Interview: Barbara Henning’s “Ferne: A Detroit Story”

ferne a detroit story

Equal parts biography, fiction, and an ode to family and Detroit, Barbara Henning‘s Ferne: a Detroit Story captures the Midwestern magic of mid-century Michigan. Barbara retells the life of her mother, Ferne, through a series of vignettes, news clippings, photographs, and biographical details, fleshing out the contours of Ferne’s life from the 1920s through the 50s.…

Read More

Pun Intended: A Look at Pun Examples in Literature

pun examples in literature

What do you call a sandwich made of wordplay? A pun-ini. The English language abounds with pun examples in literature. From Chaucer to Shakespeare, from the Romantics to contemporary poetry, writers have twisted language to explore new (and often hilarious) possibilities with words. We generally consider puns to have humorous intent. However, The pun in…

Read More

How to Start a Story: Examples and Inspiration

how to start a story

It happens to the best of us: you open a new word document, you’re faced with the many possibilities that a story can take, and then you realize you don’t know how to start a story. Or you do know, but you’re not sure how to start this story. Or you know exactly what this…

Read More

How to Write Dialogue in a Story

how to write dialogue in a story

Writing dialogue in a story requires us to step into the minds of our characters. When our characters speak, they should speak as fully developed human beings, complete with their own linguistic quirks and unique pronunciations. Indeed, dialogue writing is essential to the art of storytelling. In real life, we learn about other people through…

Read More

Static Characters vs. Dynamic Characters: Definitions and Examples

writing character development tips

You can categorize the people that populate your stories as static and dynamic characters. These categories correspond to character development: if they’re a changed person by the end of the story, they’re a dynamic character; if they haven’t changed at all, they’re a static character. There are many other ways to categorize characters—flat and round,…

Read More

What is a Narrative Poem? Definition and Examples

how to write narrative poetry

Writers who want to set their stories in verse may be interested in the narrative poem. One of the oldest literary art forms in the history of written language, narrative poetry puts plot to poesy, combining the art of storytelling with the techniques of poetry writing. So, what is a narrative poem? To answer that…

Read More

Interview: Antonia Angress, Author of Sirens & Muses

sirens & muses novel cover

Sirens & Muses, Antonia Angress’ forthcoming novel from Penguin Random House, follows the fates of four artists as each is unexpectedly thrust into the cutthroat New York art world. All must struggle to find new identities in art, in society, and amongst each other. In the process, they must find either their most authentic terms…

Read More

Private Writing Coaches: 9 Tips to Find a Writing Coach

private writing coach

Whether you’re working on a book-length project or want to improve your writing skills, a private writing coach can transform your writing journey. The best writing coaches have an excitement for language, expertise in the writing world, and compassion for your work as a budding writer. That said, there are plenty of book writing coaches…

Read More

What is an Antagonist? Definition & Examples

what is an antagonist

Because most stories involve conflict, most stories also involve an antagonist. Your protagonist—the main character—will struggle to achieve something important to them, and the antagonist will further complicate this struggle. Knowing who is the antagonist of your story, as well as what motivates them, will greatly improve your fiction, nonfiction, and storytelling. Even if your…

Read More