Still life.  A painting term for something captured in time.  Frozen, unmoving, maybe even perfect.  Looks pretty.  Gets a little borin...

Writing a book is hard work.  So it helps to get help--anything that has worked before.  What makes a story satisfying?  What keeps us r...

Writers who take on a book learn that it is always connected to their lives, some way, somehow.  Even if the story is about another pl...

My April 2 dialogue workshop is almost sold out, so I wanted to give those of you who are coming (and anyone who can't come) a jump s...

This spring, two major writing conferences happen.  One is the annual AWP (Associated Writing Programs) conference in Minneapolis on Apri...

Imagine a publisher sitting in front your manuscript.  By some wild luck, and your hard work, it has arrived in his or her hands.  Now i...

We were taught in school a three-part structuring tool:  Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what...

This two-part post discusses the two phases of book building.  If you missed part 1, just scroll down. How do you know you are in th...

Writers who have published books know that there are two phases in the book-writing journey. They cycle back and forth during the time y...

Michelle from New Zealand watched my video  on story structure and sent some questions about how to begin a story.   Although Michelle ...