The beauty of using sentence and word counts is that these patterns become visible. Instead of relying on vague feelings like “this section feels slow,” you can point to concrete data: “I have twelve consecutive sentences over twenty words in what should be my most intense scene.”
But here’s the thing I’ve learned since then, both as a reader and a writer: endings are ridiculously hard to get right. Your final pages carry enormous weight—they’re what readers remember, what they talk about, what makes them either slam your book shut in satisfaction or immediately start hunting for the sequel.
The magic happens when you stop thinking about writing for an age group and start thinking about writing to real people who just happen to be that age. Kids aren’t small adults, teenagers aren’t dramatic kids, and adults aren’t just older teenagers. Each group has its own wisdom, its own way of seeing the world, and its own stories that need telling.
The best villains aren’t just obstacles to overcome—they’re complex characters who challenge our protagonists in meaningful ways, force growth, and sometimes even make us question our own moral compass. Let me walk you through the essential elements that separate forgettable bad guys from truly compelling antagonists!
In this post, we’ll walk you through the essentials of devotional writing across different styles—from traditional Bible-based devotionals to spiritually-inspired and personal-themed reflections. This balanced approach will help you decide the style that fits your voice and audience, and give you practical tools to create devotionals that truly resonate!
Kiss scenes come in many shapes and sizes, and what resonates most depends on your story’s tone, the characters involved, and the emotions at play. Whether it’s tender, fiery, awkward, or transformative, the best kiss scenes fit naturally within your narrative and deepen the connection between your characters!
Let’s explore essential techniques to help you build dystopian worlds that feel vivid and believable, create characters readers care deeply about, and weave themes that provoke thought long after the final page. By the end of this post, you’ll have a solid foundation to write dystopian fiction that not only entertains but also leaves a lasting impact!
There’s something about true crime that grips the imagination. Maybe it’s the high-stakes mystery, the dark window into human behavior, or the relentless pursuit of justice… Whatever the draw, learning how to write true crime is not for the faint of heart! It demands accuracy, empathy, persistence, and, above all, a deep respect for the real lives behind every story.
The 1-3-1 Rule offers guidance at every stage of the writing journey, from crafting your initial draft to navigating the publishing landscape. Understanding how to apply this framework effectively can transform a scattered collection of ideas into a cohesive, purposeful narrative that resonates with readers!
Most writing advice focuses on familiar models like three-act structure or the hero’s journey, but structure is far more than just a plot template. The right structure acts as a bridge between your story and your reader’s emotions. It can transform a simple tale into an immersive experience that resonates long after the final page.
Space opera isn’t just science fiction with lasers. It’s a genre all its own—defined as much by tone and scope as setting. While the science can be soft, the stakes are rarely anything less than galactic.
These seven elements—character, plot, setting, point of view, theme, style, and structure—form the bones of any solid narrative. Whether you’re outlining your first draft or deep into revisions, understanding how these components work together can help you craft a more compelling, cohesive, and publishable story.
Finding your way into writing—whether it’s the first project or the fiftieth—can feel strangely difficult. Sometimes the hardest part isn’t the writing itself, but the getting started. What helps most is having a few steady tools, a bit of structure, and a mindset that keeps the pressure low while the momentum builds. With the right approach, that overwhelming blank page can start to look a lot more inviting!
While memoir, middle grade, and YA may not be the most popular genres to write in today, they offer a wealth of opportunity for authors who are willing to take on the challenge. These genres are ripe for fresh voices, authentic stories, and new perspectives that resonate with readers in meaningful ways.
There’s something powerful about putting emotions into words. When we write stories or poetry, we aren’t just expressing feelings—we’re transforming them. Whether creating a character who struggles like we do or crafting a metaphor that captures something too difficult to say outright, writing helps us work through emotions that might otherwise stay bottled up.
A writing retreat is a dedicated period of time and space set aside specifically for writing. During a retreat, you can focus entirely on your creative projects without the usual interruptions from everyday life. This focused time can lead to increased productivity, enhanced creativity, and a deeper connection to your writing.
At its core, a story bible serves one purpose: to keep your story consistent. It’s where you track character descriptions, relationships, settings, world-building rules, plot timelines, and more. Whether you’re writing a standalone novel, a trilogy, or an entire fictional universe, your story bible becomes the anchor that holds everything together!
Obsession in literature refers to a character’s persistent and intrusive focus on a particular person, idea, or goal—often at the expense of their well-being, relationships, or even sanity. This intense preoccupation can drive plots forward, create compelling conflicts, and offer deep psychological insight into characters.
Meta writing allows us to layer depth into our narratives and encourage readers to think critically about the text. It draws attention to the fact that a story is, in fact, a construct. Done well, it invites readers to engage with the text in new, profound ways. In this post, we’ll explore how to incorporate meta writing into your work and maintain balance so that your self-awareness enhances the experience, rather than detracting from it!
As a writer, it’s essential to have a distinct author voice. It’s what sets you apart from other writers and makes your work unique. Your author voice is your personality and your style that comes through your writing. It’s not just what you say, but how you say it that matters. Developing your author voice can be challenging, but it’s a critical skill to master. Read on to explore the importance of author voice and how to find and develop your unique writing style.
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© Atmosphere Press, all rights reserved 2024.
7107 Foxtree Cove, Austin, TX 78750
© Atmosphere Press, all rights reserved 2024.
7107 Foxtree Cove, Austin, TX 78750
