The world is a scary place that often leaves us feeling the butt of some cosmic joke. But pens are still mighty and capable of giving reality the occasional swift kick in the ass.
Author Archives: kwatkins
Join the Conversation: Reexamining Dialogue
When it comes to dialogue, writers really do need to say what they mean and mean what they say. In other words, you’ve only got so many chances to use your characters’ conversations to their utmost advantage. Make them count.
How to Appreciate the First (Sucky) Draft
Lesson the first for every writer everywhere: the first draft is almost always awful. But that’s okay. In fact, that works to your advantage.
Writing Contests and Why They Make Us Want to Hurl
Writing contests are great avenues for exposure and constructive criticism. So why do they make all us writers feel physically ill at the thought of entering?
Lady Bosses of Lit
In the literary world, every day is International Women’s Day, and every month is Women’s History Month. The real world just hasn’t caught up to speed with the lady bosses of lit—yet.
27 Tips I’ve Collected as a Writer, an Editor, and Everything in Between
There are a million things that go into writing a novel. Here are twenty-seven of the handiest tips I’ve collected so far.
NaNoWriMo 2020
It’s not just fun to say; NaNoWriMo is a website, a nonprofit organization, a widespread writing community, and a challenge all rolled into one.
Writing Mythical Creatures
Fiction writing lends itself to an endless array of characters, from humans to mythical creatures: borrowed, created, or something in between.
To Outline or Not: Is There a Question?
Every writer creates their own type of outline. Or, sometimes they don’t.
Disenchanted by Brianna Sugalski: a Book Review
Disenchanted by Brianna Sugalski brings magic and even more drama to the height of the French Renaissance.
K. Watkins 