by DiAnn Mills @diannmills A novel’s first page is critical to the success of a successful novel. Here, the writer must hook the reader into the story by doing the following: Establish genre Introduce a sympathetic character. Initiate a bond between the protagonist and the reader. Build a setting. Create…

by Aaron Gansky @adgansky You're using language when you write. Can’t do it without. But language is more a term encompassing vocabulary, imagery, and figurative language. Though it’s of vital importance, it seems to be the thing that is most often overlooked. As writers, we put notoriously little thought into…

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28 I hardly ever cry at movies, but I cried at the end of Inside Out. Even though it’s a kids’ movie, I saw how the inside of our brains might work when anger, fear, disgust, sadness, or joy takes the helm. Each feeling was embodied in…

by Katy Kauffman     @KatyKauffman28 Stories are powerful tools for the nonfiction writer. They grab the reader’s attention, add personality to our writing, and illustrate the point we’re trying to make. Whether we’re writing a blog post, an article, or a book, how do we know which story is…

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson I began writing like most of you did—as a creative outlet—a way to process the world around me. I kept diaries, started stories and books, played around with articles. But all of these efforts had one thing in common. They were written out of my own…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Every writer has a story. Some of the behind-the-scenes events strike a gallant pose of purpose and education and inspiration, while others are mediocre in the uphill climb to the mountain called Publishedville. We all have a journey to take for our dreams to see reality.…