In this guest post, writer William Meikle describes how to write a “killer opening line” and keep your readers hooked.
But first, I have to share a quip from Annie Dillard on how to be a successful writer:
“One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, [...]

As a writer, it’s all too easy to concentrate on the mechanics of submitting work to editors and to forget that the writing itself is of primary importance. We should all be constantly seeking to improve. If we do that, editorial approval will become that much easier.
To that end, here are five things you can [...]

In this guest post, author and psychologist Dr. Paulette Kouffman Sherman, Ph.D., describes how to stay in the zone and succeed as a writer. 
First, a quip from Arthur Hailey on how to be a successful writer:
“I set myself 600 words a day as a minimum output, regardless of the weather, my state of mind or [...]

A logical, satisfying ending is always required in a short story, but how do you ensure that yours is fresh and new? One of the ways is to avoid the obvious. Here are some common endings seen by editors: use them at your peril.
People have been writing stories for a very long time. If you’ve [...]

Fantasy fiction is big business, and many authors are trying hard to break in. The burning question on all their lips is, “How did JK Rowling do it?” And the answer to that is pretty simple. She gave the readers what they wanted.
1. Kids like chaos… but only a bit of it.

The Hogwarts school set [...]

Many people aspire to write novels, but simply fail to get the ball rolling due to a “lack of time.”  Certainly, writing a novel is a time-consuming process that can end up taking its toll on you physically, mentally, and emotionally.  It doesn’t have to be so painful, however, to write that novel you’ve been [...]

The panels of professional writers, agents, and editors were one of the best parts of the Surrey International Writer’s Conference. I love panels because they give you a great cross-section of experience and opinions. Here’s what I learned from one of the writers’ panels at this conference, in a Q & A format.
First, a quip from [...]

If I could attend a writing conference (or a conference for entrepreneurs) every month, I’d be one happy woman! Here’s what I learned in my three days at the Surrey International Writer’s Conference in October, 2008.
First, a quip from best-selling author Mary Jo Putney: “Writers are introverted and insecure.”
I’m a little insulted by that. I [...]

New York Times bestseller Vicki Pettersson, who is working on her fourth book, spoke at the Surrey International Writers’ Conference about self-sabotage, goals and habits.
Outwardly, Pettersson looks like a writing success. But, like most writers, she struggles with motivation, time, and energy. She doesn’t feel totally successful…
“I just feel like I’m failing forward,” says Pettersson. [...]

Historical romance and fantasy novelist Mary Jo Putney spoke at the Surrey International Writers’ Conference in British Columbia. Here are some of her best tips on writing, editing, and publishing.
First, a tantalizing quip from Putney:
“When your book comes out, there will be errors in the text,” she says.
Okay, this may not seem like a brilliant [...]