One idiom I have heard a lot regarding writing—regarding many things, actually—is to first learn the rules before trying to break them. I...

One of my favorite aspects of writing is simply engaging with the English language. There are many fascinating (and weird) aspects to...

Writing short stories is a different animal than writing a full-length novel. Though some elements are similar—both require a plot and a...

(Photo: William Gibson at the Spook Country promotional tour in San Francisco, CA. Taken by Fred Armitage August 2007.) As a relatively...

Writing is a solo occupation. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the author to sit their butt in a chair and put words on a page....

Important books every writer should have on their reference shelf.

So, you have an idea for a story and are putting it down on paper, but as you get the first few paragraphs written, you may think: How...

Every author has been affected by writer’s block from time to time. It just happens. For whatever reason, we seem to run out of ideas. I...

As the term Speculative Fiction becomes more widely used and accepted, there appears to be a division of the definition. Many believe...

Conveying character emotions to the reader is one of the most difficult aspects of writing. A form of “show don’t tell,” the author must...

Advanced algorithms already influence many aspects of our lives, from ads to product recommendations to telemarketers to design...

Having spent the last three years as a member of a robust online critique group and the last year as judge in a novel contest, I’ve...

When sitting down to write, the right environment and mood has enormous implications on both my creativity and productivity. Dual...

If there’s any one, core piece of advice I can give to new writers—or any writer for that matter—is to be true to yourself and write your...

Okay, so maybe not that kind of pitching... I recently attended my first writer’s conference, the Colorado Gold Rush produced by Rocky...

So, after months (or years) of work, you’ve finally completed your novel and enjoyed the momentous occasion of typing “The End” on the...

In the fall of 2020, the upcoming presidential election weighed on my thoughts, as it did for many Americans. Well before any votes were...

In talking with many authors, opinions regarding the adverb run deep and strong. Many tout the “get rid of ‘em!” philosophy while a few...

If deciding to self-publish a print, or hard copy, version, the novel must be prepared for publication. Completing the story is just the...

First encounters with the unknown call forth exciting tales full of magic, horror, humor, and suspense. What happens when aliens,...