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What is Theme? A Look at 20 Common Themes in Literature

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When someone asks you “What is this book about?”, there are a few ways you can answer. There’s “plot,” which refers to the literal events in the book, and there’s “character,” which refers to the people in the book and the struggles they overcome. Finally, there are themes in literature that correspond with the work’s […]

What is Tone in Literature? 

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Everything you read has a tone. Blog posts will have an engaging and conversational tone; Textbooks often have an informative, matter-of-fact tone. A piece of satire might have a humorous or ironic tone. Tone in literature encompasses the wide variety of moods, thoughts, and feelings that authors imbue their work with. But, what is tone? […]

How to Submit to Literary Journals

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For the last few months, you’ve opened the document on your computer and spent time constructing sentences, reading, researching, and working on the right metaphor for your poem, short story, or nonfiction essay. This writing is done in isolation, with no one witnessing late nights, pages of revision, and of course, frustration. You’ve finally revised […]

Simile vs. Metaphor vs. Analogy: Definitions and Examples

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The simile, the metaphor, and the analogy are some of the most common literary devices, giving writers the tools to compare different ideas, concepts, and experiences. Yet, because these three devices are all comparisons, it can be difficult to keep track of which device means which. What is a simile vs. metaphor vs. analogy? Whether […]

Novel Writing Tips: The Basics of Novel Writing

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What does it take to write a novel? First off, you need a basic knowledge of storytelling, of the craft—including characterization, character development, plot development, and scene-writing. A basic knowledge—you don’t need to be an expert. That comes with experience. Just know this: A great novel is not a first draft. A great novel comes […]

Interview: Barbara Henning Discusses “Prompt Book” and Finding the Inspiration to Write

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If you’re a writer looking for prompts, inspiration, or lessons on literary movements, then Writers.com instructor Barbara Henning‘s new book Prompt Book (Spuyten Duyvil Publishing, 2021) is your solution. Naturally, we were curious about how an author goes about collecting and publishing a book of prompts. Below is our full interview with Barbara on Prompt Book […]

What is Urban Fantasy? Writing the Urban Fantasy Genre

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If you’re interested in writing urban fantasy, just know this: urban fantasy books ruined my trip to New York City. There weren’t any goblins under the Brooklyn Bridge, the lions outside of the 5th Ave library remained motionless, and none of Manhattan’s graves turned undead in the night. Worse, no matter how many subway rats […]

How to Avoid Clichés in Writing

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A few weeks ago, we discussed the myth of originality as it relates to writing a compelling story. While no story is truly original, something all unoriginal stories share is the use of clichés. Countless clichés in writing exist, but the savviest writers know how to snuff out trite sentences and overused character tropes. This […]
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