Here's what you need for a strong novel submission package that'll stand out to agents and publishers.

Writing a novel series? Here are some valuable tips on planning and executing your series, as well as how to pitch it to publishers.

Writing productivity is especially relevant this time of year, when we’re thinking about how to squeeze the very most out of our days. For many writers, the festive season is when we’re juggling day jobs, family, holiday preparations, and—oh, yeah—writing.

Will agents and editors consider a revision of a manuscript they've already rejected? Check out this week's video for tips on resubmitting a revision to an agent.

Do you have an idea for a nonfiction project? Ask yourself these questions before deciding if your idea is book-worthy, or if it makes more sense as an article.

Just like us, our characters all have pasts. Our histories are what make us who we are, and the events of our lives carry us to the present moment. Know when and how much to share about your character’s backstory so that your readers understand them and it doesn’t take away from the story.

You are so familiar with your story’s opening, you’ve created blind spots. You’ve most likely rewritten this part more than any other, so in your mind it might still contain information you deleted four iterations ago. So how do you know whether your first ten pages are submission-ready?

It's hard for readers to engage with a passive character, especially in the protagonist role. Here's why.

What's the difference between MG vs YA? Let's look at the key differences, including character age, word count, theme, and style.

How do you catch an agent's attention during a pitch session? Here are some tips and tricks for crafting a successful pitch and making a good impression.

As writers, we all have perceived strengths we fall back on time and time again. But can over-reliance on your strengths actually weaken your manuscript?

What’s the right way to have an online presence? Both before getting a book deal and after, this is a common question for writers. After all, we often hear that it is essential to get your name, your face, your everything out there in order to make potential readers aware of you.

If you want to pursue traditional publication, you need to think about writing for an audience. Here are some thoughts on work that's billed as "completely unprecedented"; following writing trends; and writing for "everyone from 0 to 99."

There are so many paths to publishing--what's the best fit for your project and career goals?

Scanning the NYT bestseller list, you’ll see a multitude of realistic fiction books. Realistic fiction deals with life as it is now and modern problems that its protagonists may face. But what happens when reality, the very thing that gives realistic fiction its name, has inevitably changed?

Struggling with writing confidence? You’re not alone. Lots of writers, including myself, experience self-doubt. Let’s look at some factors that may impact your writing confidence, and some suggested mindset shifts to help you work around the self-doubt.

How do you blend story feedback into your manuscript? This can seem like an impossible task—maybe you’ve received feedback that requires major surgery on your story. Maybe you’ve received conflicting feedback from different sources. How do you even begin?

Character description in first person narration is tricky. We usually don't talk about ourselves in terms of our physical attributes. But readers appreciate having something to imagine when they're reading your story--so how do you make it sound natural?

We’re all in need of a little writing inspiration right now. With all of the tumult in our lives, putting effort into creative projects seems both more important and more impossible. How can we mentally move beyond the walls that confine us to create new and interesting work? How can we find writing inspiration, talking to the same people every day in the same spaces?

I've taught extensively on the concept of interiority, which is fleshing out your character's inner life--thoughts, feelings, reactions, and inner struggle. We are talking about reactions today. Why are character reactions so important?