The Serial Podcast and Creative Writing

The Serial Podcast and Creative Writing

I hope to share with you three pearls of wisdom from each episode about what makes Koening such a stellar storyteller.

Five (±New Year's) Resolutions for Writers

Five (±New Year's) Resolutions for Writers

Whether you read this in January or July, the following resolutions for writers are a combination of things I strive for personally and also encourage others to do.

Five Ways to Stand Out in the Slush Pile (Without Gimmicks)

Five Ways to Stand Out in the Slush Pile (Without Gimmicks)

Don't let your story be just another seashell left behind at the beach.

The Perks and Pitfalls of Writing in First Person

The Perks and Pitfalls of Writing in First Person

What do we gain and what are we giving up when using that ever-enticing "I" pronoun.

3 Rules to Writing Commanding Sex Scenes

3 Rules to Writing Commanding Sex Scenes

We all know how it's done. We don’t need you to tell us that he put his member in her girl-cave and did some thrusting.

Too Much To Read? Here Are 5 Steps to Conquer Your Never-Ending Reading List

Too Much To Read? Here Are 5 Steps to Conquer Your Never-Ending Reading List

It's easy to get your reading list under control, if you follow these 5 simple steps.

Writers Need Community (Here's How to Get Some)

Writers Need Community (Here's How to Get Some)

Despite the limitations to living in a less-than literary locale, I’ve found some practical ways to cobble together a writing community on my own.

You Think Writing Is Not A Job? Think again.

You Think Writing Is Not A Job? Think again.

I want to say – boldly and with absolutely no hesitation – that writing is so a job and a necessary one at that.

You, Dear Writer, Are Not the Narrator

You, Dear Writer, Are Not the Narrator

Although you, the writer, are indeed doing the writing, your narrator is the one telling the story. And that narrator is not you.

Is a Story Yours to Tell? The AWP Panel on Disabilities & Writing Diverse Fiction

Is a Story Yours to Tell? The AWP Panel on Disabilities & Writing Diverse Fiction

A surprising statement from a panelist at #AWP15 launches a debate about who has permission to write about disabilities.

Creating an (Un)Original Story Idea

Creating an (Un)Original Story Idea

Is it possible to come up with a new story idea, or have they all already been taken?

The Review Review's Round Table

The Review Review's Round Table

The Review Review invited our fearless editor, Matthew Limpede, to a roundtable interview to talk shop, along with RW Spryszak (Thrice Fiction) and Matt Potter (Pure Slush).

7 Ways Writers Can Benefit from Twitter

7 Ways Writers Can Benefit from Twitter

If you're only tweeting about how annoying it is to stand in line at the post office, it may be time to reconsider how you use this social media tool.

Mistakes Writers Make When Submitting to Literary Magazines

Mistakes Writers Make When Submitting to Literary Magazines

Are you guilty of making one of these mistakes?

Bringing Together Writers at Every Level: The Hands On Festival

Bringing Together Writers at Every Level:  The Hands On Festival

The founder of Burlesque Press, Jennifer Stewart, wants writers at all levels to get involved in the literary community. 

The Most Important Writing Advice

The Most Important Writing Advice

I am actually going to give you the most important writing advice you will ever receive. No joke.

My Path to Getting Published – The Blog Tour

My Path to Getting Published – The Blog Tour

In the same spirit of the recent and popular blog tour, “My Writing Process,” Carve has decided to kick start a slightly altered version.

10 Tips for Writing Revealing Dialogue

10 Tips for Writing Revealing Dialogue

Screenwriter John Trubly says, “Dialogue is not real talk; it is highly selective language that sounds like it could be real.”

10 Tips for Writing Physical Descriptions of Your Characters

10 Tips for Writing Physical Descriptions of Your Characters

How can you best describe your characters’ physical features? Learn from others.

A Conference in a Bag

A Conference in a Bag

Recently I attended the DFW Writers’ Conference, armed with nothing more than a pen and a notebook.