Yes, we’ve told you what slush readers hate (Confessions of a Slush Monkey); we’ve even told you what we consider some of the finer points of writing (Letter from the [...]
Improving Your Writing: Content
He Said; She Said: Comments on Dialogue in Fiction
What makes a writer effective in writing fictional dialogue? Why is it that some authors can make a conversation come alive while others cannot seem to avoid a stilted, unrealistic cast to every exchange of characters?
Writing Erotica
Thinking about becoming a professional erotica writer? Novelist Mathilde Madden explains the ups and downs of being an erotica author and offers tips for writers new to the genre.
Common Grammar Problems for Non-Native English Speakers
An ESL teacher with more than 20 years experience provides a list of the most common grammar mistakes for non-native English speakers, and concise explanations of how to fix them.
World Building
Authors of speculative fiction consistently set their stories in worlds which have never existed. This article will help inexperienced authors understand the sorts of questions that are raised by changes in technology, history, religion, magic, and other aspects of society, and will serve as a checklist or brainstorming tool for more experienced world builders.
Achieving Freshness in Fantasy
In the crowded bookshelves of genre fantasy, originality sometimes feels utterly lost. Hordes of The Lord of the Rings clones march forward, orclike, overrunning bestseller lists with extruded fantasy series [...]
Writer’s Block
It can be said there are two kinds of writers – those who have had writer’s block, and those who fear it. Is it a disease? Can it be “cured”? [...]
How to Edit a Story (In a Way that is Helpful to the Author)
Editors are, in essence, critics. People instinctively hate critics. After all, it’s our job to tell authors when they’re wrong, and nobody wants to be wrong. This is made especially [...]
Saving Mary Sue
When writing fiction, one of the challenges is to create interesting characters whom readers want to read about. A well-written character is as important as any other element of [...]
Uncle Orson’s Writing Class
Uncle Orson’s Writing Class – Orson Scott Card has some unusual political and religious beliefs, but his views on writing are at the very least well-considered. Agree or disagree, each [...]
MZB’s Literary Works Trust
Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust The late great Ms. Bradley’s advice and works continue here; her articles are intelligent, humorous, and exceptionally useful (indexed on the lower left side [...]
Holly Lisle
Holly Lisle Official Author Home Page Although it’s not exactly the easiest site to navigate, it can’t be faulted for information – the author goes out of her way to [...]
Romance Writer’s Handbook
The Romance Writer’s Handbook is a no-nonsense guide to getting your Romance novel written and published.
SFWA Writing Articles
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. has dozens of articles on how to improve your writing and how to sell it, many written by well-known authors. This site [...]
Word Painting
Word Painting, subtitled “a guide to writing more descriptively,” is foremost a book about how to use your senses and translate them to the page – an area of weakness [...]