have things that go bump in the night (which […]

Novel Structures That Work: Scene and Sequel

Bre Lockhart Be honest. Did you read the title of this article and think, “No formal structures! Rules are meant to be broken!” Good. Now let’s discuss why even the most anti-structure advocates among us might see some light at the end of this constricting tunnel. But using a formal structure is the death of […]

The Biggest Snowy Snafus You Might Be Making In Your Novel

For those in the Northern Hemisphere, Jack Frost has settled in once again. And just like many uninvited holiday visitors tend to do this time of year, he’s probably going to overstay his welcome. Thankfully, winter weather can be the perfect excuse to put the kettle on, cozy up by the fire, and immerse yourself […]

Delving into Story

Writing for Middle Grade Middle Grade, an age-based story category, exists across multiple genres. Whether fiction or nonfiction, fantastic or realistic, historical or contemporary, these stories are generally written with ages 8-12 in mind, although they may also appeal to teens and adults who enjoy short, uncluttered, fast-paced stories focused on young protagonists. This category […]