WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

In the real world, no two people are alike, which means each of us expresses emotion in our own way.

Some people find it natural to share what they feel with those around them, while others find the idea of revealing what they feel horrifying and will avoid situations that could lead to such vulnerability. Most fall somewhere between these extremes. This spectr...

When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or a learned go-to...

Author, copyeditor, and writing coach C. S. Lakin shares ways to create microtension through setting descriptions.

You’re probably wondering what microtension is, and what it has to do with fiction writing. Oddly, very little has been written on the topic, yet it’s an essential element that supercharges our writing.

No, it’s not the ...

Ever feel like you’re having such a hard day or week or month that you’re not sure how to write anything at all? You’re not alone.

Recently, someone in the writing community on Substack posted the following: “Don’t you love it when you don’t work on your WIP for three months and then you write 2,000 words in an hour, out of the blue, because you are stressed ab...

A new book is always something to celebrate, but we are extra excited about this one. Fear is more than an emotion that shows up in tense moments–it lies at the heart of every character’s journey.

Every battle your character faces, every personal struggle they endure, every doubt, insecurity, and false belief they internalize…fear is the engine...