Hi there! I’m Suzannah, and I’m a writer.
You’re probably here because you’ve always wanted to be a writer too. Maybe you don’t know quite where to start, or maybe you’re on the right track but are looking for advice and encouragement.
Write It Sideways features hundreds of articles about the art, craft, and business of writing, written specifically for aspiring and emerging writers. Our contributors come from a variety of backgrounds and have diverse experience, so you’ll gain a well-rounded perspective on the writing life.
When I started Write It Sideways back in 2009, I had no idea what it would become—what I would become. I was a teacher who’d taken some time off to raise my kids, so I also used the time to work on my writing. Today, I’m a published writer, the managing editor of a literary journal, and a freelance editor. I’m also working on my collection of short stories with the help of a Writers’ Works-in-Progress grant and a Writers’ Reserve Grant from the Ontario Arts Council (2016).
Ready to start taking your writing more seriously? Here are some of our most popular articles and resources to get you started:
Get Started
- 101 of the Best Fiction-Writing Tips, Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV
- The Biggest Problem with Writing Advice
- What Are Your Favourite Books on Writing?
- 23 Websites that Make Your Writing Stronger
- 50 Procrastination Techniques for Aspiring Writers
- 37 Questions New Writers Should Ask Themselves
- 7 Reasons You’ve Failed as a Writer
Get Inspired
- Imitation as Inspiration: An Exercise for Writers
- Creative Well Running Dry? Try a Writing Prompt
- What Should I Write About? Finding Inspiration
- 21 Writing Prompts for Setting a Scene in Your Novel
- 50 Prompts for Writing What You Already Know
Read Like a Writer
- Improve Your Writing by Reading Rubbish
- How to Read Your Way to Better Writing
- 10 Reading Exercises for Fiction Writers
Write More
- ‘Story Is a State of Mind’ Review + Get a Free Critique of 2500 Words of Your Writing
- The Most Obvious Writing Tool You’re Not Using
- The Duolingo Guide to Writing Productivity
- Short Writing Bursts: The Freedom to Write Less
- Planning Your Own Writing Retreat
- 4 Writing Routines You Can Live With
Write Your Novel
- The Top 12 Benefits of Outlining Your Novel
- 6 Ways to Hook Your Readers from the Very First Line
- How to Write a First Chapter that Rocks
- How to Balance Dialogue and Description
- How to Steal a Plot for Your Book (and Get Away with It)
- The Baby Steps Method to Writing a Novel
- The #1 Reason You’ll Never Finish Writing Your Novel
- Three Signs You’re Renovating a Condemned Novel
Market Yourself and Your Writing
- How to Write Your Bio for a Byline or Query Letter
- How to Create an Author Brand: 4 Easy Steps to Take Right Now
- 3 Steps to Creating Your Own Writing Luck
- 10 Ways to Improve Your Author Website
Get Published
- The Secret Way to Find a Literary Agent
- Want Agents to Read Your Novel? Do This First
- Get Thee to an Editor! 7 Reasons You Need One