There are universal topics that fuel so many of the stories we love — from war and peace to abandonment and exile. How you manipulate and build on these sources is your creative contribution.

Social media is a key element of many authors' marketing plans, but you're making a mistake if you focus on book sales — especially right out of the gate. Start early, take it seriously, be social, and you may find success promoting on social media.

When you write a work of fiction, your characters can be anyone, from anywhere, and from any time. This is exciting creative freedom, but it can also be perilous.

Dan Poblocki published his first Middle Grade horror book, The Stone Child, just over 10 years ago. He took time out of his writing schedule to talk about his creative process, the horror genre, and his favorite horror films.

Expand your approach to book sales to include retailers other than bookstores (including online retailers). The more strategic you are about where your book is available, the more likely your target buyers will be to find and buy it.

Edgar Allan Poe's notion of "unity of effect" describes his belief that everything in a written work must lead toward the denouement, starting with the first word.

Do you have questions about how to assemble your book's copyright page? Here's a breakdown of what information you should include and how you should present it.

When embarking on his Kickstarter campaign, author Chuck Miller spent a lot of time looking at other campaigns for ideas. He checked all the boxes, from producing videos to getting creative with donor rewards, on his way to achieving his goal.

Scope is what everyone is talking about when they talk about genre. The scope of your story defines the genre — some concepts and ideas are in and others are out.

Whether you’re on deadline for a client or your laptop battery is clinging to its final dribs of power mid-writing session, when you’re an active writer, chances are, at some point, you will have to write under tight time pressure.