Why A Sagging Middle Needs a Strong Mirror Moment

What makes characters memorable? We love them because they overcome, moving past situations or people, which in turn creates growth and inner joy.

writersinthestormblog.com

Omniscient POV: Pitfalls and Best Practices

Omniscient POV should be an intentional choice that makes sense for the novel rather than a fallback because it seems “easier.”

writershelpingwriters.net

5 Ways to Publicize Your Book Without Spending A Fortune

Guest Stephanie Weaver shares realistic ways authors can set goals, control costs, use social media, and publicize a book without burning out.

open.substack.com

First Page Critique:Start Making Senses! | Killzoneblog.com

killzoneblog.com

» 35 Themed Submission Calls and Contests for August 2026

authorspublish.com

What I Lost When I Stopped Telling the Truth

There was a point in my writing career where things were working. Books selling. Audience growing. A community of readers. And I threw it away.

writersinthestormblog.com

Sunday Book Review – Perfect by P.J. Gudka #psychological #domesticthriller

Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. Today I’m reviewing Pooja’s (P.J. Gudka) latest popular release – Perfect. What begins as a perfect family – we’ll learn some are far…

dgkayewriter.com

Selling Your Books at Live Events | Killzoneblog.com

killzoneblog.com

The Speed of Time and What Counts as ”Historical Fiction” Today

Historical fiction, as defined by the Historical Novel Society, is any story written at least fifty years after the events described or written by someone not alive at the time of the story. The au…

writerunboxed.com

Reclaiming Your Creative Spark | Writers In The Storm

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the constant stream of new tools, platforms, and creative trends? Just-in-time learning can help you find a path forward.

writersinthestormblog.com

What Do the Bestselling Novels of All Time Have in Common and What Can You Learn From Them?

Supposedly, film people are shocked by how few copies most books sell.

open.substack.com

Steven Pressfield Ruined My Life: On Finding Balance as a Creator

In The Matrix, Neo is given the choice between two pills. The red will wake him up from the simulated world and bring him to the truth; the blue will allow him to keep dreaming his life away, forev…

writerunboxed.com

What Writers Should Do During the Dead Month

August is affectionately known as the "dead month" in the publishing industry. During August all work comes to a virtual halt as editors, ...

publishedtodeath.blogspot.com

Story Landmarks Keep The Reader Engaged and Oriented

Story Landmarks are events or interactions within a story that help keep the reader oriented. Readers expect specific Story Landmarks within each genre.

writersinthestormblog.com

Should You Put Your Substack Behind a Paywall?

Should your Substack be free or paid? How to decide based on the different options Substack offers, and why I keep my publication free with paid options.

open.substack.com

7 Supporting Character Types Every Writer Should Know

Discover seven supporting character archetypes that add conflict, guidance, and depth while strengthening your novel's plot.

writerswrite.co.za

61 Calls for Submissions in August 2026 — Paying markets

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curiosityneverkilledthewriter.com

Writers In The Storm

Here are a handful of guidelines to help keep you grounded regardless of what the publishing world throws your way. Not rules, just principles to keep you sane.

writersinthestormblog.com

Fear Not the Tsunami of Manure | Killzoneblog.com

killzoneblog.com

Sunday Book Review – John Grebble is Gone by Peter James – mini #thriller

Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. I was offered this short bonus read from my Amazon First Reads. I can’t resist a good short story with a thriller edge to it, and a most satisfying ending. G…

dgkayewriter.com

What to Eat When You Read

Melodie Campbell has a light-hearted post about what people should eat when reading various fiction genres.

annerallen.com

How Inaccurate Genre Labels Affect a Book’s Visibility

Many readers have specific literary taste and know their favorite sub-genres well. If your novel isn’t in the right category that's a problem.

writersinthestormblog.com

Anthropic Settlement Update: Final Settlement Approved - Writer Beware

On Tuesday, Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin granted final approval to the historic class action settlement in the Bartz v Anthropic copyright infringement lawsuit. At $1.5 billion, it’s the largest reco...

writerbeware.blog

Stress-Testing Your Story Before It’s Load-Bearing

Some of you saw the news this month about the buckled columns at the former Pfizer building in Manhattan, mid-conversion into apartments. Investigators later found the cause: reinforcement work cal…

writerunboxed.com

Satire: Punching Up or Down?

Shannon Hale’s 2020 statement about first drafts and creativity has always made sense to me: “I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a …

writerunboxed.com

Writer’s Tips – July Edition – Bad #SocialMedia Advice, WordPress Tips, Finding Your Narrative Voice, Amazon A.I. Descriptions, Story Structure

Welcome to my best curated July Writer’s Tips. In this edition, Anne R. Allen starts us off with a great article on five pieces of advice that are terrible for writers on social media, Hugh R…

dgkayewriter.com

The Gospel Fiction | Writers In The Storm

A story bible is a compendium of all relevant data for your story: character biographies, a world history, an atlas, and a plot outline all wrapped into one.

writersinthestormblog.com

Why Your Backlist May Be One Of Your Most Valuable Marketing Assets

One book introduces readers to your work. A backlist gives them a reason to stay.

open.substack.com

The Wow Factor | Killzoneblog.com

killzoneblog.com

Four Reasons Why I Ignored Your Guest Blog Post Pitch - Nate Hoffelder

It is a commonly accepted practice that the first step in guest blogging is to send as many cold pitches as possible. The thinking behind this is that most of the emails will be ignored, but at least ...

natehoffelder.com