Writing Break
Whether you’re polishing your first draft or chasing down a book deal, the award-winning Writing Break will keep you informed, inspired, and ready to write.
First-Person POV: Ditch the Cash Register Narration
When you choose a narrator, you're choosing whose personality the reader will inhabit for an entire book. Get it wrong, and you might find yourself rewriting 80,000 words. (I've seen it happen.)
We're using Vivian the Professional Mourner as our case study to explore what first-person narrators can and can't tell us, why filter words create distance, and how to leverage your character's unique knowledge without slipping into omniscient narration.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Why POV is a personality choice, not just a grammar choiceWhat can your narrator actually tell us?Cash register narration might...What Is "Narrator Voice"?: 5 Elements That Bring It to Life
Last week we established that voice is the narrator's personality. This week, we look at all five elements that make up voice and see if your narrator is a real person or just you in disguise.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Amazon KDP finally does something self-publishers want.Eight million books lost in Ukraine.Arkansas criminalizes bookshelves.How to write a narrator that sounds unique.Next episode: first person vs. third person. Is your close third narrator just the protagonist in a trench coat?
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A sin...Voice vs. Style vs. Tone vs. Mood
Welcome to Season 10 of Writing Break! This season is all about voice, which is the thing literary agents, publishers, and readers fall in love with. In this premiere, we're setting up our makeshift Overthinking Conference Room to nail down the vocabulary that will guide us through the entire season.
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Why a whole season about voice? Trying to sound like Hemingway is a waste of your time.AI detectors: why they're flagging human writers as robotsThe actual difference between style, tone, voice, and mood? What agents mean when they say "the voice isn't working."This...New Literary Agent Rules to Know Before You Query
Season 10 is on hold because the rules for literary agents just changed, and not necessarily in the author's favor. This episode tells you exactly what questions to ask before you sign (or pay for) anything.
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The New Literary Agent Ethics Rules
What the Association of American Literary Agents changed and why.Which paid services literary agents may now offer.Why editorial work for represented clients must still remain free.The safeguards built into the revised ethics code.Potential conflicts of interest writers should understand.Practical questions to ask before paying for edito...Goodbye to Genres: Parting Words for Writers (Clip Show #17)
We're closing the book on genre, two seasons, dozens of subgenres, and a lot of overthinking later. This week we revisit some highlights: novel architecture and the dreaded middle-of-the-book slump, why cross-genre mashups can backfire if you get too ambitious, the tension between writing what you love and writing what sells, adaptation lessons from film and video games, and how genres evolve to match whatever readers are actually afraid of right now.
Did I miss a genre you wanted covered? Let me know.
Next up: Season 10 is all about voice, including what it actually is...
How Genres Change Over Time: From Castle Walls to Femgore
Genres and subgenres are ever-evolving. This week, we trace one horror lineage from a crumbling 1764 castle all the way to today's femgore boom, dig into a detective fiction metamorphosis that spans three centuries and two continents, and sit with a publishing story that should unsettle every working writer, one where AI hijacked a fired journalist's own byline to keep publishing under his name.
Plus: this week's overthinking prompt, built to work whether you write genre fiction or literary fiction.
An AI-generated review of Resident Evil Requiem written by a fake 'iGaming and sports betting analyst' briefly...The Two-Minute Wait: Time Management and Storytelling Around the World
How much can you really accomplish in two minutes?
This week on Writing Break, I share a simple exercise I call The Two-Minute Wait, which can help you better understand your relationship with time and improve the way you manage it.
We also discuss this year's International Booker Prize news before exploring storytelling traditions from around the world, including Nordic noir, magical realism, Gothic horror fiction, wuxia, Japanese literary fiction, West African oral storytelling, and the art of translation.
Whether you're looking to become more productive or broaden your understanding of storytelling, this...
The Kitchen Table Test: What Writers Can Learn from Film, Theatre, and Video Games
Everyone in your life thinks your book would make a great movie, play, or video game. But adaptation isn't a copy-paste job because every medium solves storytelling problems differently. This week, we put one scene through four different mediums to see what each one reveals about craft, whether or not you ever plan on adapting anything.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Why "the book was better" misses the point of what adaptation actually doesThe kitchen table scene: one moment, told four waysWhat novels can do that film, TV, and stage cannotThe screenwriting habit every novelist should steal...Who Owns the Story? AI, Copyright, and Authors
AI continues reshaping publishing, and writers cannot afford to ignore what's happening. In this week's news episode, we explore the growing legal, ethical, and professional questions surrounding AI, authorship, copyright, and creative ownership.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Publishing CEOs warning against an AI "witch hunt"The increasingly complicated question of what counts as authorshipCopyright lawsuits against Meta over the training of its AI modelsThe latest legal actions involving pirate libraries, including Anna's Archive and WeLibAI accessibility tools, speech-to-text software, and the debate over disclosureThe possibility of future human-authorship certification systemsWhy proving you wrote your own work...Writing What You Want vs. Writing What Sells
Should you write what you love or write what sells? Is it possible to do both?
In this episode of Writing Break, we explore how writers can stop chasing trends and, instead, find the overlap between personal passion and commercial viability.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
The Biggest Mistake Writers Make - Writing BreakIdentifying Your Ideal Reader - Writing BreakHome : America's Editor - Let's work together.More Writing TipsMusic licensed from Storyblocks.
Cross-Genre Mashups: Blending Genres and Gaining Readers
Cross-genre fiction is thriving, but blending genres successfully requires more than adding a dragon to a murder mystery (sad, but true). If you're writing a cross-genre novel, planning to write one, or wondering whether your manuscript accidentally became one, this episode will help you blend genres without confusing your readers.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Combining genres intentionallyWhat readers expect from different genresWhy understanding those expectations matters.Popular genre mashupsNext time on Writing Break: Writing What You Want vs. Writing What Sells. What happens when those two things aren't the same?
The Autho...What Does the Reader Need to Know Next? Writing Stronger Novels
What keeps a novel interesting after the premise stops being new?
In this episode, I share the most important question to ask yourself while writing, no matter what genre you're writing. I also analyze why some novels start out strong but struggle to sustain themselves to the end.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
novel architectureunnecessary subplotsrepetitive scenesthe infamous middle-of-a-book sagwriting staminareader engagementwhy you should NOT think of yourself as a "brand"What a Good Boy - Barenaked LadiesStoryblocks AI transparency statement - StoryblocksPick a Lane: The Key to Reaching the Right Readers - Writi...
Writing Advice for Fiction Writers: Genres, Story Structure, and Publishing Trends (Clip Show #16)
This week’s episode is a Writing Break clip show packed with writing advice across multiple genres and storytelling forms.
If you’ve missed part of the recent genre series or just want a concentrated episode full of practical writing insight, this one pulls together some of the strongest segments from recent episodes.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
paranormal fictionromantic suspensecozy mysteriesYA vs. New Adultgraphic narrativesexperimental fictionshort storiesnovellaspublishing trendsdiscoverabilityand audience ownershipNovella vs Novel: How to Know When Your Story Should Be Shorter - Writing BreakHow to Write Powerful Short Stories (Structure, Pacing, and Emoti...
Why Some Stories Should Be Novellas (Not Novels)
Some novels should have been novellas. In this episode, we get into the latest publishing and book trend news, and we talk about why shorter forms can create stronger stories. If you’ve ever wondered whether your manuscript is actually a novella in disguise, this episode is for you.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Why many novels lose focus when stretched too farHow novellas balance emotional immersion with relentless momentumTikTok’s struggling publishing imprintAI flooding discoverability systemsAudio-first storytellingThe growing pressure for authors to prove their work is “meaningfully human”Audio 'no longer an afterthought' as publishers sn...
Writing Short Stories: Structure, Pacing, and Word Counts Explained
Short stories don’t give you less to do, just fewer places to hide. They are often seen as a stepping stone for writers, but they demand a level of precision many writers underestimate.
In this episode, we look at what short stories are actually designed to do. We explore how strong short fiction is built around a single emotional movement, why focus and constraint matter, and how detail selection, pacing, and endings carry more weight in a limited space.
We also break down short story forms and word counts, from microfiction to novellas, and di...
Experimental Fiction & Hybrid Fiction: How to Break Form Without Breaking the Reader
What happens when you break the rules of storytelling?
In this episode, we explore how to experiment with intention. We look at nonlinear structure, fragmented narratives, and hybrid forms and why they only work when the writer maintains control over meaning, pacing, and emotion.
Key takeaway: You can break structure, but you cannot abandon it.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
What defines experimental and hybrid fictionWhy writers are drawn to breaking traditional structureHow to ensure form serves functionThe role of fragmentation, nonlinearity, and mixed formatsWhy readers must feel guided, not abandonedCommon mistakes that...Publishing Is Booming, So Why Are Writers Struggling?
In this episode, we break down the publishing developments editors and agents are talking about right now and what they mean for working writers.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Why audiobooks are now a primary format, not a secondary rights streamThe continued dominance of celebrity books and what it signals about the marketThe “hollowing out” of the midlist and what it means for author careersHow Substack and newsletters are changing the path to traditional publishingWhy publishers are acquiring fewer debut novelsThe blurred line between self-publishing and traditional publishingThe rise of “aesthetic publishing” and visually driven book salesThe Shy...Graphic Narratives: Storytelling in Panels
Comics, manga, and graphic novels combine image and word to tell stories in a way prose cannot. In this episode, we examine what actually changes when storytelling moves into panels, and why many writers struggle when they approach the form with prose habits.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
What defines a graphic narrative?How do readers construct meaning across panels?What changes in dialogue when images are doing part of the work?Who is in charge of the story: the writer or the illustrator?What does it take to excel in this genre?What common mistakes shoul...Writing Modern Westerns: Same Frontier, Different Moral Code
Elements of Western novels are infiltrating other genres and modernizing the mythology of the Wild West. In this episode, we head out to the frontier to explore how classic Western storytelling transformed into the modern neo-Western.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
• What are the core tropes that define a classic Western?
• How are neo-Westerns reinterpreting these elements in modern settings?
• Why has moral ambiguity replaced clear-cut justice?
• Should writers should blend in or stand out to be successful?
• What are the common pitfalls when writing Westerns and neo-Westerns?<...
Writing Cozy Mystery: Murder, But Make It Charming
Want to write a cozy mystery? This episodes explores the way cozy mystery blends charming communities, amateur sleuths, and clever puzzles to create crime stories that feel suspenseful without becoming dark or graphic.
From Murder, She Wrote to modern bookstore-and-bakery mysteries, cozy stories invite readers into tight-knit communities where secrets simmer beneath the surface and clever sleuths piece together the truth.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
What defines a cozy mysteryWhy amateur sleuths are central to the genreHow setting and community become characters in the storyThe delicate balance between murder and warmthWhy cozy mysteries feel...Young Adult vs. New Adult Fiction: What Writers Need to Know
What’s the difference between Young Adult and New Adult fiction? We explore the life stages, voice, and themes that define each genre, plus publishing news on AI copyright, contracts, and book bans.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
What defines Young Adult fictionWhat defines New Adult fictionThe key differences between identity formation and life-buildingHow voice changes between YA and NAWhy authenticity matters in both genresWhy New Adult remains complicated from a publishing perspectiveCommon mistakes writers make when writing either categorySupreme Court Denies Certiorari in Thaler v. Perlmutter: AI Cannot Be an Author Under the Copyrig...
Romantic Suspense: Love in the Line of Fire
Romantic suspense blends love and danger. Learn how to balance emotional tension with high-stakes conflict, build trust between characters under pressure, and deliver satisfying dual resolutions that keep readers turning pages.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
The latest publishing news What defines the romantic suspense genreWhat readers expect from romantic suspense novelsCommon pitfalls writers should avoid when blending romance and thriller elementsSelf-Publishing Facts - The Alliance Independent AuthorsSusan Choi and Katie Kitamura among authors longlisted for Women’s prize for fiction | Women's prize for fiction | The Guardian‘These books are pushing boundaries’: winners of £30,000 Inclusive Bo...
Audience Ownership: Why Authors Can’t Rely on Platforms Anymore
In this business-focused episode, America’s Editor breaks down the major industry shifts that are changing how books are discovered, distributed, and monetized. You’ll learn what recent developments mean for working authors.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
How today's authors keep their audienceChanges in book-selling platform accessDiscoverability vs VisibilityThe future of author rightsAI training and creator compensationThe shift toward digital-first library acquisitionApple automatically downloads U2's Songs of Innocence into Your iTunes.Authors Guild Raises Concerns About Kindle’s New “Ask This Book” AI Feature - The Authors GuildBanned Books: Analysis of Censorship on Amazon.com...
Paranormal Fiction: Why the Supernatural Is Dominating the Market
In this episode of Writing Break, we take a deep dive into paranormal fiction's lasting appeal and why stories about ghosts, vampires, and other supernatural beings continue to dominate bestseller lists.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
What defines paranormal fiction and why it’s thrivingHow ghosts, vampires, and other creatures function as modern archetypesUsing the supernatural as metaphor for cultural anxieties and emotional conflictThe rise of cross-genre paranormal (romance, mystery, thriller, and more)Common pitfalls when writing paranormal fictionAn Overthinking Prompt to help you write a paranormal moment grounded in the ordinaryMore Writing Tips
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Magic & Mayhem in Your Manuscript (Clip Show #15)
Over the past couple of months, we’ve covered dystopia, utopia, action, adventure, magical realism, children’s literature, satire, and a whole lot of fantasy. This clip show puts some of those writing tip segments together for you as a literary aperitif before we begin Season 9, where we'll be talking about blending all of these flavors together to create your signature genre. I'm very much looking forward to that.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
More Writing TipsMusic licensed from Storyblocks.
Writing Satire & Humor: The Sharp Edge of Comedy
In this episode of Writing Break, we explore how to use comedy as a storytelling tool without sacrificing character, plot, or emotional weight.
We’ll look at different types of humor on the page, what satire is meant to critique, and why timing, voice, and intention matter more than punchlines. We’ll also cover the most common mistakes writers make when trying to be funny and how to avoid turning clever jokes into narrative dead ends.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
The difference between humor and satireThe different types of humor in fiction Satire as social...Writing Dystopia & Utopia: Pushing the Real World to Extremes
In this episode of The Writing Break, we explore dystopian and utopian fiction and discuss the latest publishing news.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Dystopian vs. utopian fictionSociety as the main characterCommon pitfalls when writing dystopia & utopia fictionAmazon’s “Ask This Book” Kindle feature and why the Authors Guild is concernedThe proposed Anthropic AI settlement and what opting in or out means for authorsA major U.S. appeals court ruling expanding copyright termination rights worldwideThe closure of Baker & Taylor and its impact on authors, publishers, and librariesWhy the Authors Guild is condemning bot-driven book bans in TexasM...
Writing Action & Adventure: Stories in Motion
In this episode of Writing Break, we explore the Action and Adventure genre, which is all about forward motion. If you’re writing adventure novels, action scenes, or fast-paced fiction, this episode breaks down the craft behind the thrill.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
How to write a compelling adventureHow pacing, escalation, setting, and hero resilience work togetherHow to avoid action that feels repetitive or hollowMusic licensed from Storyblocks.
Writing Children’s Literature: Picture Books to Middle Grade
The episode opens with a look at current publishing news affecting authors, including reading behavior shifts and trends. Then we look at the three major stages of children’s literature and why understanding developmental stages matters. Perfect for writers curious about children’s books, writers who think they already understand the category, and anyone interested in how readers develop.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
The latest book trendsWhy writing for kids is so hardPicture books and story economyEarly readers and building confidenceMiddle grade and emotional depthWhy “books for all ages” do not existMore Writing TipsLeah Will...
Writing Magical Realism: Extraordinary in the Everyday
This week on Writing Break, we’re exploring how to weave the extraordinary into the ordinary without breaking the spell of magical realism. We're also discussing Amazon's increasing censorship of authors and artists.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
How it differs from fantasy and why the magic must stay unexplainedTechniques to balance realism and wonderCommon pitfalls that break the spellThe Latin American roots of magical realism and its global legacyA writing prompt to help you find the extraordinary in the everydayMore Writing TipsThe Biggest Mistake Writers Make - Writing BreakFree Style Sheet Templates
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Act 1 of Your Writing Year
Who are you becoming as a writer? Forget making a list of New Year's resolutions; instead, write a narrative for 2026. This bonus episode includes prompts for a creative reset to prepare you for the year ahead.
More Writing TipsFree Style Sheet TemplatesMusic licensed from Storyblocks.
Stay Stubborn: A Holiday Pep Talk for Writers
This Christmas Day bonus episode explores the creative power of stubbornness and includes three reflective prompts to help you close out your year with clarity and intention.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Why writers need stubbornnessHow it protects your voice.How it carries books across the finish lineMore Writing TipsThe Biggest Mistake Writers Make - Writing BreakFree Style Sheet Templates
Music licensed from Storyblocks.
Writing Fantasy, Part III: Whimsy, Chaos & Paradoxical Magic
In the final part of our Fantasy Subgenre Series, we explore the soft side of the genre: Cozy Fantasy, Slice-of-Life Fantasy, Eco-Fantasy, Children’s Fantasy, YA Fantasy, Comical/Satirical Fantasy, Fairy-Tale Fantasy, and Fairy-Tale Retellings.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Creating stillness and gentle magicLand-based storytellingIntensity and transformation in YA FantasyWhy some readers crave gentlenessThe paradox at the heart of enchantmentMore Writing Tips"Take This Longing" by Leonard CohenWriting Fantasy: Building Worlds That Breathe - Writing BreakThe Biggest Mistake Writers Make - Writing BreakFree Style Sheet Templates
Music licensed from Storyblocks.
Writing Fantasy, Part II: Dark Realms, Neon Cities & New Subgenres
In Part II of our Fantasy Subgenre Series, we explore the darker and more modern branches of fantasy: Dark Fantasy, Grimdark, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary/Modern Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Romantasy, Progression Fantasy, LitRPG, and Gamelit.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
What defines each subgenre?Why do readers love them?How does magic, character, and structure shift across newer fantasy genres?Is your magic system essential, atmospheric, metaphorical, or structural?More Writing TipsWriting Fantasy: Building Worlds That Breathe - Writing BreakThe Biggest Mistake Writers Make - Writing BreakFree Style Sheet Templates
Music licensed from Storyblocks.
Writing Fantasy, Part I: Epic Worlds, High Realms & Grand-Scale Subgenres
In Part I of this three-episode Fantasy Subgenre Series, we dive into the grand-scale branches of fantasy: Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, Historical Fantasy, Alternate History, Mythic Fantasy, Indigenous/Mythic-Region Fantasy, Portal Fantasy, Science Fantasy, Steampunk, and Gaslamp Fantasy.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
What defines each subgenre?Why do readers love them?How can you use world-building, magic systems, and narrative scope to shape your own stories?Which element of your world is doing the most narrative heavy lifting?If you love building worlds, bending history, or stepping through portals witho...
Thankful for Genres (Clip Show #14)
Pour yourself something spiced and settle in as we revisit writing tips from this season’s genre deep dives.
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More Writing TipsThe Biggest Mistake Writers Make - Writing Break7 Literary Conflicts Explained (Clip Show #11) - Writing BreakFree Style Sheet TemplatesMusic licensed from Storyblocks.
Pick a Lane: The Key to Reaching the Right Readers
If your book is “for everyone,” it’s actually for no one. In this sharp yet encouraging episode, we tackle one of the biggest hurdles for new authors: not wanting to be boxed in by genre.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Identify your book’s genre and emotional promise.Avoid the “genre blender” mistake that confuses readers.Use genre conventions as creative and marketing tools.Communicate your book’s identity in one professional sentence.Decide when and how to blend genres.More Writing TipsThe Biggest Mistake Writers Make - Writing BreakFree Style Sheet Templates
Music licensed fr
Memoir & Creative Nonfiction: Truth as Narrative
Your life is a story, but not every moment needs to be shared. In this episode of Writing Break, we’re exploring memoir and creative nonfiction, the genres where truth becomes art. Learn how to shape your real experiences into stories that captivate readers, how to handle the tricky business of writing about other people, and how to balance honesty with craft.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
The top 3 memoir pitfallsThe difference between memoir and creative nonfictionHow to identify the theme or central question behind your life storyThe role of voice, reflection, and scene in turning experien...Writing Literary Fiction: Finding Truth in Everyday Life
In this episode, we’ll unravel what “literary fiction” actually means, what readers expect when they open a literary novel, and how you, as a writer, can approach it without falling into the trap of pretension. We'll also look at how to build your portfolio, no matter what genre you're writing.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Why every sentence mattersBalancing introspection with forward momentum in your writingThe difference and similarities between literary fiction and genre fiction Giving short stories and contest entries new lifeMore Writing TipsWeekly Writing Contests - Reedsy Prompts» Calls for SubmissionsThe Submission G...
Writing Horror: Fear, Gore, and the Monsters Within
Just in time for Halloween, this episode explores the expectations and pitfalls of writing horror and how to write fear in any genre.
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Overthinking Couch Topics:
Fear in any genre The core of horrorTension as the backboneThemes and monsters Horror subgenres Global horrorPitfalls to avoidNext week, we’ll leave the monsters behind and step into Literary Fiction, the genre that insists on finding truth in everyday life.
More Writing TipsWriting Thrillers and Suspense: Raising the Stakes - Writing BreakThese 7 Components Will Set the Perfect Pace for Your Story - Writing BreakThe...