How your novel's bad guy can also be the good guy

Posted on 04/16/2021 at 09:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Most of the advice we’ve shared in regards to writing about criminals has assumed that the criminal is the villain....

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Mystery, Thriller, Writer Unboxed

Find out what your characters regret

Posted on 04/14/2021 at 01:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Knowing your character’s desires and motivations is key to helping you choose their actions throughout the novel. But, as writer...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Writer Unboxed

Quick tips on novel midsections, inciting incidents, and imagery

Posted on 04/12/2021 at 03:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

The April 2021 edition of Desmond’s Drops went up on Writer Unboxed over the weekend. Desmond Hall's first two tips...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Writer Unboxed

One author's lessons from binge-watching

Posted on 04/10/2021 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

2020 was certainly a year that challenged us to find the silver linings, if at all possible. And author Deanna...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Writer Unboxed, Writing advice

Why your protagonist should be an actor

Posted on 04/08/2021 at 09:14 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

If the first few (or more) pages of your novel are dedicated to your protagonist’s memories and thoughts, Kathryn Craft...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Plot / narrative, Writer Unboxed

How to ensure your character's moment of change feels powerful

Posted on 04/06/2021 at 09:48 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

We’re over a year out from the moments when we realized that the COVID-19 epidemic was going to dramatically change...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Writer Unboxed, Writing advice

Quick advice on character flaws and scene setup

Posted on 04/03/2021 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

We share quite a few posts and podcasts on our author newswire. But if those formats aren’t your favorite for...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Writer Unboxed

Use this checklist to decide if your novel is ready for publication

Posted on 03/29/2021 at 02:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Some writers may be itching to shove their books out of the proverbial nests, while others are afraid of letting...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Editing, Writer Unboxed

Writing lessons from years of interviewing authors

Posted on 03/24/2021 at 10:29 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Diana Giovinazzo has spent the past five years interviewing authors on a podcast called Wine, Women and Words — and...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Writer Unboxed, Writing advice

Sneak in details about your characters by choosing what they notice

Posted on 03/19/2021 at 03:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

The details you notice in an unfamiliar setting (boy, those seem like distant memories, don’t they?) are likely to be...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Writer Unboxed, Writing advice