Okay, I’ve Finished My Revision. Now What ? | IFW
Once you’ve finished your last big revision, what do you do now? You bask in the glow of a job well done. Then you get back to work. Your next steps are here.
We All Have a Story About a Trip That Didn’t Go As Planned
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Submit yours … perhaps you’ll win! We all have stories about trips gone awry. C’mon, admit it. You’ve got one. Maybe you were bound for Aruba and your luggage spent a lovely weekend in Iowa. Or the guy…
Who’s Ready to Do Some Literary Gardening ? | IFW
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Taking the Pruning Shears to Your Manuscript to Lose the Verbiage* Sometimes, in the process of revising, you realize your manuscript is just too darn long. That’s when you have to get creative about trimming it. Really creative.…
Revision: Your First Step to Fantastic Writing | IFW
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Do you know where to start? “Wait … what do you mean I’m not done?!” I hear this so much from new writers when I mention revision. I swear, revision is like a four-letter word to them! It’s…
What You Should Consider Before Writing About Your Life Online
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Questions to ask yourself before you put your stories out there. When I first started my career as a freelance writer, I had one goal and one goal only: to make enough money to leave my job as…
How To Get Started as a Travel Writer
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Tips for turning the dream into a reality Getting paid to travel is the ultimate dream of any writer, right? Lounging on white, sandy beaches with the crystal-clear blue sparkling water just beckoning you for a day of…
How To Turn Your Experiences Into Stories
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Making stories about your life engaging for readers Do you ever feel like every story that could possibly be written has been done already? Well, I am here to tell you that your feelings are correct —everything that…
Character Development: A Few Final Thoughts | IFW
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Haven’t I warned you not to get me started? I haven’t? Hmm … well, that does pose rather a difficulty, doesn’t it? Well, I suppose it’s a little late to caution you about that now, so you’ll just…
Everyone’s Got a Story to Tell. What’s Yours ? | IFW
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > So you’ve decided to write your memoir. Good for you! It’s great that you’re up for the challenge. Before you start amassing stories, beginning from your most traumatic potty-training memory right up through the jerk in the maroon…
Writing a Character Who Has Cancer
When you write a character with cancer (or other disease), things can get touchy. Here’s how to ensure your character isn’t solely defined by their illness.
Character Development, Part Deux
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Creating a Well-rounded Character Just Got More Fun! Last week, we took a broad, overall view of character development. Today, we’ll quit staring at our overalls, zero in on creating that protagonist you’re bringing to life, and add…
Three Keys to Believable Three-Dimensional Characters | IFW
When you sit down to write a new story, think about your characters. Giving characters heart, soul, and real faults—yes, faults—is vital to creating memorable characters.
Anatomy of a Score Sheet
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > What are judges looking for? When I was first starting out on my publishing journey, I entered a lot of contests for feedback, for the possibility of getting an agent or editor interested in my work, and for…
Predatory Contests
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > 5 Ways to Spot a Fake Now that you’re a contest pro or at least thinking about becoming one, you need to be aware of some of the contest scams out there. As long as there have been…
Tweet Your Way To Representation
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > No, seriously. One of the ways social media can be a writer’s best friend is by allowing you to be up-to-date on trends. On Facebook, we’ve seen a rise in online selling. Whether it’s ads on your wall…
Want Professional Feedback on Your Writing? Enter a Contest
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > No matter what genre you write in, there will come a time when you need to get some non-biased feedback. Your friends and your writing group will only take you so far. There are several contests that can…
How to Take Your Own Writer’s Retreat
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > As a writer who works from home with four young children, there is one fantasy that constantly makes its way into my mind—and it has nothing to do with any shades of anything gray or freed. Instead my…
7 Ways to Connect More with People as a Writer | IFW
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > 7 Ways to Connect More with People as a Writer As a writer, do you ever feel a little, well, disconnected from the world? Are there ever entire days that pass before you realize that you haven’t actually…
Tips for Using Scrivener for Story Development | IFW
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Tips for using Scrivener for story Development Like many writers, I am aspiring to write the next great American novel. Well, actually, that might be a slight exaggeration. I just want to write a novel that is mine…
To Outline or Not to Outline: That is the Question | IFW
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > To Outline or Not to Outline: That is the Question There are two types of writers in this world: the kind who outline and the kind who don’t. OK, so that may be a slight exaggeration, but I’ve…
