A common discussion among writers is whether to write a standalone novel or a series of books featuring the same characters or world. My...

Way too often, I see evidence of a new writer publishing well before they’re ready. Writers in too much of a rush to get their stories out..

And no, I'm not talking about dinner and a movie. What I’m talking about here is whether putting the year or some specific true event in the timeline of your contemporary fiction story is a good idea. When this subject came up during a workshop, it struck me that a blog post might be in order, as I believe there are several points to be made. The experts recommend that we not date our contemporary fiction. Why? Because, in most cases, by not doing so, we allow the story to re

The great Mickey Spillane once said, “Nobody reads a book to get to the middle.” Well, duh. But really, think about that. Isn’t the ending what you inevitably carry away with you more than any other part of the book, whether good or bad? Many times over, I see writers asking others what they find harder to write, the beginning or the end. For me, I’d have to say it’s finding that perfect spot in the story to begin. But then, I really only struggled with that once so far. I’ve