Guest Post

A developmental editor is like any tool in your toolbox. Knowing whether and when to use one will help you get the most bang for your buck.

Self-publishing offers so many paths and options that it can seem intimidating. One debut novelist shares her journey, with valuable tips.

Identifying comparable titles helps agents and publishers understand where your book fits in the market and who your most likely readers are.

This post explains four critical types of book editing, why you need an editor, how to choose one, and what your editor can and cannot do.

There are a lot of publicists out there. How can you pick the right one? This is a crucial decision, so it needs to be approached with care.

Writing coach and author Angela Ackerman discusses techniques for identifying and connecting with your target reading audience.

Brooke McIntyre of Inked Voices explains what to look for in a critique group and how to find the best writing critique group for you.

It’s easy to become nihilistic and pessimistic when thinking about the arts and AI. To recover your optimism, return to the simple idea of play.

When a traditionally-published author made the switch to self-publishing, she found that success reveals itself in months, not days.

When building a character, roles can be efficient shorthand—hard-boiled detective, dutiful nurse—but the best characterizations require going deeper.

Potential readers can step inside your book’s world via brief, text-based, choose-your-own-adventure-style stories made with online tools.

If your story requires characters whose motivations don’t come naturally to you, here are some tips to help you imagine the impossible.

A good story, like a good hiking path, simply unfolds without seeming forced. Here's a tool that helps keep complex stories on track.

An avid male reader of romantasy speaks up about his love for the genre, and what it can teach men about themselves and their relationships.

Both show and tell are essential tools for powerful storytelling. The trick is balancing their use at the line, scene, and story level.

If you’re an author thinking about wearable merch for a book launch or tour, here are some considerations to help the process go smoothly.

Even successful writers fall prey to self-doubt. Here are a few ways to strengthen yourself if and when you hear that voice in your head.

Fear can limit our ability to apply reason and logic, leading to flawed choices and behavior—bad in real life, but story gold in fiction.

Omniscient POV might be resurging, thanks to some recent bestsellers. To use it well, remember three C’s: clarity, consistency, and control.

Transitioning away too often—to a flashback or a new scene—risks losing the depth of storytelling that readers get from living inside a scene.

One memoir coach sees writers rush ahead into chapters and character detail before understanding: Why am I writing this exact story right now?

"Noticing what you notice" helps you identify your authentic material and produce work no one can ever copy.

A repeated word, phrase, motif, symbol, or image can create tension for your readers in small, barely noticeable increments.

Before trying to structure a memoir, you must understand how you’ve changed and what that process looked like—which can be hard to pinpoint.

Most characters have a challenge to overcome, but what about more serious physical or psychological issues that can’t be “cured” or ignored?