I also highly recommend The Little, Brown Handbook. It's currently in its 11th edition and a new hard-bound copy will cost you some serious coin,...
I'm not sure we're all talking about the same thing. If we're talking about writing an actual first draft of a novel including dialogue,...
Don't worry about it. In the first place, no literary agents would be interested in stealing your work. They're much more interested in...
Swum is the correct past participle of swim, and is the only correct past participle. However, it's fallen into general disuse and sounds strange...
This is THE biggest problem I have as a writer as well but I have a couple of tips that may help overcome it. 1. At the beginning of a project,...
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned all of the free online writing courses and workshops. You'd be amazed at how many there are. Just do a...
In only advantage I can see in seeking an advanced degree in creative writing would be if you were interested in an academic carreer, teaching...
I was going to recommend a couple but the moderator's post said they wouldn't be permitted. You can find them yourself by Googling "free fantasy...
I have undergraduate degrees in English and History, with Honors, and a law degree (Juris Doctor, Cum Laude). I've mentored and advised many...
I agree with all of the above comments. However, as someone who's been a life-long, avid reader of history, both non-fiction and fiction, I...
The short answer is an average of about 1,200 to 1,500 words per day, with a minimum goal of 5,000 words per week. This puts me on track to...
In a recent Wall Street Journal article, writer John L'Heureux says of writing dialogue: "Young writers often confuse dialogue with conversation,...
Well-written dialogue doesn't just advance plot, it also reveals character and relationships. While you want it to seem natural, well-written...
For new writer, the answer is generally no. One the other hand, if you think you may have a potential run-away bestseller and plan to work...
The problem with "looking up rules" is that you need to know what you're looking for. In your first set of examples, you are dealing with...
Separate names with a comma.