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Short Story

Essential Character Development Questions: 3 Questions to Ask Every Character You Write

By Gloria Kempton | February 11, 2020 | 5
questions for character development

Editor’s note: This is the first of two articles (second here) on the fundamentals of character development written for Writers.com by our instructor Gloria Kempton, in support of a full…

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Eight Questions About the Novella, Answered

By Frederick Meyer | January 14, 2020 | 0
what the novella is and how to write a novella

In this interview, Writers.com instructor Jack Smith answers our top eight questions about the novella form—everything from “How many words in a novella?” to his best advice on learning the novella…

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Seven Questions for Your Writing Journey in 2020

By Frederick Meyer | January 1, 2020 | 2
2020 writing plan

In our view, writing should not be a popularity contest, a struggle for validation, or a competitive sport. Instead, writing is a personal journey: an ongoing exploration, personally meaningful in…

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Embodied Writing: Interview with Rosemary Tantra Bensko

By Frederick Meyer | December 11, 2019 | 3
embodied writing | online writing class

In this interview, Writers.com instructor Rosemary Tantra Bensko discusses her practice of embodied writing, a creative writing process that uses movement exercises to access the wisdom of the whole body. How…

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Flash Fiction Prompt: The Storyteller

By Barbara Henning | November 11, 2019 | 0
flash fiction writing prompt

Below is “The Storyteller,” a flash fiction prompt by Writers.com instructor Barbara Henning from her forthcoming The Prompt Book. Enjoy it as a jumping-off point for your creativity! — Think of…

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Unlock Your Creativity with the “Three I’s” of Writing: Interview with Sarah Aronson

By Frederick Meyer | October 15, 2019 | 2
Sarah Aronson on the "Three I's" of Writing

In this interview, Writers.com instructor Sarah Aronson outlines what she calls the “Three I’s” of writing: inspiration, intuition, and intellect. She discusses how overrelying on intellect can stifle us as writers, and…

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16 Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (And What to Do Instead)

By Rosemary Bensko | September 11, 2019 | 4
common errors writers make

Editor’s note: Below is a collection of 16 common fiction writing mistakes by Writers.com instructor Rosemary Tantra Bensko. It forms a great companion to her short story writing checklist (much…

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The Danger of “Always” and “Never” Rules in Fiction Writing

By Dennis Foley | July 9, 2019 | 1
always and never fiction writing rules

Don’t let anyone make you believe that there are rules in fiction writing—except one: Don’t bore your reader. Everything you do either tends to bore the reader or doesn’t. You…

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Stories vs. Situations: How to Know Your Story Will Work in Any Genre

By Jeff Lyons | June 4, 2019 | 7
story vs situation writing help

If I were to ask you, “Do you know what a story is?” you would probably feel a little put out. After all, you’ve probably been writing stories for a…

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