Create a stranger

Repetition again! This time it's advice to writers who find all their characters blurring into one.

Poiple panic!

Can Reddit go a day without someone on a writing sub asking about "purple prose"? Of course not! Here's my short n' sweet answer to those who persist in their curiosity.

Lemme TELL ya

Second only to "purple prose" is Reddit's obession with "show, don't tell". Here's my take on the world's favorite writing advice.

Dreamworld

Someone on a writing forum sighed that he was living in his imagination. I commisserated.

Hacking the hackneyed

Writers’ forum users were lamenting the overused “chosen one, because prophecy, but character refuses” trope. I weighed in.

The buzz on "WAS"

According to writers’ forums, many authors struggle with overuse of the word “was”. One poster all but declared war on the unfortunate verb.

Make it cool... or make it go away

The boring parts. Who needs 'em?

Screenplay-izing

Are you guilty of this bad habit?

Costume drama

In the writing forum, we were discussing characters' clothes and how we write them.

My particular mojo

What's so special about any of us? Here's what I think I, personally, bring to the writing game.

Overshowing

What sometimes happens when writers take that classic advice.

Reality rules

Where I disagree with one of the greats.

Villain psychology

Guilt, shame and how they differ for my bad guys.

Say that again

The power of repeated words.

Power-Up

Best writing advice I ever got.