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Most writers don’t start with rules. We start with stories. With voices in our heads, images in our minds, and a desire to capture something alive on the page.
But somewhere along the way—maybe after a few writing courses, critique groups, or too many “top 10 tips” articles—we start collecting rules like souvenirs:
- Show, don’t tell.
- Avoid adverbs.
- Stick to one point of view.
- Write every day.
- Never start with dialogue.
- Start with the action.
- Don’t use passive voice.
Individually, these rules aren’t evil. Many are rooted in good craft principles. But taken too literally—or too early in your development—they can suck the joy out of writing and replace it with anxiety and self-censorship.
Here’s the truth: Rules are tools, not laws. And sometimes, the best way to get your creativity back is to break a few of them on purpose.
Read more: Writing Rules Were Made to Be Broken: How Creative Rebellion Can Transform Your Fiction
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If you’ve ever stared at a blank page wondering why writing feels harder than it used to, you’re not alone. Many fiction writers—whether beginners or seasoned pros—hit moments where the spark dims and the question bubbles up:
"Why am I even doing this?"
But behind every writer is a powerful why. And when you reconnect with that purpose, you reignite the joy that started it all.
Read more: Why Do You Write? Rediscovering the Heart of Your Creative Journey
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Plot twists are among the most thrilling tools in a fiction writer’s toolkit. When executed well, they can make a story unforgettable—compelling readers to turn pages faster, question their assumptions, and recommend your book to everyone they know. But when a plot twist feels forced or implausible, it risks breaking the reader’s attention and undermining your narrative.
For intermediate fiction writers looking to take their storytelling to the next level, here’s how to craft plot twists that surprise and satisfy.
Read more: How to Create a Believable Plot Twist: A Guide for Intermediate Fiction Authors
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If you’ve already published one or two books, you’ve accomplished something many only dream of: you’ve created a world, developed characters, and shared your stories with readers. Now you may be hearing a creative whisper nudging you to return to that world—to explore what happened to a side character, tell the story from another perspective, or bridge the gap between books. That’s where a tie-in novel comes in.
A tie-in novel isn’t just another book in a series—it’s a chance to deepen the emotional resonance of your original story, reward loyal readers, and attract new ones. Whether you’re writing a prequel, a side-quel, or a spin-off, here’s how to do it well.
Read more: How to Write a Tie-In Novel: A Guide for Authors Building on Their Published Work
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When readers talk about a story that "stayed with them," they often can't quite articulate why. It's not just the plot or the pacing or even the prose. More often than not, it's the subtext — the emotional undercurrents, the tension in what goes unsaid, the invisible glue that holds a story together and makes it feel real.
I once knew a fiction writer who could do this like it was second nature, and at the time I knew that writer, they blew me out of the water with their ability to rely solely on subtext. Now, I preach minimalism because readers aren't stupid, and the days of over-description are rapidly coming to a close. Readers don't have that kind of attention span anymore. Only highlight what needs to be highlighted. Leave the rest up to your reader's imagination.
And if you're confused:
Subtext is what characters think and feel but don’t say out loud. It's the private truth behind a polite smile or the tremor in a voice that doesn't match the words being spoken. Just think of the bullying victim who yells for their harrassed to stop, but their voice trembles on the last word. Mastering subtext is one of the most powerful tools a writer can develop, and yet it remains one of the least understood and most rarely taught writing skills.
Read more: Writing the Unsaid: Mastering Subtext in Dialogue and Narrative