One of the biggest challenges in writing a novel is ensuring your characters sound different from one another. You don’t want carbon copy characters who all talk the same. After all, reading isn’t a visual medium, so while you can use descriptions to differentiate characters, in the end, your readers are really going to differentiate them in how they speak and act. Your readers are building these characters in their heads, so you want to offer them as many cues to tell them apart as possible. It will make for a better reading experience and ensure your characters are more memorable. 

Not sure how to describe clothing writing? It's easier (and more fun) than you might think. Here's everything you need to know.

Want to learn how to write exposition that's not so explainy? Divulge compelling backstory using these tried-and-true tips.

How long should your chapters be? On average, chapters tend to range from 1,000-5,000 words, with most falling in the 2,000-4,000 range.

The words you use to start a story are some of the most important you'll write. We'll help make sure you get them right!

Chekhov's Gun is a fundamental principle in writing. Join us as we examine what this principle is so you can apply it to your own writing.

If you know how to convey emotions in writing, you know how to draw your reader in, hold them captive, and make them remember you forever. Here's how you can inspire all the thrills, chills, swoons, and more.

Great stories contain great dialogue. But writing good dialogue isn't easy, so we're going to cover what makes for good dialogue, why it's important, and cover examples of good dialogue in pop culture.

Dialogue is an important part of writing a story. It's how characters plot, fall in love, and even how they can fight. In this article, we cover everything you need to know to write powerful dialogue.

Clichés are phrases you’ve heard so many times they’ve lost all meaning. They’re as dead as a doornail. They’re stones thrown in glass houses. They make your writing seem derivative, boring and lacking in imagination. 

Think about the worst pain you’ve ever experienced. How would you have described it when you were in the moment? What did it feel like? Did it have a color and texture? Maybe even a sound or a smell? Did it make you perceive your world in different ways? Did you notice what was going on around you? 

Prose describes how you write your book, and it can be challenging to get right. So, in this article, we cover what makes good prose.

Have you ever read a book that just seems to flow? The writing feels effortless and smooth and almost like the literary equivalent of honey? Well, then you’re reading lyrical prose, my friend. It’s a style of writing that relies on a few techniques that make use of similar sounds and cadence to help create a more fluid and musical style of writing. 

Just like a compelling opening, a good ending is a bit of an art form and can take some practice. As with anything in writing, the best way to learn is to read. Think about books with memorable endings that you’ve enjoyed: read them again with a critical eye and think about how and why they work. 

The first chapter may very well be the most important in your entire book. But how do you write a first chapter that makes it impossible for your reader not to go to the next? We cover everything you need to know in this article.

How do you write a good inciting incident? And what makes it good? These nine, easy-to-follow tips will help you devise a story catalyst that captivates your readers and launches an unforgettable adventure.

A prologue can be a powerful addition to your story, but only if you get it right. In this article, we discuss how you can find the perfect length for your prologue and what you should include in it.

Studying the best first lines of books not only helps you write your own brilliant opening, it also sharpens your writing skills overall. Here are some of the best first lines ever written, plus some great tips for nailing your own.

Realistic dialogue makes your readers feel like they're peering in on the private lives of strangers. Creepy? Maybe. But it's also the secret to writing a story that connects and resonates. Here's how to write dialogue that feels real.

These free Don't Tell worksheets will help you perfect your prose and write a story that feels real for your reader. Learn how to stir emotions and communicate theme without all the clunky explanations.

Want to learn how to write a flashback? Consider this your comprehensive guide to recreating your character's backstory for the reader. Discover tricks for doing it well... and deciding whether it makes sense to write a flashback in the first place.

Knowing how to pace a story is absolutely mandatory if you hope to write an unputdownable novel. The tricky part? The formula isn't the same for every book. Use this guide to learn how to pace your one-of-a-kind tale.

Ready to get inspired by some of the best opening lines in literature? Here are some of our favorites, why they're so brilliant, and how you can write a stellar first line that draws readers into the world of your story.

You may have heard that your success as an author depends on your ability to write within the confines of your literary genre. But does that mean you have to produce dull, cookie-cutter novels? Here are the answers to your biggest questions about genre.