By Rhonda J. Ray I awoke from a sleepless night, restless about choosing a topic for an essay. Standing by the kitchen window as I scooped coffee and listened to rain pattering outside, I thought a…

A diary of life in a hostile landscape + reading guide + a giveaway!

On our shelves were a handful of worn, black and white picture books of the old country. Czechoslovakia. Prague. This was where my people were from, and not in some distant past—my mother had escap…

Starting a story is always a challenge. You have to do a lot at once, but not too much. Don’t overwhelm the reader, don’t confuse, don’t info-dump, don’t send misleading signals, don’t lose the rea…

Starting a story is always a challenge. You have to do a lot at once, but not too much. Don’t overwhelm the reader, don’t confuse, don’t info-dump, don’t send misleading signals, don’t lose the reader’s interest. Sometimes you can start in medias res. Get to the action fast. Open with a murder, or a character on the brink of something life-changing, or a character coming in late and trying to learn about everything, so the reader is in step with them (detective fiction is an example).

Writers often ask, “How do I find book clubs?—but the better question might be, “How do book clubs find me—and my book?” My first invitation came from a friend of a friend—a small gathering …

Learn techniques for creating memorable, effective sidekicks who enhance your cozy mystery series and help with reader engagement.

to the spaces that hold us when our children move on

Some thoughts on a novel I loved

By Mallory Clarke I’m embarrassed to say this, but I loved lockdown during the pandemic. I was shakingly afraid of dying of COVID-19. Everything going on outside my home made me anxious; being stuc…

I’ve been published for over twenty-five years, and coached hundreds of authors in a number of genres for over fifteen. There is a statement that has cropped up from time to time in those years. “I…

Learn how to find and assess anthology opportunities, which offer short fiction authors income and visibility by sharing audiences across contributors.

Rachael Wesley spent nearly a decade pouring her heart into teaching, until burnout forced her to rediscover her first love: writing. Her debut memoir Second Set Chances weaves together life-changi…

Writing Characters Who'll Keep Readers Captivated: Nail Your Novel by Roz Morris

Sadly, the 2025 Un-Conference is over. Santa Fe was a marvelous setting, art-filled and restaurant-saturated. The program was substantial and interwoven, with presentations by (besides myself), Lis…