By Jean Alfieri Whether your book launched hot and sales have since waned, or it’s been a steady eddy that could use a boost, there are many fun and easy ways to engage and expand your audience. Whether you are an author in one or multiple genres, there is nothing […]
Yearly Archives: 2026
35 posts
For this week’s Throw Back Tuesday, we’re revisiting one of our standout articles from the archives. If you want to survive conference—and make the most of every moment—this piece is full of wisdom you’ll be grateful for. Not attending this year? It’s never too early to start preparing for the […]
by Trista Herring Baughman Since I was young—probably around third grade—I knew I wanted to write children’s stories. I aspired to have a book on Reading Rainbow with LeVar Burton. I wanted to entertain and inspire others to read, plus, who wouldn’t want a job that was easy and fun? […]
![[Photo by Jonathan Borba https://unsplash.com/@jonathanborba on Unsplash www.unsplash.com] <ALT TEXT: PHOTO OF WOMAN DOING CRUNCHES [Photo by Aalo Lens https://unsplash.com/@aalolens on Unsplash www.unsplash.com] TEXT: PHOTO OF YOUNG MAN LIFTING A HAND WEIGHT](https://i0.wp.com/pikespeakwriters.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Copy-of-Making-Time-for-Writing.png?fit=570%2C298&ssl=1)
By Kelley J. P. Lindberg A lot of non-writers assume writers are born with the fully formed, innate ability to evoke atmosphere from a few well-chosen details, depict a character’s growth arc without unnecessary tangents, and craft a taut, suspenseful scene with words that perfectly capture all the characters’ motivations, […]
More happy news for Pam McCutcheon! She is happy to announce that she and Michael Waite have received the rights back to their writing brainstorming book, THE WRITER’S BRAINSTORMING TOOLKIT: THINKING IN NEW DIRECTIONS, and retitled it slightly to reflect the fact that cards no longer come with the kit—you […]
by Deborah L. Brewer Your story’s been drafted, organized, focused, read by other eyes, and then polished. You love it! You want to start sending it out and racking up rejections on the road to that big yes, but you’re worried that it might not be “enough”—even for a no. […]
Editor’s Note: Red herrings are one of the most powerful and most misunderstood tools in a writer’s toolbox. This classic article from our archives breaks down why misleading readers isn’t about trickery or cheap twists, but about understanding expectations and using them with intention. If you’ve ever struggled with fitting […]
Yay for this great news! Pam McCutcheon is happy to announce that, after getting her rights back, she has updated her book for writers, WRITING THE FICTION SYNOPSIS, and has republished this third edition in ebook and trade paperback format (Parker Hayden Publisher, January 2026 ABOUT THE BOOK: Master the […]
By Sam Knight The “narrative voice” is the way the story is presented. There are many ways to present a story. Sometimes a story, or part of a story, is presented as a series of letters, newspaper articles, diaries, clips of audio recordings, or some other similar presentation of data. […]
by Benjamin X. Wretlind You’ve probably heard the term “writing coach” tossed around in author circles, usually alongside editors, beta readers, and critique partners. The confusion is understandable. These roles often overlap in conversation, but in practice, they serve very different purposes. An editor focuses on the manuscript itself. A […]