Last year at around this time, I entered a unique writing contest hosted by D.L. Hammons. It’s called WRiTE CLUB, and requires participants to submit 500-word pieces under a pen name. These submissions were screened by a panel of judges, and the top 32 chosen for sixteen head-to-head bouts. Victory was determined by votes, left […]
Articles on Writing Craft
Welcome, author! Here you'll find articles on the craft of writing, including plotting, character development, world building, and establishing voice.
Going Viral: My First Fiction Sale
I wrote my first short story almost eight years ago, when I took my first creative writing course under Bob Earleywine at WashU. On the bright side, I met some fantastic aspiring writers and we learned how to give and receive critique. On the not-so-bright side, I learned that writing fiction is hard — no matter how […]
When NaNoWriMo Gets Hard
It’s my sixth year participating in . Every year there’s more at stake in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I’ve had five consecutive victories, and I don’t want the winning streak to end. As I write this, it’s the morning of November 16th. This is the all-important halfway point of NaNoWriMo. Just over two weeks in. This is […]
5 Keys to Writing a Realistic Story
Today I have a guest post from my #PitchWars alternate, Amy Cavenaugh. Her manuscript A SCARRED MIND is one of the best thrillers I’ve read. Here’s the pitch: Reluctant psychic Jake never wanted attention brought to his real identity. But visions of a new client’s brutal murder force him to divulge his secret to the police. […]
Archon 38 Convention Highlights
This weekend I went to Archon 38, a fan-run science fiction / fantasy convention held annually near St. Louis, Missouri (hence the name). It’s my first con appearance, so I thought I’d share my impressions. Science / Writer Panels The organizers were kind enough to put me on a few panels, which got me into […]
