The following story was the winning submission of our May 2021 Open Mic contest, written by Rachael Siehs. We loved her voice, the story was well-written, and it had a plot twist at the end that was unforgettable! Great job, Rachael! STAIRS IN THE WOODS Trina’s missing posters fluttered in the wind against the trees and light posts they were attached to. They used her school picture, wanting something recent...

For any author who has received a publishing contract, you know you’re signing away a lot of rights. For some, that might be a good thing. You’re too busy with your life to be bothered with a lot of the details and just want to see your books in bookstores. Or, you’re an author wrapped up in the idea of “validation” that the gatekeepers of publishing accepted your work. Neither...

Hi there, Scribbler! If you’re a querying writer looking for different ways to connect with literary agents, you may be interested in Twitter pitch contests. What are Twitter pitch contests, what are the benefits and when do they occur? Find all the answers in this article. What are Twitter pitch contests? Twitter pitch contests are an avenue for unpublished writers to virtually pitch agents their completed manuscript(s), vie for coveted...

Unless you’re a celebrity author whose books sell by the millions, you’re probably like most writers who struggle to fit writing in around an existing career while balancing family, household chores, or other necessary responsibilities. In the last six years, I’ve moved five times across three states, had three children, and like everyone else, been in a year-long quarantine during which I’ve coached my oldest through virtual kindergarten and headed...

The ability to describe is the key to great storytelling, but when it comes to depicting characters, our first impulse is often to go straight to the basics (height, hair color, clothing) and leave it at that. It’s not that those descriptions are bad, it’s just that they provide surface-level characterization rather than truly characterizing. Dwight Swain, in his book Creating Characters, says, “When your wife says a woman is ‘loud and...

On January 30, 2021, I took the plunge and pitched live to a literary agent for the first time! It was a huge rush and I’m so glad I did it. For about a year, I’ve been thinking about going to writing conferences and pitching an agent, but a few things stopped me: Money: Most of the writing conferences I looked at were a few hundred dollars, not including travel. Time:...

Most people might assume that once they become a parent, there is no time for writing. And if they manage to find some spare time, they are too exhausted to make any headway on a draft. I used to think the same thing. However, I have surprisingly made the most progress in my writing after becoming a mother.  This might sound crazy to some. I am a mother of the most determined...

Imagine this, you’re sitting in your favorite writing space, frantically scribbling on the page until you finally see it, the words you’ve been waiting to see you since you began writing: “The End.” Reaching the end of a manuscript can be a thrilling, cathartic experience, but for many, it invokes new anxieties. In this article we’ll be addressing these concerns. We’ll discuss our best tips on how to edit your...