Nine Idioms Traced To Their Origins
We use idioms all the time — after all, these phrases came into use because their figurative meanings can really make a point. But the origins of many common idioms are not easy to guess.
12 Authors Who Died in 2020
2020 took a heavy toll in so many ways, but the voices of these writers, poets, and authors will never be silent. We take a moment to pay tribute to 12 authors who died in 2020. May their voices continue to sing.
Comedy Or Not, Your Story Needs A Good Straight Man
Your story needs a good straight man (or woman) to bring your comedic, heroic, or otherwise unconventional characters into sharper focus.
Find Success As A Writer By Focusing Your Energies
Borrowing lessons from sports and chess, you can find success as a writer by mastering fundamentals, optimizing your efforts, and meeting the challenges in front of you.
Reading Habits From Around The World: 2020 Edition [Infographic]
This infographic digs into all sorts of metrics to put the world's reading habits into perspective. Though, A Promised Land just sold 890,000 copies on its first day, which means that list of best-sellers in 2020 might get rearranged a bit.
Dialogue Tags: When “Said” Doesn’t Say Enough [Infographic]
"Said" is usually the best solution when attributing a statement to a character, but there are times in your book or short story where a more specific qualifier would do a lot to paint a complete picture.
Writing Dystopian Novels In Dystopian Times
Given the current environmental and social climate — and the worldwide pandemic — you'd think people would avoid dystopian fiction. Not so...