Storytelling should evoke an emotional response in the person experiencing it. That doesn’t matter whether it’s a movie, a stage play, or a novel. If you can’t get your readers to invest in your characters, there won’t be an emotional connection. And without that emotional connection, you don’t ...
Creating Emotional Connection for Your Characters: 5 Effective Techniques
Writing Rules Aren’t Commandments (They’re Tools)
Writing “rules” are tools meant to help writers tell the best story possible. They aren’t commandments written on stone by the writing gods. They aren’t even a checklist that you need to follow to a tee. Instead, they should be viewed as tools that writers—especially new writers—can use to write ...
Break Your Writer’s Block With These 10 Exercises
Writer’s block is something every writer has to deal with eventually. The good news is that you don’t have to wait around for inspiration to strike. Sometimes all you need is the right exercise to get the creative juices flowing again. Here are ten writing exercises that have helped me get words ...
Brandon Sanderson’s Real Superpower (It’s Not His Magic Systems)
Critics complain about Brandon Sanderson’s prose. They groan at his massive novels. Some even say he’s overhyped and overrated. But in my opinion, his true superpower completely overshadows all of those criticisms. Brandon Sanderson’s superpower isn’t his worldbuilding, and it isn’t his ...
Why Criticism Is Painful For Writers (And How to Use It to Get Better)
Every writer will eventually face criticism. Whether it’s a novel you’ve spent years writing or a YouTube video you published yesterday, the moment you put your work into the world, someone will have an opinion about it. Some criticism will be thoughtful. Some will be harsh. Some people will ...