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Broken, but Still Good: 3 Ways to Create Character Flaws
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Choose the right flaws and weaknesses to round out your characters. There's an old saying: "I'm not looking for the perfect man, just one with faults I like." No clue...
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An Easy Tip for Tightening Your Novel’s Plot
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy A loose plot can easily unravel, but tying up the threads strengthens the entire novel. One of my favorite things when writing is when I make an accidental connection...
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You Can Fight Mama Nature: What to do When Your Antagonist is Nature Herself
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Some antagonists can't be fought—they can only be survived.It's common to hear "antagonist" and think "villain," but the two are not synonymous. An antagonist is just who...
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4 Must-Ask Questions Before You Start Your Novel
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyA little thinking before you start writing can make a huge difference in how easy that story is to write.For some writers, a blank page is a scary thing to face. For...
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Stepping Out: A Look at Point of View Shifts
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardySlipping out of your point-of-view-character's head can jar a reader right out of the story.Years ago, I started a book and set it down before I'd finished the first...
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How Do You Know if Your Writing is Getting Better?
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Without objective feedback, it's hard to know if you're improving or just making the same mistakes. Almost every writer at some point has wondered, "Is my writing getting...
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4 Tips on Writing Action Scenes
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyA good action scene starts with the character. Seriously. I love action in my entertainment. Books, movies, TV shows, even games. I also enjoy a great story to go with it,...
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A Step-By-Step Plan to Create Compelling Characters
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyStrong characters are vital to a strong story, so don't scrimp on their development.Developing characters is one of those things where everyone has their own method (which...
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6 Ways Your Setting Can Create Conflict
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Setting can play a much bigger role in your story’s conflict that you might realize. No matter what form it takes, conflict is at the core of every story. It’s part of...
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What “Mama” Can Teach Us About Tension & Suspense
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Want a bestselling novel? Grab your readers and don't let them go until the end. Once in a while, a story comes along that blows me away. It might be a novel, a movie, a...
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Bob and Weave: How to Mix Character Actions and Internal Thoughts
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy The smoother the flow between action and thought, the stronger the scene will be. Although some scenes (and some writers) naturally find the perfect balance between...
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What Are Your Characters Thankful For?
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy It's not all about the bad stuff. I'm the first person to heap trouble and pain upon my characters (bwahaha), but even I know there's a limit to how much you can dump...
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5 Ways to Fight Your End-of-Year Writer’s Fatigue
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyThe end of the year can be exhausting, but you can beat it. December is both a fun and a rough month. The holidays and festivities keep everyone busy and smiling, but that...
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5 Edits to Strengthen Your Writing, Right Now
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Making some simple word edits can turn a flat scene into one that sings. Back when I was first learning how to write, I loved discovering a great writing tip--the ones I...
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Moving Forward Into 2025
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyA new year, and new opportunities and hopes on the horizon.Happy New Year, everyone! I wish you all the best and hope your 2025 is starting off well. Fingers crossed it...
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Expect the Unexpected: Creating Plot Twists
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyReaders pay attention when they don't know what's coming next.When someone asks, "What's a story with a great plot twist?" your mind probably conjures one of the classics....
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Nope, Not Buying It: How Do We Maintain Believability in Our Writing?
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyYou don't want your readers to think, "Yeah, right, that'll never happen."My brother-in-law is a nurse, and he can't watch medical TV shows. It annoys the snot of out him...
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What's the Best Way to Tell (and Write) a Story?
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Storytelling is more than just well-written prose.No matter what anyone tells you, there is no "right way to write." It’s a process that varies from writer to writer and...
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That Sounds Familiar: Cut Often-Used Words in Your Writing
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyIt takes a lot of work to write well, and sometimes we go for what's easiest instead of what's original. During the drafting stage of a manuscript, some phrases and...
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The Pros and Cons of Having an Alpha Reader
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Do you really want feedback on those first draft pages? At this stage in my career, both my crit groups are "first draft, in-progress" groups. They read the pages right...
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3 Common Mistakes Writers Make with Conflict
By Janice HardyConflict has caused more than its fair share of writer frustrations.Like many writers, I’ve spent countless hours creating conflict in my novels. I’ve thrown exciting obstacles in my...
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The Rule of Three and How it Helps Our Writing
By Janice Hardy Three is a magic number in writing, and can help you craft stronger stories.There was a joke in my house growing up, that things always happened in threes—good luck, bad luck, it didn't...
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The Key to Creating Suspense Is...
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Suspense matters in all novels, not just the thrillers and the horror stories.The most memorable experience I've had with suspense and storytelling, was watching the...
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The Revision Ripple Effect
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Tiny tweaks in a story can cause a tidal wave of changes. Maybe I’m a writing freak, but I actually love revisions. A single change can impact a novel on multiple levels,...
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3 Easy Edits for Better Emotional Descriptions
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy The wrong words can flatten the right feelings—learn how to spot them and breathe emotion back into your scenes.Ever read a scene that should hit you right in the feels,...
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