Adapted from Freewrite’s article: The Science Behind Freewriting.  Read all the way to the end for a special offer for Scribbler fans! As writers, we often face the significant challenge of battling perfectionism and staying productive. Scribbler and Freewrite believe in the power of the messy first draft to unleash creativity, and here's why: 1. Ditching Perfectionism Perfectionism can stifle your creative process. The truth is that allowing yourself to write...

Crafting a realistic character is tough. It may be one of the toughest parts of writing. If you’re anything like most writers, you discover as much about your characters by writing the story as your readers do by reading it. However, even if you’re not one who typically outlines a book ahead of time, knowing what your characters want, what their weaknesses are, and what they need from the very...

Social media isn’t a new fad in marketing. Gone are the days when having a platform was optional for authors. Today, it’s an absolute necessity, whether self-published or traditionally published. In fact, having an established social media presence is now a crucial factor when it comes to securing representation or publishing deals. But where to even begin? With so many platforms to choose from and endless ways to use them,...

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 Beth Revis. 1. “Pantser” or “Plotter?” A mix! I start with a chart that I designed myself over years of practice that hits the major plot beats. Sometimes I add...

One way you can up your writing game is to challenge yourself to look for and eliminate the vast majority of “practical action” sentences in your prose. I’m referring to those functional movements your characters make to accomplish basic tasks. Things like coming downstairs in the morning or walking across the kitchen. The underlined sentence below is an example: Ethan left the party at straight up ten o’clock and bolted...

I’ve never been less inclined to share my credentials, given the subject of this article, but I do believe it to be necessary at the outset, so here we go.  I am an actor who’s been pressing at the walls of the entertainment industry, trying to find a door, a window, a crack–anything–for almost twenty years. I am a writer who started writing her first novel in 2009 and finished...

Whenever someone asks what I “do” for a living, it always takes me a second to reply. Do I roll with the simple “I’m a stay-at-home-mom” line? I mean it’s true, I do watch my daughter full time while my husband works and I wouldn’t trade that privilege for the world (tantrums, messes, and all). But being a SAHM isn’t the full story. The truth is, I’m also a writer,...

One of the prizes for February’s contest was the winner’s submission posted on our blog. We’re so excited to share Brenda Morrell‘s winning piece! It was full of heart, love, sadness, and beyond relatable. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Jennie knew two things. Tonight was the night, and nothing mattered after. Her youngest daughters were already there to help to make every detail perfect for her...