One of the biggest decisions you’ll make when writing a novel is where to begin. Of course your story really begins well before page one, with all the events that made your world what it is and with all the experiences that made your characters who they are. But when we’re talking about page one, we need to pinpoint where our written story, our plot, is going to begin. You’ll often...

Welcome to Scribbler’s author spotlight series — an interview with our subscription box‘s monthly author! Each month, we’ll interview the author of our featured book to help you learn a little more about them and their writing process. This month’s spotlight was Amy Andrews. 1. “Pantser” or “Plotter?” Little bit of A, little bit of B. There are things I know when I start a book because it’s usually been ruminating for...

As a freelance editor and a mother of four kids, I have learned that basic research skills are a must, both in writing and in life. Children, like writers and editors, are curious creatures. We all wonder about things that have little to do with our everyday lives. So we do research. Sometimes we fall down the rabbit hole and don’t come out for hours.  As writers, use this curiosity...

I’m getting tired of reading posts from so-called “aging” writers who are racing furiously against the tick-tocks of their inner clocks. I’ve had it with their self-imposed timelines based solely on the calendar, the number of birthday candles on their cakes. My favorite is the 29-year-old debut author who celebrates publishing her first novel before her 30th birthday—just in time! As an author approaching 70, I celebrate writers, agents, publishers,...

We’ve all been there. The days, weeks, and months crawl (or fly!) by but you’re unable to put pen to paper—or fingers to keys. Your book(s) languish away, calling softly for you to return. Even if you want to, you just don’t have the energy. I get it. And you’re no less of a writer for feeling that way. Recently, I pulled myself out of a pretty deep writing slump....

If you’re anything like me, and I know a lot of writers are, it can be a challenge to find engaging writing communities. I think the biggest reason for this is because many of us are introverts. We may be introverts who enjoy spending time with people or introverts who prefer to spend every possible moment alone; but if you’re an introvert, too, I bet one thing we have in...

We know dialogue makes for good storytelling, and we know that getting two people talking can make a scene interesting. But, of course, dialogue isn’t interesting just because it exists. The possible things your characters could say at any moment need to be curated and carefully shaped by you. That shaping means you are going to want every bit of dialogue to be directed toward your story purposes. Therefore, if...

Why do you like the writing you like? I think many writers’ work becomes popular because their writing touches readers on an emotional level. Whether writing makes you laugh or cry, whether you give the novel a place of honor on your bookshelf or throw it against the wall, it makes you feel something.  One of my favorite writers, Lin-Manuel Miranda, has been asked in several interviews how he writes such deeply...