A classic romance story has three key elements. Find out what they are, and get ideas for your own romantic fiction.
Often, people put off writing because they're afraid. Here are some tips on how to overcome fear and get words onto the page.
Here are some prompts that you can turn into romance, suspense fiction, or romantic suspense.
Here's the secret to writing a novel that will hold your readers' interest.
"Show, don't tell" is common advice in creative writing classes. But what does it actually mean? And how do you do it?
Here are some ideas you can turn into stories. All of these ideas have to do with communication...
Do you tend to lose interest in your writing projects partway through? How can you stay inspired long enough to complete your manuscript? Here's what you need to know.
Raymond Carver offered this advice to writers: "When in doubt, have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand." Depending on your story, that's certainly one option. Here are twenty others.
Sometimes a change of scenery can wake up the muse. Here are some ideas to try.
These two magic phrases will help you come up with lots of ideas.
These five simple techniques will add interest to your characters -- and to your stories.
Here are four story prompts involving characters with obsessions...
Here are four fiction writing prompts about New Year's resolutions that have unexpected results...
This worksheet makes it easy to develop your story ideas. Fill in the blanks to start planning a story.
Here are some fiction prompts and ideas to get your imagination flowing. Have fun!
Looking for creative inspiration? Here are some "what-if" questions that you can use to come up with story ideas.
Poet Lisa Dordal offers advice to new poets and shares her own writing process.
A great story beginning captures your readers' attention and makes them want to read on. Here are some tips on how to start with a bang.
The ending of a story or novel forms readers' final impression of what they have read. Here are some guidelines to help you write endings that will leave readers satisfied.
In this 8-week e-mail course, you'll learn how to create fictional characters that feel 3-dimensional and real. Make your characters and stories come alive in the reader's imagination.
To celebrate Halloween this year, we've created a booklet of scary photo prompts. You can use this booklet to get ideas for terrifying or atmospheric stories or poems. Download it for free here.
Bryan Cohen's new book Writer on the Side offers ideas to keep you motivated and help you find writing time throughout the day, even with a busy schedule.
We asked editor and former literary agent Robin Martin to share her tips for fiction writers.
The author of The Writer's Compass talks about becoming a writer and outlines a 7-stage process for writing a manuscript.
Take this 3-day online course for free and generate lots of ideas for your fiction writing.
Creative Writing Now has a new Facebook page! Come visit us there and click on the "like" button to friend us.
Author Nancy Antle talks about writing picture books and middle-grade fiction.
Julie Schwietert Collazo teaches travel writing at MatadorU. We asked her to share some advice for aspiring travel writers.
Literary blogger Levi Stahl offers his picks of novels and short stories for fiction writers to study.
Novelist Rowland Russell shares some tips for writing a novel and explains why writing to publishing trends is a mistake.
Writer Ron Hogan, who founded the seminal cultural blog Beatrice.com, offers his picks of novels for aspiring novelists to use as models.
Author Jenny Davidson talks about the process of writing her recent novels, which are set in an altered historical past.
Writer and cultural critic Edward Champion recommends some novels to study as examples of character and plot development.
Professor Jonathan Mayhew, author of four books about poetry, talks about recommended reading for poets.
We spoke with the founders of Rose Metal Press, an independent nonprofit publisher specialized in hybrid genres and nontraditional literary forms.
The tongue-in-cheek Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest offers prizes for horrible writing. Read our interview with the competition's founder.
Writer and critic Mark Athitakis discusses current trends in American fiction and book reviewing.
Author Jill Esbaum discusses writing and publishing children's books and how to avoid common mistakes.
Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler offer advice for new memoirists and share their experiences of writing the collective memoir, Rosie's Daughters.
Poet Jessie Carty talks about her poetic influences and what she has learned from editing a literary magazine.
Author Heather Sellers talked to us about the process of writing her new memoir, You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know.
Michael Klam, Poet in Residence at Balboa Park's Museum of the Living Artist, spoke to us about performance poetry and poetry translation.
The founder of the book review blog Reading in Color talks about young adult literature and her letter-writing campaign to Borders.
Nicole Peeler, author of the Jane True urban fantasy series, shares her thoughts on the dos and don'ts of writing fantasy.
Writer and critic John Matthew Fox talks about reviewing books and offers advice for new reviewers.
Meredith Sue Willis explains her Archipelago Method for novel-writing and shares advice on maintaining momentum during the writing process.
Romance author Skhye Moncrief spoke with us about writing romance novels, what it's like to work with Druids, and her thing for kilts.
Author, editor, and publisher D. Patrick Miller talks about independent publishing and typical mistakes he sees in manuscripts by new authors.