The creative writing blog

Libby Page

What are character mannerisms and quirks, and how do you use them to bring your characters to life? Bestselling author Libby Page defines character mannerisms and quirks and demonstrates how to use them to bring depth to your characters and to your novel.

Elsa Doig

Are you writing a spicy romance? Here are 5 tips on writing convincing, intimate, and passion-packed romcoms from Talia Hibbert, the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Brown Sisters series, the Ravenswood series, and the Young Adult novel Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute.

Libby Page

Rhetorical devices bring power to your sentences to supercharge your storytelling. Plunder our list here and discover how to make your writing work harder for readers.

Natasha Qureshi

Writing science fiction and fantasy? Our SFF editor Natasha Qureshi, formerly of Hodderscape, tells us three secrets every SFF writer should know if they want to get published.

Elsa Doig

Want to write like Donna Tartt? Explore the distinctive style, rich characterization, plot techniques, and immersive storytelling principles of her acclaimed works.

Colleen Oakley

Are you wondering how your favorite authors found their agents? Find out how Colleen Oakley (author of The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise and writing coach at The Novelry) secured representation and stayed calm throughout the process.

Elsa Doig

With the release of Intermezzo, Sally Rooney is the biggest name in literary fiction right now. What is it about her style that is so universally appealing? Read this article from The Novelry on Intermezzo, Normal People, and Conversations with Friends and learn how to write like Sally Rooney.

David Solomons

Modern video games feature complex, intelligent narratives, stunning visuals, and multidimensional characters. Award-winning children’s fiction author David Solomons shares what writers can glean from the impressive storytelling found in games.

Gina Sorell

Bestselling author and professional namer Gina Sorell shares 5 tips on finding the best names for your characters.

The Novelry

Lucy Clarke, the bestselling author of destination thrillers and recent TV adaptations The Castaways and No Escape, shares how she writes her settings, overcomes challenges, and makes readers care about her characters.

Ella McLeod

To help you start writing, The Novelry writing coach and bestselling YA author Ella McLeod provides a variety of fantasy writing prompts.

Kate Riordan

New notebooks, leaving the house and a piece of cake: how to get writing a new book with 9 tricks from bestselling author Kate Riordan.