Guest Post

What every creator should know before signing a contract—protect your work, your time, and your well-being.

The author of The Pink Marine discusses his publishing path, writing for books versus screen, what development execs look for, and more.

An AuDHD writer considers where her mind’s fragmentary and circular style of expression fits in a paradigm of linear storytelling.

Knitting and writing both teach us that mistakes can be instructive. Every dropped stitch, every tangled subplot is an invitation to learn.

One writer suggests that the antidote to ‘AI Slop’ is to bring our endlessly eccentric selves, resulting in idiosyncratic, unique outputs.

In storytelling, voice can refer to three different elements: character voice, narrative voice, and author voice—and they can often overlap.

While many 19th century novels have fallen by the wayside, Austen’s continual appeal may be understood in the way she built her plots.

Most of us feel unskilled at marketing, but real resistance to it might reveal an emotional pattern that protects us when visibility feels risky.

It’s hard to execute book publicity perfectly the first time around, but there’s a lot you can do to give your project the best shot at visibility.

Food is a powerful storytelling element that can help develop characters, and a great tool for putting ‘show, don’t tell’ into practice.

If the manuscript you once felt passionate about has fallen silent, here’s why this may be happening and how to gently find your way back.

A freelance writer who’s curious about becoming an anthology editor interviews those with experience to learn the ins and outs of the job.

A writer wishing to bear witness and breathe new life into her family’s stories compares how three authors blended memoir with fiction.

Whether you choose a real or fictional location, the more detail and depth you can infuse into your setting, the better you’ll draw readers into your story.

The more clearly you develop and articulate antagonism in your story, the more your protagonist’s struggle and victory will shine.

While many memoirs’ stories are personal, others are social or political—and the best succeed by making readers feel what the author felt.

After writing a viral post—about a topic she’s disinclined to dwell on—an author reflects on the worth of chasing that virality again.

In terms of reaching new readers, literary citizenship might prove to be a better investment than any money paid to an online marketing guru.

The stories we carry from our families may seem ordinary, but fictionalizing them can honor our roots and keep them alive for future generations.

Even with no book to promote, one author finds that writing a monthly newsletter nourishes her life and craft in surprising ways.

After attending a convention in order to connect with readers, one author examines what went well and what she’ll do differently next time.

Next time you find yourself with a stack of not-quite-right books, instead of trashing them ask: What story can I still tell with these?

Books might be marketed as fiction, but it’s the truth and possibility thereof that intrigues us and offers understanding and connection.

A hazard of writing for young readers is the temptation to craft stories with a lesson, when more richness might result from finding your theme.

You might spend half a year promoting a new book, but promoting yourself in order to build an audience is equally important work—that begins now.