Craft and process tips for authors: April 23, 2026

The publishing experts we follow have plenty of craft and process advice to offer. 

Here are the ones that we thought were can't-miss for our authors:

• Writing rituals: Kristin Hacken South recently shook up the writing ritual that she had been relying on, to get herself into the seat, and is curious to hear about the various setups her fellow writers have used for motivation (Writer Unboxed).

• Writing big flat characters in fiction: Not all characters have to be — or should be — fully fleshed out and rounded; author Bonnie Friedman explains why that is and how these flat characters power your plot (Writer's Digest).

• Multimedia middle-grade novels that captivate readers: Author Laurie Morrison shares six tips for writing a book in this format, which isn't right for every single story (Writer's Digest).

• Writing slow-burn suspense in a fast-content world: Author Michael Cowan lists some of the techniques he uses to build momentum without relying on shock (Writer's Digest).

• Creating microtension through setting description: C.S. Lakin's guest post provides several examples of the kinds of details that put your reader on edge without you having to hit them over the head with foreshadowing (Writers Helping Writers).