Fiction

The Biggest Problem with Writing Advice

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Today’s article is written by Suzannah Windsor Freeman, founding editor of Write It Sideways. True story: Once, I wrote a blog post which gave some advice about limiting filter words in your fiction. The post went viral on a social media outlet, which from my perspective was a good thing—writers were obviously wanting to pass

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‘Story Is a State of Mind’ Review + Free Bonuses

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Today’s article is written by Suzannah Windsor Freeman, founding editor of Write It Sideways. Have you ever wondered what the difference is between your average published book and the ones that go on to receive accolades? The type of books that have gold stars and big-name blurbs on the cover? I think I know now.

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Writing From an Authentic Teen Viewpoint

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Today’s article is written by regular contributor Lydia Sharp. This month I wanted to discuss a topic specific to my main area of writing interest–young adult fiction. One of the things I am asked most often by aspiring YA writers is how to write realistic teen characters. Last month on my blog, Martina Boone said:

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Giving Your Story World ‘Deep’ Authenticity

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Today’s article is written by regular contributor John Yeoman. Have you ever been shocked rigid? Literally so? ‘Hi,’ said a feisty lady. ‘I’m Margot, your new neighbour, all the way from California.’ And she clasped my wife in a fervent hug. Oh, the horror of it! My wife still shudders. A stranger? On a public

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Want Agents to Read Your Novel? Do This First

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Today’s article is written by Suzannah Windsor Freeman, founding editor. With the new year here, many of us have manuscripts we’re itching to get out there into the world of submissions. Perhaps, over the holidays, you polished off the book you wrote during NaNoWriMo, and now you want to get it in front of an agent.

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Why Your Story Shouldn’t Be Too Tidy

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Today’s post is written by Dr John Yeoman. Why do silly things happen? Why hiccups? Why, when you find a discarded shoe by the roadside, is it only ever one shoe? Savants lust to describe these phenomena. (Mathematics always come into it.) But they cannot explain them. The ‘what’ is easy. The ‘why’ of anything whatever—the

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