You’ve spent hours building the perfect world for your characters to move through. It’s got every imaginative element you’ve ever wanted, and it’s got the rules and the structure it needs to remain believable in all its fantasy and magic. But now you’re up against another challenge: How do you introduce the audience to your world without overwhelming them with exposition?
Read moreWhat Happened?
It’s the question you should ask yourself about every scene in your novel, and as with so many things in writing (and life), it’s not quite as simple as it sounds.
Read moreBook Review: They Both Die at the End
In an alternate present-day New York City, Mateo and Rufus both receive the same call from Death-Cast in the early morning hours, letting them know they’ll be dead by midnight. The two teens have never met, but when they connect on the Last Friend app, they set out to help each other pack the experiences of a lifetime into one last day and form a deep bond that soon goes beyond friendship.
Read moreBook Review: Don't Mess with Coleman Stoops
Don’t Mess With Coleman Stoops is the perfect middle-grade novel for anyone who needs a little boost as they head back to school this fall.
Read moreWriter's Block: Over, Around, and Through
Writer’s block is among the most frustrating obstacles writers face. Even more frustrating, however, is the advice we can find online to push through it. It’s all about taking walks, finding a new environment, getting some exercise, or calling old friends. Basically, distracting yourself and hoping lightning will strike when you least expect it.
Read moreBook Review: The Library of Fates
Aditi Khorana’s second novel, The Library of Fates, is a lovely coming-of-age story rooted in Indian folklore and infused with romance.
Read moreBook Review: The Art of Starving
Like Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why (and more so the recent Netflix adaptation), The Art of Starving teeters on the edge of romanticizing tragedy.
Read moreBook Review: Once and for All
Sarah Dessen is back, and my teenage heart is in love all over again.
Read moreBook Review: The Duke of Bannerman Prep
A modern reimagining of The Great Gatsby
Read moreScheduling Downtime is the Most Important Thing a Writer Can Do
Any time I'm helping a client race to meet an ominous deadline, the piece of the writing process I fight hardest to protect is downtime.
Read more