Writing Tips

By Janice Hardy Your novel’s ending will have more impact than everything that came before it.Some writers have troubles with beginnings, or more commonly, middles, but for me, it’s always been endings.I tend to rush them once I reach the book’s climax, and summarize what happens instead of dramatizing scenes to the big finish. Then I have to rewrite those last three or four chapters several times before I get them right. There are two reasons for this—impatience and story fatigue.I reach a point where I’m tired of planning and want to move onto the writing. When I’m drafting it, I hit another wall of fatigue, where I’m so ready for it to be over and I rush past the ending I didn’t develop enough in the first place.Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or a learned go-to strategy, a mechanism helps them cope with the stress of the moment or escape the hurt of it. But if the character The post Coping Mechanism Thesaurus Entry: Negative Self-Talk appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Fear is more than an emotion; it is an underlying force that runs through every story element, including character development, plot, arc, conflict, and theme. It’s what draws readers in, holds their attention, and makes your story feel human and true. Becca and I are very excited about this release (in April!) as this book The post The Fear Thesaurus Is Coming: A New Writing Guide for What Holds Characters Back appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

And, we have a cover for The Calamities, courtesy of Del Rey and the Boland Design Co (who also did the stellar Staircase in the Woods cover)! The description: The heir to one of the world’s most influential families reckons with the demonic secret to their power, in this contemporary dark fantasy that melds occult

Want to kickstart 2026 in the best possible way? It’s time for our monthly Phenomenal First Pages contest, but with an amazing twist: SIX guest editors are offering 21 amazing prizes! (This contest is open for only 48 hours, so act quickly.) This contest is closed. Please try again next month. If you’d like to be The post 48-Hour Mega-Contest on Now (21 Writing Prizes to Be Won!) appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

I’m a writer and I should be eloquent. I should have eloquence, ready at hand, for things like this. I should have poetry paired with clarity and I should find a way to turn what I’m feeling into something, into anything beyond what it already is, like taking ingredients and making them into a plate

By Janice HardySome writers weave clues so seamlessly into a novel, readers never realize they’re there until they all converge in the end. My subconscious is a better writer than I am. It drops in details and makes connections in my first drafts that I don’t see until the next draft—if at all. Sometimes, it takes the sharp eyes of my critique group to spot the “clever things” I’ve written that I’m totally unaware of (grin). I suspect your subconscious does this, too. It’s only natural. Stories churn in our heads even when we aren’t consciously thinking about them. Our brains remember throwaway details and build on them without our input. And when we make the connections, we get that rush and think, “Ooo that is soooo cool.”Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or a learned go-to strategy, a mechanism helps them cope with the stress of the moment or escape the hurt of it. But if the character The post Coping Mechanism Thesaurus Entry: Managing Time appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Most writers think of story structure as a dry, architectural plot blueprint. Inciting incidents and pinch points and turning points map out the road as the characters stumble through their world, making impossible choices and forging ahead under pressure. These plot concerns are where many writers spend most of their creative energy. But story structure The post The Real Story: Character Journey as Structure appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

You might not realize why a certain passage in your writing doesn’t read quite exactly the way you intend it to read. Your brilliantly crafted, eloquent words are there, but the writing seems to drag interminably. Like this paragraph? Sometimes … Continue reading →

Every story needs a great villain! Sometimes, that villain is obvious–someone who’s not a part of your protagonist’s gang of supporters against whom everyone is fighting. Think Sauron in LORD OF THE RINGS or the White Witch in the CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. But what if your villain ends up being someone right under the reader’s The post Betrayal And Plot Twist: 5 Ways to Hide Your Villain appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

By Janice HardySometimes we just need to ask the right questions to create a memorable character.Some writers develop incredibly detailed characters before they ever start a story.I am not one of those writers.I do the bare minimum necessary to create a character, then I throw them into my story and see what they do. By the time I’ve written the first draft, I know who they are and can revise accordingly.Although I’ve written this way for decades, I’m not sure I’d recommend it. It’s an interesting tactic, but it has left me with a lot of revising I might not have needed if I’d done a bit more character work before I started writing. Characters drive the plot, and I’m a plot-driven writer, so my process is missing a critical aspect when I think about it from that perspective.  It doesn’t take much effort to […]

When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or a learned go-to strategy, a mechanism helps them cope with the stress of the moment or escape the hurt of it. But if the character The post Coping Mechanism Thesaurus Entry: Creative Expression appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

If you’re a writer, you’ve probably heard that writers and people-pleasing don’t usually go together. One is about self-expression. The other is about self-abandonment. But here’s something I found out recently: the same traits that make you creative can also make you a world-class people pleaser. How Writers and People-Pleasing Are Connected When we talk The post People-Pleasing Writers: The Surprising Connection that Slows You Down appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Self-publishing costs can add up, so one of the best ways to save money on editing is to take your story from good to great before bringing in an editor. This is also the goal for those seeking traditional publishing as well–not to save costs, but to stand out in the slush pile. Whichever path The post How to Take a Story from “Good” to Great appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

By Reyna Marder Gentin Part of the How They Do It Series JH: It’s been a while since we’ve had a guest author, so I’m delighted to welcome Reyna Marder Gentin to the lecture hall today. Social media is a thorn in the sides of so many authors, but it’s a useful marketing tool that we really ought to at least try. Reyna shares her story and offers tips and insights into venturing into the online world of Instagram. Take it away Reyna…In 2008, when I was still practicing law, I jumped into Facebook with both feet. I did it for all the right reasons: to find old friends from my hometown, reconnect with law school classmates, deepen relationships with relatives. I posted photographs of my children, of weddings, of reunions. It felt very innocent, like I’d been invited to a party with everyone I’d ever […]

Whether you’ve always wanted to create a picture book, are in the process of revising one, or your manuscript is out on submission, your 2026 picture book goals are within reach! Through hosting the popular PBParty contest and my PB Fairy Godmother critique service, I’ve learned tons of tips and tricks for creating manuscripts that The post Helpful Picture Book Tips and Tricks (Plus a Giveaway!) appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or a learned go-to strategy, a mechanism helps them cope with the stress of the moment or escape the hurt of it. But if the character The post Coping Mechanism Thesaurus Entry: Keeping Relationships Superficial appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

It is the new year, and the apple reviews persist. What, did you think they would stop? THE APPLE REVIEWS CONTINUE UNTIL MORALE IMPROVES. Anyway, today, my mind is a bit on branding. I am on the record, I think, as stating that branding for writers is ultimately a bad thing — there is certainly

Imagine a real-life incident so surprising, it gives new meaning to Lord Byron’s and Mark Twain’s observations that truth is stranger than fiction. This story prompt will leave you wondering if you could ever convince readers to believe narrative based … Continue reading →