Newton’s third law says every action will have an equal but opposite reaction. This is true in stories, too … or at least it should be. How do we get to know characters, even as they flit from one conflict-ridden chase scene to the next? Through reaction beats.

Your voice is unique to you. It’s how you talk; the combination of sounds, the words you choose, your sarcasm or humor, etc. Those same idiosyncrasies factor into writing voice. It’s a writer’s stylistic choices, the POV character’s personality, and the audience you’re telling the story to. So, what’s picture book voice?

Writing dialogue is tricky. It seems like it should be the simplest part of the process, because we’re all familiar with what conversations sound like. There’s a difference, though, between a conversation you might have and how to write active dialogue in your story.

Populating your world with interesting people can make readers care about your story, and writing relationships between characters can inspire them to ship, daydream, and root for your characters. Here’s how to help them come alive on the page as real, believable people.

Writer burnout is a cousin to writer’s block, with a few key differences. Both states leave you feeling like you should write, you need to write, but you just can’t. I’ll share five tips that’ll help you recover from writer burnout.

Regardless of who I’m talking to—an audience of kid readers, or a group of teachers at a workshop, the most common question I receive is: how to cure writer’s block?

Writers have a love-hate relationship with word count. It’s one of the necessary evils we deal with to determine if a manuscript meets an acceptable published length. So how long should a book be? Here’s a guide to help you answer.

Writers are often cautioned away from flashbacks, but they can connect the dots between the past and who the characters are now. Read on for tips on writing flashbacks that function well.

When done well, rhyming picture books are snappy, quotable, and fun to read. Children retain the words more easily and begin to identify patterns and sounds: a real treat. The problem? Writing a good rhyming picture book is much trickier than it looks.

We want our readers to connect emotionally to our characters and to feel their pains and struggles—but it can be tricky to know how to describe emotion to create that connection. Here are some effective ways to describe emotion.

Reactions go beyond what a character’s body does in the moment. Check this list for ideas for digging your characters out of their physical clichés and moving your story forward.

Having a daily writing practice is one of the best ways to improve your writing. The more you write, the more you’re able to learn about your style and voice. So, here are five tips to make this dream a reality.

Picture books are so fun to read aloud! Readers can play with the volume, pitch, and inflection of their voices to give the verses maximum effect.

Strong character development arcs make better stories. Here are some tips on writing characters that readers will connect with and root for.

We know a believable character when we see one. We know what they want, how they feel, and that they’ll be different at the end of the story than they were at the beginning. Here’s how to make sure they’re connecting with your reader.

Hello. My name is Blandy. My appearance is normal. My eyes, hair, and build are ordinary. My opinions are private. My feelings are mild. I have a job in an office where I work. For leisure, I either look outside or inside. I am a boring character.

Dialogue tags are invisible and useful when done well, but they can kick a reader out of a story so quickly when they aren’t. Let's talk about which ones work, and which are less effective.

How do you write shy characters? Shy people often have rich inner worlds that are teeming with life; they’re just selective about who they let inside. Here are a few ways to help you show your shy character’s true nature.

How is a writing buddy different from a critique partner or writing partner? The terms are often used interchangeably, but I happen to think that a “writing buddy” is friendlier. So here’s how to be a good one, and boost your own critique and writing skills at the same time.

How long can a picture book manuscript be? What if mine’s much longer? Or much shorter? Will I be automatically rejected by an agent? What if my story needs those words? Are there different lengths for different types of picture book manuscripts?

Let’s answer these questions.

The act of writing theme is an important ingredient in storytelling, but it doesn’t have to resound with Meaning-with-a-capital-M. In fact, theme works best when it’s subtle and even open to interpretation. Here are three tips that’ll help you incorporate theme into your story.

Whether you’re writing a picture book, a chapter book or a middle grade novel, the star of your story is a child character. Here are some tips on how to write a believable child character.

When done right, writing realistic dialogue isn’t simple because people aren’t. Here are some tips and tricks for writing dialogue that sounds natural and fits the character who’s speaking.

An active protagonist drives the story. Meaning? Your main character should want specific outcomes and fight for them. That’s where the conflict in the story comes from: everything that fights back. For tips on activating the hero of your story, read on.

Writing female characters can be harder than you expect, as a writer, but it’s important to get right. There are some blind spots that many of us—men and women alike—have when it comes to crafting compelling female characters.

Raising the stakes is a great way to sew tension in your story, and fear of failure is something everyone can relate to. The constant battle between running toward the goal while running away from the alternative will keep readers engaged and invested in your characters. Know how to identify your stakes and when to make them bigger.

“Write what you know” is common advice, but it can feel like an attempt to limit creativity. You write to discover new places and understand different points of view. If you only write what you know, how can you write about what you don’t know?

Finding time to write can sometimes seem impossible. If you have a packed schedule due to school, your day job, or multiple day jobs, you may think it’s impossible to start your novel, let alone finish it. Here are some ways to carve out time in your day to write.

Show don’t tell is one of the first pieces of advice given to new writers. My first writing professor preached that we all STAY AWAY from exposition. Still, even with SDT etched into our minds, writers slip into exposition and description, missing opportunities to immerse their readers.