Other Writers

Angela, Becca and I hope you’re having an amazing holiday season full of family, friends, good food and special memories. We are so grateful for your visits, kind words of support, and trust in us. We love serving the writing community through this blog, One Stop for […]

  by Anne R. Allen It’s the darkest day of the year. Which means it will get lighter from now until summer.  🙂 Should we try to write through the darkness? Sometimes writing can keep you going through the holidays, but treating the rule “Write Every Day” as if it is […]

When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or a learned go-to strategy, a mechanism helps them cope with the stress of the moment or […]

Want to win editorial feedback and take your opening hook scene from good to great? Well, my writerly friend, you’re in luck! It’s time for our monthly Phenomenal First Pages contest. In this draw, you can win… Editorial feedback on the scene with your Chapter 1 hook. […]

All About Character Motivation Character motivation is key in any good story. A great character wants or needs something for a reason … and they must struggle to get it. Your characters should drive the plot through their own choices, behavior, worldview, backstory and […]

by Anne R. Allen I’m home from the hospital recovering from pneumonia. But as we come to the final chapter of 2025, I thought I’d post some of my tips from earlier posts on how to end your novel or memoir. If you’re like most writers, you may have trouble getting that […]

When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or a learned go-to strategy, a mechanism helps them cope with the stress of the moment or […]

When first learning how to write, we often focus on the skills of writing craft—grammar rules, point of view, etc.—but storytelling skills are just as important. Some might even say they’re more important. After all, we can probably think of popular books that suffer from […]

Becca and I have a case of Christmas Mania right now because having our own bookstore means we can wrap up terrific deals for you in ways we can’t with Amazon. So, drum roll, please! All Digital Single Thesaurus Books Are BOGO Maybe you have a few holes in your digital shelf, […]

When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or a learned go-to strategy, a mechanism helps them cope with the stress of the moment or […]

Thoughtful gifts never go out of style, and for writers, they act as a neon sign of love and support. Being a writer is challenging. We shut ourselves away to write, wondering if we’re good enough, trusting in a destination we can’t quite see yet. It can be a lonely road, […]

Conflict in every scene. It’s popular advice because it’s true. Conflict ratchets up the tension for readers because it makes the character’s success less likely, and readers start worrying about the hero’s ability to win. Will she find true love? Can he overcome his […]