Sitemap - 2024 - Real talk about traditional publishing.

A final critique before the new year (and an update!)

The trick to writing a short synopsis for a novel

How to choose a POV for your novel

Building tension scene by scene

A quick guide to dialogue tags.

Finding the right pace in scenes with lots of dialogue.

"I mostly write YA, but my latest is MG—should I query it?"

Watch your tone. (In your book, that is.)

Getting to know the other characters in your scene.

4 Alternatives to Outlining a Novel

World-building matters, no matter the genre.

Your first chapter should be a strip tease.

The case for writing your novel FAST.

"Do form rejections from agents means something is wrong with my book?"

When BIG book deals fizzle in-house

Moody motel owners, middle grade melodrama, and memoir summaries...

Do publishers REALLY want authors on BookTok?

Is hiring a book publicist worth it?

How big of an advance will a publisher give your book?

The importance of transitions and weaving in exposition

Foreshadowing and scary villains in middle grade

What should a query for a memoir include?

Writing kid (character) dialogue

How to plot your novel on one page

How long (or short) should a chapter be?

What does the "inciting incident" look like?

Is the plot of your novel TOO simple?

In which I write about not writing...

A brief pause

So do editors hate prologues, or what?

Help me write a serial (please).

The "rules" on comp titles and debut word counts

I'm breaking out of this time loop...

Let's talk about literary agents stealing ideas.

Revising your novel? Make a book map first.

How to pitch a multi-POV novel

Six reasons your plot isn't working

Does upmarket fantasy exist?

This is why you don't want to write that scene.

Will the real shady lit agents please stand up?

"Why can't I write like THAT?"

Packing themes and plot into a pitch.

This is the magic formula for pitching your book.

Can a "good" agent be at a "bad" agency?

Should authors respond to reviews of their books?

What's the secret to GREAT opening pages?

"Should I rewrite this book...or trash it?"

My books sold almost half a million copies. Publishers don't want the next one.

Hey, internet. I'd like my brain back, please.

Why does an author's brand matter more than her book?