The Key to Creating Great Characters Among the great strokes of good fortune — and there were many junctures where I could have gone awry — was the decision to write about, via fiction, my small marina family at Tarpon Bay, Sanibel Island, Florida, where I was a fishing guide from 1974 to 1987. This […]
Category Archives: Writing Tips
Top Ten Tips On How NOT To Become a Mystery Writer…
Top Ten Tips On How NOT To Become a Mystery Writer… Are you a mystery lover with a yen to write your own novel but unsure how or where to start? Do you have a great character or winning plot in mind but just can’t get past an opening chapter or two? Rest easy: banishing […]
10 Tips from the Paris Review’s “Art of Fiction”
10 Tips from the Paris Review’s “Art of Fiction” When I was in my early twenties, I had the privilege of watching one of the greatest writers of our time, Ron Rash, do what he did best: work. Ron was always methodical, everything set just so. A glass of tea here, maybe a photograph there, […]
The Rules of Being a Professional Writer
There are only two real rules to being a professional writer, and the rest of what I can offer are tips: things that work for me and may work for you. The real rules are simple. First, you must read. Second, you must write. Everyone who knows the alphabet thinks they can write, but reading […]
Top 6 Reasons to Beware of Top 10 Writing Tips
Top 6 Reasons to Beware of Top 10 Writing Tips Write Like Me. Idealism generates a lot of writing advice, self-promotion even more. The idealist sincerely believes that she has discovered some (or all!) of the secrets of good writing and wants to impart these to others, to save them time and frustration and […]
Emelie Schepp’s Recipe to Write The Perfect Thriller…
Emelie Schepp’s Recipe to Write The Perfect Thriller… (Swedish author Emelie Schepp took some time out of her busy schedule to give speak to us about writing, rejection, and most importantly the key ingredients to pen a successful thriller. And speaking of thrillers, Marked for Revenge will be released this month by Mira Books.) TSM: […]
The VERY Fine Line Between Fiction and Reality…
The VERY Fine Line Between Fiction and Reality… I’ve been obsessed with true-crime books since I read Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi as a twelve-year-old. (For the one person out there who doesn’t know, the book is about the 1969 Charles Manson murders.) I grew up in the suburbs of Denver and it was […]
Tips on professional behavior for the writer
Tips on professional behavior for the writer It’s a good time of year to stick to those resolutions you made. I find that toward the end of the year, some of my best behavior gets sloppy. So here’s a reminder of how to present yourself as a professional author in all your dealings: 1) Courtesy. […]
5 Things That Writers Can Learn from Stephen King
5 Things That Writers Can Learn from Stephen King I remember the first time I read Carrie, the debut novel from Stephen King. I was younger than I probably should have been, found the nights darker and longer because of it but was also completely enthralled by each word. It was one of the first […]
Top 10 Writing Tips: Clare Mackintosh
Top 10 Writing Tips: Clare Mackintosh Find your premise. The best novels can be distilled into a single sentence, and finding the heart of your story is the best way to stay on track while you’re writing. Try explaining the book to someone else; the extra objectivity can make this exercise easier. Once […]
7 Ways to Use Passion to Power Your Writing
7 Ways to Use Passion to Power Your Writing Need inspiration? Tap into what makes you happy! The old adage to “write what you know” is only partly true. I’ve also found that to be a successful author and enjoy the process, you need to write what you love. Not only does it make writing […]
Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s Ten Writing Tips
Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s Ten Writing Tips Doug’s top five: Writing is like exercise or learning a musical instrument: you have to engage in it every single day, seven days a week, for at least an hour. If you want to play Chopin in Carnegie Hall, you’ll have to practice hard for […]