P. Barreraa day ago3 min3 Ways Keeping a Journal Makes You a Better WriterEveryone writes, often because they have to. If you’ve fallen in love with writing for pleasure, it’s easy to forget you don’t have to stick
P. Barrera3 days ago4 minHow to Write Immersive FictionOne of the most interesting, albeit difficult things a writer can do is create a story that allows a reader to actually experience what the
P. Barrera5 days ago2 minRevision: Making a Mess Less ComplicatedThere’s a lot you can fix in a first draft. It’s why they’re first drafts. You can focus on character, world building, plot, inner cohesion,
P. BarreraAug 64 minHow Do You Take Criticism?An author can’t get away from criticism, no matter the level of talent. How do you cope with it? And is there a way for it to be beneficial
P. BarreraAug 43 minHow to Construct Gripping Fight ScenesLike a lot of my how to pieces here, this one came from my own developing of a fight scene. I used to be really good at writing them as a te
P. BarreraAug 34 minWhy Are Query Letters and Synopses So $#!%ing Hard to Write?! (And How To Get Through It)When I was in college I took a class called Fantasy Literature, which I thought would be nothing but fun and actually turned out to be a lot
P. BarreraJul 314 minHow to Write a Novel That Will Actually Be Worthy of PublishingSo, you say you have a dream, Mr. Martin Luther King Jr. of prospective fiction (or nonfiction) writer. Well, so do I, and so do millions of
P. BarreraJul 294 minIs Your Idea Original Enough?Everyone always says to be original in your writing, but are we oversimplifying things? Can anyone be original anymore, and what are the pit
P. BarreraJul 276 minHow to Write Battle ScenesIn my experience, writing battle scenes is a very dangerous endeavor. A writer has to walk a fine line between giving too much away and givi
P. BarreraJul 253 min4 Misconceptions About Writing a NovelWhen it comes to writing, there is nothing more daunting than writing a novel. Okay, maybe attempting to write a saga of twelve novels is a
P. BarreraJul 233 minRejection: A Writer’s Rite of PassageNearly five weeks ago, I battled nerves and self-doubt but finally managed to hit send on my manuscript submissions to the editors I pitched
P. BarreraJul 214 min6 Tips for Using Beta ReadersBefore I had finished the third draft of my manuscript, I kept it from view in much the same way a vampire would shy away from the sun. When
P. BarreraJul 202 min4 Puzzle Pieces to Hook Your ReadersRight up front, give your readers what they want, information.
P. BarreraJul 172 minWhere Do You Write?I am blessed to have my own writing room. It’s my daughters’ former bedroom, outfitted with a desk, a dresser, two overfilled bookcases, two
P. BarreraJul 153 minWhat to Avoid with Internal MonologueMost writers have used some form of internal monologue. Are we using it the right way?
P. BarreraJul 133 minHow Objects Tell Your StoryIn 2011,I embarked on one of the harshest undertakings; I placed what I thought was the final draft of my novel in a drawer for one year. Wh
P. BarreraJul 118 min5 Overused Words in FictionI’m deep in the throes of editing my current WIP right now, Broken Time, which is why my poor blog has been taking a backseat. And what this
P. BarreraJul 93 minFormula for Fiction? A Simple Breakdown of 7 Point PlottingI had been writing fiction for several years before I had the chance to attend a workshop presented by Kris Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith. Thi
P. BarreraJul 73 minWhat Feedback Should You Apply To Your Story?A critique partner (CP) recently told me one of the trickiest parts of the group is remembering not all feedback need be applied. It reminde
P. BarreraJul 67 minFrom The First To The Last Chapter – 5 Things To Keep In MindThe ability to write a novel from start to finish doesn’t own any kind of magical formula. Like anything we try to accomplish in life, certa
