By Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites I encountered many avoidable mistakes as a submissions reader and junior literary agent. Some of these blunders I made in the past, like sending one email to twenty agents. This is frowned upon in the literary world or misspelling a name. I would be remiss if…

By A.C. Williams by @acw_author What have you got left to learn about writing? Depending on how you answer that question, this article may infuriate you. Fair warning. One of the most extraordinary (and not in a good way) aspects of working as an editor and book coach is how…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Establishing a character’s goal is a writer’s quest to discover what motivates the story player into action. The goal originates in personality, culture, worldview, and past experiences. That might seem intimidating for the writer, but a definition of external and internal goals clears a path for…

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea Glass half full. Glass half empty. Doesn’t really matter so much to me. As long as mine is the full half. And also the glass should be a mug. Large. And also it should have coffee in it. And also both halves should be full. And it…

by Blythe Daniel @BlytheDaniel Have you ever been tempted in social situations when someone asks, “What do you do”? to answer all the things you do in a given day? I would say (to help me think through what I do each day!): feed my family breakfast, help get water…

By Aaron Gansky @ADGansky If you’ve followed my blog much, you’ll know how much importance I put on the first line. Just as important, and just as tricky, is the final line. If I could make one observation from my years as a literary editor, I’d say that the best…