Improve Your Writing

One writer asserts that Scrooge’s arc isn't that of becoming a new person, but confronting his core wound and rediscovering his true self.

Thriller writers don’t always need a plot to get the creative juices flowing—they need a trigger, a simple idea that creates unease.

Nonfiction authors can adopt some of the tricks novelists use to make readers care deeply about the topic and want to keep turning the pages.

Writers bear a responsibility to represent diverse voices authentically rather than falling into the trap of stereotype or caricature.

If the natural world is important to your story, be sure to engage it on a deeper level than descriptions of pretty scenery.

The finest memoirs are distilled experiences: the more you compress, the more potent your story becomes.

In a world changing at breakneck speed, how do you prevent a researched nonfiction book from being outdated by the time it is published?

Studying the structural choices in classic literature is one of the best ways to understand how story architecture fuels emotional impact.

When writing mystery or thriller, you earn your ending by properly laying the groundwork so that readers don’t feel cheated by plot twists.

Writing in a non-native tongue—exophony—means letting go of certain habits and navigating cultural aspects without compromising one’s truth.

The best way to support your book, especially in the nonfiction world, may be sharing your ideas freely long before the book appears in print.

Remembering author and editor Susan DeFreitas, whose life was cut short by cancer.

Different forms of communication—letters, voicemails, social posts—can enrich your memoir, so long as they help tap into something universal.

One writer reflects on the importance of original reference material when a digitized version might be missing critical context.

Backstory in memoir works like a traffic light—stopping too often stalls your journey. Learn which past events truly serve your narrative.

Ensuring your stories are imbued with meaning can be a huge task. Luckily, three magic words will help you strengthen your story’s trajectory.

Writing characters with disabilities doesn’t have to be difficult. It only requires a little work to understand how things look from the character’s position.

When the revision process meanders off-course, leaving a project stranded, here are some tips for regaining momentum.

To keep readers engaged, build each scene toward a breaking point then reveal something new about the characters, their world, or the plot.

If you’ve amassed a heap of assorted essays, flash pieces, chapters, and ideas, here’s a step-by-step guide to shaping them into a book.

In story as in art, what’s hinted at in the shadows can add intriguing layers of depth and interest.

One author successfully pitched her memoir based on its thematic point, but shaping it into a satisfying narrative arc was much tricker.

One writer found herself chained to an idea that just wasn’t working, and needed fresh perspective from a colleague in order to break free.

Protagonist, antagonist, rising and falling action, arc of change, emotion—all must be developed in a picture book, and in under 500 words.

Triumphs are most compelling when the hero has to fight for them, so even quiet stories need plenty of obstacles, challenges, and uncertainties.