Tips on gradually raising the stakes in your story

Posted on 10/04/2022 at 10:03 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

On one hand, as we enjoy beautiful autumn weather in the Midwest, the sight of the word "snowball" makes us...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: C.S. Lakin / Live Write Thrive, Plot / narrative, Writing advice

Ask yourself these questions as you write romantic scenes

Posted on 10/03/2022 at 02:31 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Your novel doesn't have to be a romance in order for it to have an adults-only scene. But when it...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Romance, Writer's Digest, Writing advice

From Joanna Penn: How to write — and how to not write

Posted on 10/03/2022 at 12:23 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Joanna Penn is back in action, after some time spent away from the publishing world. On her blog, she has...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: ALLi (Alliance of Independent Authors), Joanna Penn, Motivational, Writing advice

Writing about hard things? Here are 5 tips to help you

Posted on 10/02/2022 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Truth can be stranger than fiction — and it can be scarier, too. Most likely, if you're considering writing a...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: C.S. Lakin / Live Write Thrive, Memoir, Writing advice

A psychologist's approach to developing believable characters

Posted on 09/30/2022 at 09:43 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Another doctor has arrived at Writer's Digest to share advice with authors. This time, it's psychologist (and author) Rebecca Alexander,...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Writer's Digest, Writing advice

5 ways to generate or develop a story idea

Posted on 09/29/2022 at 01:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Sometimes inspiration strikes — and other times, it needs a little bit of a game plan. When the latter case...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Writer's block / writing prompts, Writing advice

A doctor-turned-novelist's advice on writing medical thrillers

Posted on 09/28/2022 at 01:10 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

You can probably guess one of the most important tasks for a writer undertaking a medical thriller — to be...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Thriller, Writer's Digest, Writing advice

Tips for choosing what your character notices in a scene

Posted on 09/28/2022 at 09:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

You know not to create a laundry list of what's in a given space in your novel. But on the...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: C.S. Lakin / Live Write Thrive, Setting, Writing advice

7 ways your setting can save your novel's draft

Posted on 09/27/2022 at 10:45 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Location, location, location isn't just commentary on real estate prices. It's also something to consider in your fiction, particularly if...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Setting, Writing advice

How and why to add beats to your novel's dialogue

Posted on 09/26/2022 at 01:28 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Most writing advice on dialogue centers, understandably, on what's being said. Author and educator Audrey Wick has some tips that...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Dialogue, Writer's Digest, Writing advice