Is it better to publish an indie series with continuity between installments or with an episodic storytelling structure? It’s a mystery….
Read MoreWays to Approach Your Writing Life When You Have a Lot, a Little, and a Goldilocks Amount of Writing Time
Life’s seasons change how much time and energy you have for “extras” like writing. With work, caregiving, relationships, chores, and your own health to manage, writing can feel like one more task. Still, small, regular writing sessions can act as a protective boundary, reducing stress and replenishing you.
This post helps you use whatever time you have. First, honestly assess how much writing time you can realistically spare, then apply strategies suited to that amount so your writing survives and thrives amid everything else.
[Lovably] Hateful Protagonists Are Having a Moment. Why?
A trend I’m noticing: fiction as a means to write characters we hate and love to hate. I call it The White Lotus effect. Yesteryear springs to mind, and Best American Short Stories of 2025 had a ton of these in it. Why do we do it?
Read MoreWriting Sophisticated Dual Narrative [Not Just Because the Market Told You To]
Because dual narratives and frame narratives are frequent tropes, especially in historical and women’s fiction, I edit a decent amount of manuscripts that use them. This can be a fantastic device if the author’s intention in using this structure is either evident on the page or is something they’ve told me they’re working toward.
If the reason is just that it’s a trope of the genre and therefore they have to do it, though? Then, Houston, we may have a problem.
Read MoreGenre-Switching Without a Pen Name? A Trend Examined
Here’s a phenomenon I’ve noticed recently: Writers are increasingly publishing in more than one genre without developing a pen name and related brand. Instead, they’re publishing all their works under the same name (usually their legally given one).
How is this working for them? What are your thoughts?
Read More