Archive for the ‘Tips for Beginners’ Category

Plotting Asleep

by Luna Corbden

I’ve heard that insomnia is a common problem among writers. At least, it is for me.

I also frequently get stuck on “what happens next?” in my stories, which leads to me staring at the blank page, which leads to me opening Twitter, after which my writing session is shot. I might get stuck on that problem for weeks and weeks, my mind completely unwilling to focus on solving it when there’s nothing but a boring white page in my visual range.

What if there was a way to (partially) solve both problems at once?

Telling Stories to Fix a Problem Telling Stories

by Clay Johnson

I’ve never been good at outlining before I write. If I know where the story is going, then the fun part is already done, and the writing becomes a chore. But this new thing, where I tell her a chapter, then think on it, smooth out the edges, and write it down, forced me into a mid-range style of outlining that really works for me.

What to Write When You’re Not Writing

by Gargi Mehra

Writing when you’re in full flow is like living a dream. Who doesn’t love that feeling when the words spill out faster than you can type them? If you’re old school, the scratch of the pen as it flies over the pages struggles to keep pace with your thoughts.

The reverse scenario keeps writers awake at night.

The Egregious Practice of Charging Reading Fees

by John Walters

I am a hybrid author, which means that I self-publish books and also publish short stories in traditional venues. Last night I was engaged in what I call marketing. Several of my stories had come back unsold from magazines and anthologies, and rather than having them sit around, I wanted to send them back out to other possible markets.

Forming Practice from Passion

By Michael Michel

Regardless of where you end up on the journey known as being a writer, my guess is you want to enjoy the experience. Here’s my recommendation: focus more on the crafter than the craft. As the crafter, you are the instrument through which creativity flows and stories are shared with the world. If you want to be successful, start writing the story you’d love for yourself, first.

The Post Novel Blues

by Paul Jessup

It seems to happen every single time I work on something larger than a novella. The minute I finish it, it seems like all of my creativity for fiction dries up.