How to use setting in your fiction writing
Location is everything, as the saying goes. But is this true in your novel? On our most recent First Draft Friday, we invited bestselling author Maria Luis onto the set to talk about how to use setting in your novel. Maria has a colorful history. Before becoming a novelist, she wrote scripts for tour companies […]
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Self-editing tips from a bestselling author
On the lastest First Draft Friday, we brought in bestselling romance author Penny Reid to share the to-do list that she moves through when performing a self-edit of her manuscript.
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What goes into a good cozy mystery novel
What makes a great mystery novel? Three bestselling authors gather in our latest First Draft Friday to discuss what you need to include or exclude from any cozy mystery novel.
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How to create a coherent crime series
A crime fiction author offers writing tips for creating coherent series that have both commercial potential and creative freedom.
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How many acts should your novel have?
Given the limitations of the three-act structure, here are the benefits of using a four-act structure in your novel writing.
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Show don’t tell: The first rule of writing
The axiom “show, don’t tell” is so basic, you probably heard it from your sixth grade English teacher. However, “There’s too much telling rather than showing” is the number one comment I make when rejecting manuscripts.
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Skeleton drafts: A better way to outline novels
Skeleton drafting is the technique you can use to plot intricate, action-packed, emotionally-charged books quickly – while enjoying every word you write as a fiction author.
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Why write fiction under a pen name?
There are many reasons for authors to use a pen name. Authors Ethan Cross and Lou Aronica discuss the pros and cons.
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Digital Book World hosts coming-out party for our A.I.
At Digital Book World 2020, Authors A.I. president Alessandra Torre discusses how artificial intelligence can help authors with their fiction writing.
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Virtuous villains and flawed heroes
Andy Maslen and Alessandra Torre discuss how to create complex characters for your novel. How to create characters your readers will love (or love to hate) Conflict is at the heart of all great fiction. Without conflict there is no story. “The cat sat on the mat is not the beginning of a story,” thriller […]
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How I learned to stop worrying and love A.I.
The story of how I got past my initial reluctance to use AI to improve my writing When I first heard about Marlowe, the fiction-savvy artificial intelligence from Authors A.I., I experienced two strongly conflicting emotions. Emotion one: An AI can read my entire novel in 15 minutes and tell me what’s good/bad about it? […]
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Using new methods to steer your story
Two veteran fiction authors share their method of writing characters and developing scenes through the use of a four-step approach to character decision-making.
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