Why Is It So Difficult To Write Well?

I’m nearly halfway through the backstory material for my current WIP.  I’m writing a series of books tentatively titled The Five Rims Series and try as I might, I’m going to create a Tolkienesque place, a (most likely) vain attempt to give my setting a richness that will hopefully translate to a sweeping epic.  I’m just

3 Writing Rules to Enthrall the Modern Reader

So you’ve written the great American novel… or the next great British novel.  I suppose congratulations are in order.  You have indeed accomplished a grand feat.  Most people who call themselves writers are sitting around dreaming about writing something so grand. Now what? I have edited several novels over the course of my career, and

NaNoWriMo Tip #8: Adverb Use

One of the ugliest faux pas of any writer are the use of meaningless adverbs. There are three adverbs used by writers which slow down any writing style: really, actually and extremely. If you can avoid these all together and find better adverbs or remove them altogether, your prose will take on a much more

Writing Believable Dialogue

One of the most important keys to writing an engaging novel is dialogue.  However, some writers are able to write it well, and some writers have trouble.  Today I thought I would discuss four pitfalls that writers often find themselves and some ways to combat this nasty issue. Problem #1: Stilted Dialogue Stilted dialogue is