Resources, insights, and inspiration for writers at every stage of their journey.
From the instructors who have helped over 100,000 aspiring authors learn their craft.
Recent Articles
- The Sense Writers Forget (And Why Readers Never Do)
Most writers describe what a room looks like. Readers remember what it smelled like. Sight is the default because we’re visual creatures. We write the oak desk, the afternoon light, the stack of papers. But… - Why Your Story Feels Episodic — and the Two Words That Fix It
Most writers connect their scenes with “and then.” That’s how you get a plot summary, not a story. Every scene should connect to the next with either “but” or “therefore.” “But” means complication: the character… - The Real Reason Character Arcs Fall Flat: Want vs. NeedMost character arcs fail the same way. The character has a goal, they achieve it (or don’t), and nothing feels earned. The problem is confusing want with need. Want is conscious—the thing they’re actively chasing….
- Genre Conventions Are a Promise — Break Them at Your Peril
Subverting genre conventions is the most common mistake I see in ambitious first novels. The intent is to be bold. The result is usually a confused, disappointed reader. When someone picks up a romance, they’ve… - How to Use Flashbacks Without Killing Your Scene
Most writers insert flashbacks at the worst possible moment. A character has just made a discovery. Stakes are high. The reader is leaning in. And then the scene cuts to six years ago to explain… - Where Your Writing Voice Actually Lives
Writers spend years trying to “find their voice.” Most are looking in the wrong place. Voice doesn’t live in adjectives or sentence length. It lives in what your narrator notices. Pick a room. One writer… - Your Antagonist Should Be the Hero of Their Own Story
Your antagonist is the hero of their own story. If you don’t write them that way, they’ll come out flat. The weak antagonist is one of the most common problems in first novels. The villain… - Why Your Subplot Might Be a Sideshow
Most subplots in first novels exist to fill pages. The writer adds a love interest with a job problem, a best friend going through a breakup, a mystery at the office. Each gets a few… - The Missing Ingredient Most Writers Ignore: Internal Conflict
Most writers spend 80% of their energy on the external plot and almost none on the internal conflict. Then they wonder why readers finish the book and forget it. External conflict is the story’s skeleton—it… - Stop Ending Your Scenes with Success
Every scene you end with a success is slowly killing your novel’s momentum. I’ve seen this pattern hundreds of times. A student with clean prose and characters readers actually care about. People quitting halfway through…. - Memoir Isn’t About What Happened to You
Most memoir writers think the interesting part is what happened. It’s not. The real material in memoir is the distance between who you were and who you became. The event is just the container. What… - The Editing Trap That Kills First Novels
Most writers don’t finish their first novel. The reason is almost never a bad idea. It’s editing while they write. I’ve taught over 100,000 students. The pattern is the same: you write a chapter, you…
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Steve Alcorn
USA Today bestselling author of twenty novels and non-fiction books, including mysteries, young adult novels, children’s books, and the acclaimed writer’s guide How to Fix Your Novel. Steve also founded Alcorn McBride Inc, which provides audio and video systems for theme parks worldwide.
Dani Alcorn
Author, instructor, editor, and mentor. Dani trained in screenwriting at Northwestern University and the University of British Columbia and worked as a professional medical writer. She is the author of screenplays and a science fiction novel.