Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 6

Seven Writing Fears That May Be Holding You Back from Greatness

By Eleanor Hecks

Writing is a journey filled with challenges, many of which stem from internal fears that can stifle creativity and hinder progress. Recognizing and addressing these fears is crucial for writers and educators aiming to foster a productive writing environment. Here are several common writing fears and strategies to overcome them.

1.���� Fear of Failure

Writers worry their work won���t be good enough, that publishers will reject them or that readers will criticize their ideas. This fear often leads to self-doubt and procrastination, making starting or completing projects difficult.

Tip: The key to overcoming this fear is reframing failure as a learning experience rather than a final verdict. Every rejected manuscript, critical review or abandoned draft is an opportunity to refine your skills. Seeking constructive feedback from trusted peers and mentors can help you improve and build resilience.

2.���� Fear of Inadequacy

Writers often struggle with imposter syndrome ��� the nagging fear that they aren���t truly skilled or deserving of success ��� but this phenomenon isn���t exclusive to writers. Over 80% of people experience imposter syndrome at some point. For writers, this can manifest as hesitancy to submit work, reluctance to call themselves ���real��� writers or constant comparison to more established authors.

Tip: One of the best ways to counteract this fear is through continuous learning. Attending workshops, reading widely and writing regularly can build confidence and reinforce skill improvement with practice. Every writer ��� no matter how experienced ��� starts as a beginner. Acknowledging your progress over time can help shift your mindset from insecurity to self-assurance.

3.���� Fear of Judgment

Writing is an intensely personal endeavor, and sharing your thoughts with the world can be intimidating. Whether it���s fear of criticism, misunderstanding or personal exposure, worrying about how others will react can hold writers back from sharing their work.

Tip: One way to counteract this fear is by embracing the reality that no piece of writing will resonate with everyone. Some readers will love your work, while others may not connect with it. The most successful writers focus on their message rather than trying to please everyone.

4.���� Fear of Financial Instability

One of the most pressing concerns for writers is whether they can make a living from their craft. The financial pressure to support oneself or a family can be overwhelming. Even just owning a home costs an average of more than $500,000, while raising one child to adulthood costs more than $233,000 on average ��� numbers which many believe a writing career can���t begin to support. Writers may fear that pursuing their passion won���t provide reliable income to support their families or themselves, leading them to abandon their creative aspirations.

Tip: To mitigate this fear, setting realistic financial goals and budgeting wisely can help manage expenses. Many successful writers balance their craft with other income streams, such as teaching positions, editing jobs or speaking engagements. Establishing a financial cushion can provide peace of mind, allowing you to focus on writing without constant monetary stress.

5.���� Fear of the Blank Page

Staring at a blank page can feel like standing at the edge of an abyss. The pressure to produce something meaningful can be paralyzing, leading to writer���s block and avoidance.

Tip: Breaking the task into smaller steps can help. Instead of aiming for a perfect draft, focus on getting words on the page. Freewriting, setting timers and outlining can ease the pressure and make the process more manageable. Developing a daily writing habit ��� even just a few sentences ��� can also help overcome the inertia of starting a new project.

6.���� Fear of Wasted Time

Many writers worry that the hours spent writing will be for nothing if their work isn���t published or recognized. This fear can make it difficult to invest time in writing, leading to stalled projects and unfulfilled ambitions.

Tip: One strategy to help you overcome this fear is shifting your perspective on what makes writing valuable. Writing is not just about publication ��� it���s about growth, self-expression and mastery of a craft. Even if a particular piece doesn���t gain external recognition, it contributes to your writing development. Setting achievable goals and celebrating progress ��� rather than just outcomes ��� can help maintain motivation.

7.���� Fear of Success

Some writers fear what comes after success. The pressure to replicate a well-received work, meet reader expectations or handle increased scrutiny can feel overwhelming. Success often brings new challenges, including higher stakes, deadlines and public attention.

Tip: To navigate this fear, focus on what success means to you personally. Rather than being driven by external markers, define your own creative goals. Surround yourself with a supportive network of fellow writers, mentors and loved ones who help keep you grounded. Accept that growth is a continuous journey, and success is simply another step along the way.

Embracing Courage in Writing

Acknowledging and confronting these fears is a vital part of the writing journey. Remember, courage is not the absence of fear but the determination to forge ahead despite it. Writing is a growth process, and every challenge overcome is a step toward mastering your craft.

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at��Designerly Magazine and a freelance writer passionate about helping other writers of all genres grow their following and community. You can find her work featured in publications such as IndependentPublishing.com and Self-Publishing Review, or connect with her on��LinkedIn��to keep up with her latest work.

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Character Secret Thesaurus: Hiding the Truth about Family

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What���s at stake if it���s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden?

This is some of the important information you need to know about your character���s secrets���and they will have secrets, because everyone does. They���re thorny little time bombs composed of fear, deceit, stress, and conflict that, when detonated, threaten to destroy everything the character holds dear.

So, of course, you should assemble them. And we can���t wait to help.

This thesaurus provides brainstorming fodder for a host of secrets that could plague your character. Use it to explore possible secrets, their underlying causes, how they might play into the overall story, and how to realistically write a character who is hiding them���all while establishing reader empathy and interest.

For instance, let���s see what it might look like if your character���

Is Hiding the Truth about their Family

ABOUT THIS SECRET: Families can be the source of many dark secrets: criminal activity (drugs, trafficking, terrorism), a cover-up, incest or abuse, nefarious ancestors, or something else. A character with these kinds of skeletons in the closet might feel obliged to keep them secret to protect the family name, avoid prosecution, achieve certain goals, or keep loved ones safe.

SPECIFIC��FEARS��THAT MAY DRIVE THE NEED FOR SECRECY: Becoming What One Hates, Being Attacked, Being Judged, Being Labeled, Being Returned to an Abusive Environment, Being Separated from Loved Ones, Being Unable to Achieve a Dream, Being Unsafe, Being Watched, Betrayal, Conditional Love, Humiliation, Isolation, Letting Others Down, Losing Autonomy, Losing One’s Social Standing, Losing the Respect of Others, Not Being Believed, Persecution, Rejection, Repeating a Cycle of Abuse

HOW THIS SECRET COULD HOLD THE CHARACTER BACK
Taking on the sins of the family as their own and being burdened with guilt and shame
Struggling with internal dissonance because they want to protect the family but they also want to be honest
Isolating themselves to avoid humiliation
Feeling like they can���t trust anyone

BEHAVIORS OR HABITS THAT HELP HIDE THIS SECRET
Lying about the family business
Pretending a particular relative is dead or lives far away
Misdirecting people who wander too close to the truth
Constantly monitoring family members who know the truth to be sure they���re keeping things quiet

ACTIVITIES OR TENDENCIES THAT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS
The family���s activities (or history) making the news
The character becoming agitated when pressed for information about the family
Frequent fights behind closed doors with relatives
Relatives having different stories about the family���s history or certain events

SITUATIONS THAT MAKE KEEPING THIS SECRET A CHALLENGE��
Having to attend a family gathering
A love interest wanting to meet the character���s family
A journalist becoming interested in the family
Incriminating evidence being aired

Other Secret Thesaurus entries can be found here. Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (18 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.

If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Secret Thesaurus: Hiding the Truth about Family appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Using a Character’s Personality Traits to Generate Conflict

When it comes to generating conflict, your character���s personality can help ensure sparks fly, especially when their traits clash with someone else���s.

When people grate on one another their interactions become filled with misunderstandings, power struggles, one-upmanship, and impatience. Whether allies, enemies, or something in between, contrasting viewpoints and attitudes sharpen dialogue, and if tempers flare too far, friction can become all-out conflict.

And guess what–we want these escalations to happen! They keep relationships from getting stale, add plot complications, and keep the pace moving. So bring on those clashes, problems, and fallout, I say. Let characters get under each other’s skin. When people get along, the tension will be sucked out of your story faster than a three hundred year old vampire enjoying a free for all.

There are many ways to create friction– characters could have opposing goals, be competing for the same thing, or have opposite ideas about the path forward. These setups can all work, but only if they don’t come off like a plot device. For readers to see friction as natural, not manufactured, it needs to come from within the characters. An easy way to do this is to let their opposing personalities do the work.

Leaning into Opposites

The low-hanging fruit of clashing personalities is to play with opposites. Methodical and impulsive. Proper and flamboyant. Perfectionistic and lazy. These combinations can be fun to write while juicing interactions with friction. To find trait combos that will cause natural friction, check out these lists from the Positive Trait Thesaurus and the Negative Trait Thesaurus.

Is your character an obsessive rule follower afraid to step outside his comfort zone? Have him be swept up in friendship with someone spontaneous and maybe a bit rebellious. Or is a coworker stealing the credit for your protagonist’s hard work, but she won’t speak up for herself? Pair her with a new cubicle-mate who has confidence in spades and a vengeful streak that ensures all wrongs will be put right.

Opposite traits can be negative, positive, or one of each. It’s all up to you. And, with a bit of extra thought, opposing traits can serve an even deeper purpose: to spotlight a character flaw that’s holding your protagonist back.

Introduce a Character Foil

A character foil is someone whose traits contrast with the protagonist���s, either in big, obvious ways or through a few key differences. This contrast helps readers see how the protagonist is navigating life differently, and maybe it’s not going so well for them.

When a foil character exhibits traits the protagonist lacks (but needs), it creates a mirror moment. The protagonist starts to see their flaws more clearly, and that realization can become a turning point in their character arc. If they want to move forward, something has to change.

Double Down on the Same Trait

Another method is to give two characters the same trait: controlling and controlling, manipulative and manipulative, idealistic x 2. Positive or toxic, characters with identical traits tend to cause the relationship pot to boil, and soon, the battle royale for dominance is on.

Clashing Traits Don’t Always Mean Fireworks

Sometimes writers can get a bit too excited over creating tension between people because, of course, it can lead to some spectacular clashes. But more often or not, realistic friction is more about getting under each other’s skin just enough to be a passive-aggressive jerk.

When irritated, maybe your character starts to get snarky in their responses, offers a backhanded compliment, or delivers a narrow, you’re so stupid stare. Or they could decide to withhold advice, information, or help…or share a half-truth just to mess up the other person’s plans. Make sure to have some fun with your friction, especially if it leads to consequences that are well-deserved.

Friction Isn���t Always Negative

Not all friction is hostile. Sometimes it���s attraction. Sometimes, it���s unresolved tension, or the pressure of two people who both want something but can���t figure out how to get it together.

Think about romantic tension. Much of what makes chemistry sizzle on the page is the emotional friction underneath���conflicting desires, different communication styles, or the fear of vulnerability when one person is more open than the other.

Friction also shows up in friendships, family dynamics, workplace drama, or even mentor-student pairings. Any relationship where two people have different wiring has a chance to create layered tension.

Choose Personality Traits Carefully

While it might seem like a fun way to add drama, clashing traits shouldn’t be assigned without thought. Each character’s personality is a unique window into who they are, where they came from, and the people and experiences they were exposed to before your story began. To understand more about personality traits and how to choose the right ones, give this a read.

The post Using a Character’s Personality Traits to Generate Conflict appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Five Ways to Get Your Protagonist to Realize They���re the Problem

We���ve all heard the writing advice that we need to throw rocks at our protagonists. More obstacles, more tough choices, and more loss test them and force them to grow and change. This is all true and necessary.

But one of those most overlooked forms of safeguarding our protagonists is by making their problem an everyone else problem.

If their parents could just value them for who they are, your character would be a lot happier. Or if their significant other would understand them, things would be just right. Or if their kids would put in more effort, all would be perfect in their world. If their boss would see what they���re capable of and promote them, everything would be different.

Characters can sometimes focus on the way others are letting them down. And in that case, the behavior of other characters becomes the story problem. Your character���s wellbeing hinges on someone else changing.

Back to those ���rocks��� we need to throw at our characters. Yes, it���s important to toss obstacles and road blocks at our characters. But I would argue that the largest boulder we can throw at our characters comes in the form of a massive mirror. If our characters are forced to look at their own behavior, their own choices, and the way those things are blocking them from what they actually need, the hardest obstacle of all emerges���changing themselves.

While it���s easy to point the finger, to assign blame, to critique and find fault in others (and it might all be deserved, by the way!), the harder thing is to self-reflect. To have your protagonist evaluate their own behaviors in light of the behaviors of those other characters. To identify choices they can make that not only free them from whatever unhappy construct they���re trapped in, but that usher them toward what they ultimately need, all as a result of their own actions.

In the real world, we know it���s not only impossible to change someone else���s behavior, it���s also not our responsibility. In the world of writing, we want to be conscientious about the way we handle that truth, too. Our characters become the vehicle for conveying a deeper truth readers then carry into their lives.

If your character���s story is an everyone else problem, where is the space for your protagonist to exercise agency? To grow and change? To test out what they can control and to deliver themselves the satisfying ending they crave?

Let���s look at a few ways to move your character from thinking their problem is about someone else to understanding that their own choices will deliver them what they need:Introduce characters that show your character what���s possible behavior-wise. Maybe another character is thriving despite being in a similar situation. Or perhaps another character challenges your character directly on their decision to stay stuck in an unhappy relationship. Who can come along to plant seeds that give your character the courage to try new behaviors? To let go of the expectations they���ve placed on others? To show them that we don���t have to fixate on how others can and will let us down?Introduce characters that mimic your protagonist���s detrimental choices. Maybe your character meets someone and realizes how that character is holding themselves back or making poor decisions. Maybe your character meets someone in the same situation and who is very much stuck in a victim role. Mirror characters are a safe way for your protagonist to see the truth about their own choices and to give them aha moments about themselves. Sometimes it���s not until they see something in someone else that they can then see something about their own lives. Your character might even begin to support or mentor someone else, and that forces them to want to employ change in their own life.Introduce subplots that invite your character to put energy and heart elsewhere. Maybe they take up a new hobby or job, or they go somewhere completely new. Where can they thrive? Under what circumstances can their strengths emerge? Where can they have greater autonomy and see how their own choices can and will lead them to what they need? Where can they be appreciated in ways that they���ve lacked? You might even have some new subplots that reveal what your character doesn���t want���new activities or new places that echo the unhappy aspects of their preexisting lives. That way, they���re empowered to walk away in a lower-stakes setup, and to see that doing so isn���t so bad after all.Present a conflict that moves them away from the rut of missed expectations. If a more significant problem emerges that invites your character in, they can loosen their focus on the way they enter the story mired in unhappy circumstances. In overcoming an unrelated conflict, they may see themselves in a new light and realize their happiness doesn���t reside in others��� hands.Force them to confront the past despite their journey. While we want new people and places and experiences to grow our protagonists, part of their story arc is seeing their past with a shifted perspective. Healing is about coming to terms with the past���not simply moving away from it. If your protagonist has a new support system around them as a result of their own choices, they���re better equipped to confront the past with courage. That way, we see the power those unsatisfying relationships once had as being diminished. Perhaps the protagonist can even reflect on their own counterproductive part in the way things once were.It���s Important to Note That Blaming Others and Not Wanting to Make Changes Are Normal and Even Expected Reactions.

Your character might enter the story this way and spend your first quarter wrestling with the view that everyone else is their problem. But beware that readers are turned off to characters with a victim mentality. Also, readers come to a story expecting change. For the protagonist���s agency to emerge and story structure to function, the reader will expect that somewhere around the 25% mark, there���s a collapse in that everyone-else-is-the-problem perspective. The character will begin to see that being held hostage by missed expectations is what���s harming them above all, and they���ll begin driving their own quest toward well-being through those five strategies above. If we���re to reach the ending fully believing your character is going to be okay, it will take time all throughout those final three-quarters to see how and why.

While we���d all love to change something about the people around us, controlling others isn���t feasible and it renders us powerless. In story, it���s no different. The more we empower our protagonist to step into new relationships and new experiences, the more we lessen the grip of missed expectations. We position our characters to face a problem that is fixable and give them that satisfying ending they deserve.

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Character Secret Thesaurus: Fleeing a Crime Scene

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What���s at stake if it���s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden?

This is some of the important information you need to know about your character���s secrets���and they will have secrets, because everyone does. They���re thorny little time bombs composed of fear, deceit, stress, and conflict that, when detonated, threaten to destroy everything the character holds dear.

So, of course, you should assemble them. And we can���t wait to help.

This thesaurus provides brainstorming fodder for a host of secrets that could plague your character. Use it to explore possible secrets, their underlying causes, how they might play into the overall story, and how to realistically write a character who is hiding them���all while establishing reader empathy and interest.

For instance, let���s see what it might look like if your character���

Fled a Crime Scene

ABOUT THIS SECRET: Fleeing a crime scene���on purpose or unintentionally���is a secret that clings like gunshot residue. The character might not have committed the crime, but being there at the wrong time makes them look guilty, or at the very least, deeply suspicious. Staying silent isn���t just about avoiding legal trouble, it���s about dodging the endless fallout���like being blacklisted from jobs, losing friends, or becoming the hot gossip at every dinner party.

SPECIFIC��FEARS��THAT MAY DRIVE THE NEED FOR SECRECY: Being Attacked, Being Unsafe, Being Watched, Government, Letting Others Down, Losing One���s Social Standing, Losing the Respect of Others, Not Being Believed, Rejection, Trusting Others

HOW THIS SECRET COULD HOLD THE CHARACTER BACK
Being fearful of situations similar to where the crime was committed
Avoiding public activities out of fear a witness may recognize and out them
Fearing that if they come forward, they���ll face legal and social repercussions or jail time
Close relationships being compromised due to the character���s dishonesty about what happened

BEHAVIORS OR HABITS THAT HELP HIDE THIS SECRET
Destroying evidence that places them at the scene of the crime
Avoiding the location where the crime was committed to prevent being recognized
Lying about their whereabouts during the time of the crime
Breaking off contact with anyone who may suspect the truth
Becoming isolated out of fear for their own safety

ACTIVITIES OR TENDENCIES THAT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS
Exhibiting avoidance tendencies when the topic comes up with a partner or spouse
Lying ���tells��� being activated when topics around the event come up���e.g., excessive sweating, stammering, or not making eye contact
Becoming obsessed with the victim
Being unable to explain evidence that points to a crime (a crumpled fender, bloodstains on a shirt, bruised knuckles, etc.)

SITUATIONS THAT MAKE KEEPING THIS SECRET A CHALLENGE��
Being asked directly about the events surrounding the crime
An accomplice wanting to confess
Being connected to the setting or people involved in the crime in a way that others know about
Being roped into the investigation because of their connection to an involved party, one of the investigators, or another witnesses

Other Secret Thesaurus entries can be found here. Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (18 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.

If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Secret Thesaurus: Fleeing a Crime Scene appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

I Tried a BookBub Featured Deal���Here���s What Happened

I���d always heard that landing a Bookbub deal could really help with marketing your book.

I’d tried a couple of times before with no luck. But recently, I submitted my historical fantasy, The Curse of King Midas, and was selected for a BookBub Featured Deal.

But there was a catch���it wasn���t for the U.S. market. My deal was for international readers only.

When I realized that, I wasn’t so sure about moving forward. I did some research and then decided to go for it.

In this article, I’ll discuss my experience, share my results, and tell you whether it was worth it.

How Much Does a BookBub Featured Deal Cost?

Cost is one of the biggest factors in deciding whether to apply for a BookBub deal. Prices vary depending on several factors:

Your book���s genreThe price of your book during the promotionWhether your deal includes the U.S. or is international only

For my deal, I promoted a fantasy novel at $0.99 (the second-lowest pricing tier available, after ���free���). My international-only deal (which included the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia) cost $196.

The price would have been significantly higher if I had been selected to include the U.S. Since this was my first experience with Bookbub’s featured deals, I was kind of glad to have been chosen for international only. It gave me a chance to see what the deal would do for me without spending as much as a U.S. deal would cost.

The trade-off between price and royalties is important to consider. A lower-priced book will sell more copies but yield lower earnings per sale. (At 99 cents per book, I earned only about 30 cents per copy, for example.) Plus, the Bookbub featured deal costs less.

A higher-priced book (you can go up to $4.99) means fewer sales but greater royalties per copy. It also means a higher price for the Bookbub deal, though. (You can find the prices here.)

I���ve also heard that you have a better chance of being selected for a Bookbub deal as an indie author if you price your book on the lower end of the spectrum.

I opted for the $0.99 price point because my primary goal was to increase readership rather than maximize immediate earnings���and I wanted to improve my chances of being accepted for the deal.

What Was My Goal with This Bookbub Featured Deal?

My main objective was to introduce more readers to The Midas Legacy series before the release of Book II in June (2025). I wanted to get my book into as many hands as possible so new readers could discover the series. I was hoping to earn some of my money back, but I wasn���t overly concerned with breaking even or turning a profit from this deal alone.

Results from My BookBub
Featured Deal

BookBub estimates that a deal like mine (in the fantasy genre) could result in between 10 and 2,250 copies sold. Thankfully, I sold more than ten! Considering my book remains relatively unknown to the general fantasy audience, I feel pretty good about the results.

My BookBub email went out on February 12th, and by the end of the next day (February 13th), here were my total sales:

124 copies sold (all ebook)Amazon: 102 copiesDraft2Digital: 22 copiesTotal royalties earned: $46.93Amazon: $36.40Draft2Digital: $10.53

By the end of the day on February 15th, I had sold 50 copies total on Draft2Digital (all international buyers), bringing my Draft2Digital earnings up to $23.24. Additionally, I sold eight more copies on Amazon (not counting U.S. sales), adding roughly $2.40 to my total Amazon royalties (I���m not sure how the exchange rates may affect this).

Updated Totals:

Total books sold (excluding U.S.): 160 copiesTotal royalties earned: $62.04

(A few more sales trickled in later on that I didn���t include here.)

Since this was an international-only deal, I���m counting only UK, Australia, and Canada sales. I did have some U.S. sales at the same time, as I ran a concurrent 99-cent deal in the U.S. to take advantage of the opportunity. (I sold nearly 200 books with the deals combined.) I’m not counting those sales here, though, as they were not due to the Bookbub international deal.

Was My BookBub Featured Deal Worth It?

Based on my primary goal���introducing more readers to my series���I���d say yes, it was worth it.

Did I make all my money back? No. I spent $196 and earned $62.04 in direct royalties, meaning I recouped about 31% of my investment. But that wasn���t the only metric I was tracking.

Here���s why I still consider this deal a success:New Readers Found My Book ��� 160+ new people in international markets now own my book. Some of them may read it, love it, and go on to buy Book II when it releases in June. That���s my hope, anyway!Potential Long-Term Impact ��� I���ll be watching to see if I gain new reviews, email subscribers, or follow-up sales in the coming months.Exposure in Key Markets ��� The UK, Australia, and Canada all performed well. These are valuable markets for fantasy books, so getting my foot in the door was beneficial.

Would I do it again? Possibly! If I see strong engagement from the readers who picked up my book, I’d consider another international deal���or, ideally, a U.S. BookBub deal to see how it compares.

If I do get another chance, I think I may go for a higher price point. One drawback of the 99 cents is that many readers will purchase, but then not read the book. They���ll leave it to languish on their ereaders. A higher price point may result in fewer sales, but inspire purchases from readers ready to read���though I���m not certain on this.

If you���re a writer considering a BookBub international deal, I hope my experience helps you decide whether it���s the right move for your books!

Note: Get more articles, free reports, and free chapters of Colleen���s award-winning books when you sign up for her motivational newsletter for writers!

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How to Use Writing Prompts to ���Unstick��� Writer���s Block

By Savannah Cordova

Stop me if you���ve heard this one: you���re at your desk, laptop or notebook open, hours stretching out before you��� but you can���t seem to get the words down. You feel stuck, hopeless, and incapable of moving forward; in other words, you���ve got writer���s block.

Luckily, there are countless methods out there to combat this condition ��� and one of the best ways is to use writing prompts. As a judge for Reedsy Prompts, a weekly prompts-based competition, I���ve seen firsthand how our prompts have inspired hundreds of thousands of writers around the world ��� how they can spark creativity and get you out of even the worst of slumps!

On that note, this post will explore how you can use prompts to push through your slump and help you get back into the flow of writing.

First Off: What Causes Writer���s Block?

Before we dive into the prompt stuff, it may help to identify the root cause of your own writer���s block. That way, you���ll know exactly how to adjust your mindset ��� and select the right prompts ��� to defeat it! Here are some reasons why you might be struggling:

You���re obsessed with perfection.

As a perfectionist myself, I understand how the desire to create something flawless can become a huge roadblock. I often fixate on the tiniest details, ending up in an infinite cycle of editing and rewriting. If you also identify as a perfectionist, you���ve probably experienced moments of doubt and creative paralysis ��� and you���ll need some fun, even silly writing prompts to help you loosen up and move forward!

You can���t focus.

One of the more mundane causes of writer���s block ��� and another one I���ve experienced myself ��� is simply the inability to focus. Particularly when you hit a less interesting part of your writing (often called the ���muddy middle���), you���ll find it much easier to get distracted. In this situation, you need a prompt that doesn���t take you away from your story, but instead feeds back into it; for example, you could look at some character questions or worldbuilding prompts to reignite your interest and re-focus on your story.

You lack inspiration.

Lastly, if you don���t have clear direction or motivation, you���ll inevitably come to a standstill as you write. Experiencing this kind of creative drought is beyond frustrating, and you might even feel like giving up ��� in which case you���ll need a Hail-Mary prompt, something so irresistible that it gives you a whole new catalyst to create!

With all that in mind, let���s look at four types of prompts and why these types are so useful for providing inspiration and ���unsticking��� writer���s block.

1. Conflict prompts

Getting into these key categories, ���conflict��� prompts are ��� as one would expect ��� prompts that introduce a challenge or problem for your characters to navigate. Whether the conflict is internal (���Center your story around someone facing their biggest fear���) or external (���An apologetic letter or email from an old flame suddenly arrives ��� many years too late���), this can really help you consider how your character(s) would respond and grow when faced with a tricky situation.

Perfect for: Writers who are stuck on ���what should happen next?��� in their plots.

2. Setting prompts

These prompts focus on a particular environment or place ��� bonus points if you choose a type of setting you���ve never written about before! Some prompts of this ilk include: ���Write a story set in a world of darkness where light is suddenly discovered��� or ���Set your story in a place where the weather never changes.��� As you can gather, setting prompts don���t have to focus on location alone; they can also give you the building blocks of a dystopian world, for example, or a place where a setting���s physical elements are uncontrollable.

Perfect for: Writers who want to start something brand-new, particularly with different genre conventions. (For example, if you���re blocked on a literary fiction project, try a setting prompt ��� and then challenge yourself to write a sci-fi or fantasy story!)

3. Dialogue prompts

Dialogue prompts give writers a straightforward starting point, yet at the same time, allow them to go in basically any direction they���d like. Prompts like ���Start or end your story with a character asking a question��� or ���Write a story that includes the line, ���Is nobody going to say it?������ are great conversation starters to show not just characters��� emotions, but also their values, desires, and even their fears.

Perfect for: Writers who need to reveal something about their characters, but aren���t sure how to do it organically.

4. Genre-specific prompts

Lastly, genre prompts are incredibly useful for anyone who wants to explore the signature themes, tropes, and styles of a given genre. Mystery, thriller, dark fantasy, romance��� there are so many out there! Trying out a prompt like ���Write a story where the laws of time and space begin to dissolve��� or ���Write a story about two characters who like each other, but don���t get a happily ever after��� might even lead you to discover a love for a genre you never knew before.

Perfect for: Writers looking to sharpen their skills in a specific genre, whether that���s their ���typical��� genre or not!

If none of these speak to you, you can always browse our full archive of 2,000+ prompts ��� with plenty more filters ��� from past Reedsy Prompts contests.

3 More Tips for Using Prompts Effectively

There aren���t any set rules when it comes to incorporating writing prompts into your routine; indeed, if you���re trying to tackle writer���s block, you should do whatever it takes! However, if you���d like some final bits of advice ��� particularly if you haven���t worked much with prompts before, and feel apprehensive about it ��� read on.

Start small.

When trying something new, it���s almost always best to ease into it; this helps reduce the pressure and bolster your motivation to continue. In that vein, start by dedicating just a few minutes each day to writing prompts, writing on 1-2 simple prompts at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Over time, you���ll be able to take on more complex prompts and extend your writing sessions without breaking a sweat.

Set a timer.

Additionally, to ensure you don���t spend more time on writing prompts than the actual writing you need to do, grab your phone and give yourself only 5-15 minutes per prompt. This is also a great way to stay motivated ��� instead of wasting precious seconds looking out your window or staring at your ceiling, you���ll feel more compelled to write something ��� anything!

Keep it free-form.

Remember, no one needs to see what you���ve written besides you, so don���t feel the need to adhere to a certain structure or style. Instead, take this opportunity to experiment with new perspectives, hybrid forms (such as prose poems), punctuation, generic conventions��� whatever floats your boat! Just let it all out ��� this is all about having fun, trying new things, and seeing where your writing takes you.

Finally, don���t forget that writer’s block happens to everyone; the good news is that it���s only temporary. With so many different tools and strategies to defeat writer’s block, you can push past any slow or rough periods and come out feeling even more invigorated than before. You���ve got this ��� wishing you the best of luck.

Savannah Cordova is a writer with Reedsy, a marketplace that connects authors and publishers with the world���s best editors, designers, and marketers. In her spare time, Savannah enjoys reading contemporary fiction and writing short stories. You can read more of her professional work on Litreactor and the Reedsy blog.

The post How to Use Writing Prompts to ���Unstick��� Writer���s Block appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Secret Thesaurus: Being an Anonymous Financial Donor

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What���s at stake if it���s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden?

This is some of the important information you need to know about your character���s secrets���and they will have secrets, because everyone does. They���re thorny little time bombs composed of fear, deceit, stress, and conflict that, when detonated, threaten to destroy everything the character holds dear.

So, of course, you should assemble them. And we can���t wait to help.

This thesaurus provides brainstorming fodder for a host of secrets that could plague your character. Use it to explore possible secrets, their underlying causes, how they might play into the overall story, and how to realistically write a character who is hiding them���all while establishing reader empathy and interest.

For instance, let���s see what it might look like if your character���

Made an Anonymous Financial Donation

ABOUT THIS SECRET: There could be many reasons your character decides to support a particular person or organization anonymously. Their altruistic actions may be offset by the desire to avoid being solicited for donations by others. If the recipient is controversial in some way, the donor want to support them without inviting undue conflict. Keeping the peace could also be a motivator if certain relatives wouldn���t be happy about money leaving the family coffers.

SPECIFIC FEARS THAT MAY DRIVE THE NEED FOR SECRECY: Being Judged, Being Labeled, Being Taken Advantage of, Being Watched, Conditional Love, Conflict, Criticism, Discrimination, Letting Others Down, Losing One’s Social Standing, Losing the Respect of Others, Putting Oneself Out There, Rejection, Trusting Others

HOW THIS SECRET COULD HOLD THE CHARACTER BACK
Being identified with selfishness and stinginess instead of generosity
Having to hide their true allegiances
Not being able to publicly embrace the recipient and engage with others who are likeminded

BEHAVIORS OR HABITS THAT HELP HIDE THIS SECRET
Never mentioning the person or organization they���ve donated to
Donating the money from a secret or foreign account
Starting a rumor that the donation was made by someone else
Feigning support for people or organizations whose values or goals are opposed to those of the recipient

ACTIVITIES OR TENDENCIES THAT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS
Money being withdrawn from their bank account with no paper trail
The organization sending the character literature via the contact information provided when donating
Someone discovering the character���s alias or pseudonym
Having meetings with a lawyer for the organization

SITUATIONS THAT MAKE KEEPING THIS SECRET A CHALLENGE 
The character being audited
The family falling on hard times and needing money that���s no longer there
A letter of gratitude coming in the mail
The money being used for something the donor didn���t intend

Other Secret Thesaurus entries can be found here. Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (18 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.

If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Secret Thesaurus: Being an Anonymous Financial Donor appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Writing 101: Dialogue Mechanics

Strong dialogue isn���t just about the words being said���it���s also about how those words are presented on the page.

If you���re newer to writing, there���s a lot to learn about storytelling���from big-picture techniques like show-don���t-tell to the more foundational aspects surrounding punctuation and capitalization. The technical part of writing isn���t very sexy, so we don���t talk much about it. But knowing those basics is super important if we want to write stories that contribute to the reader���s experience instead of interfering with it. And Angela and I want to make sure Writers Helping Writers offers help for authors at all stages and experience levels.

So today I���m starting a new 101 Series surrounding the foundational skills I see writers struggling with the most. Each post will cover a key element of fiction writing, and we���re starting off with dialogue mechanics���because even the most interesting conversations can fall flat if they aren���t written correctly. Poorly drafted dialogue can make the writing clunky, drag the pace, or cause confusion for readers, all of which can pull them out of the story. And no one wants that.

If you���ve ever struggled with where the punctuation goes (inside or outside the quotes?), when to use a comma vs. a period, or when to start a new paragraph in a scene of dialogue, you���re not alone, and this post is for you.

A Few Definitions

Before getting into the common dialogue mistakes, let���s identify three key elements of any good written conversation.

Dialogue: The actual words spoken by a character. (“I can���t believe it.“)Dialogue Tag: A phrase that identifies the speaker. (���I can���t believe it,��� she said.)Dialogue Beat: An action that accompanies the words being spoken. (���I can���t believe it.” Becca threw the bag of chips in the trash.)

Tags and beats are important because they���re a vital part of our real-life conversations. Including them breaks up the dialogue, creates rhythm, clarifies for readers who���s saying what, and makes the interaction between characters more authentic.

Now that we���re clear on the terminology associated with a passage of dialogue, let���s talk about the familiar stumbling blocks.

1. Proper Punctuation and Capitalization

First, let me start with a disclaimer that the rules I’ll be referencing are specific to American English. I know we have readers in Britain and Canada and many other places where English is used but the rules are slightly different. But because I don’t use the other versions and can’t speak to proper usage, and because the majority of our readers are using American English for their manuscripts and submissions, I’ll be focusing on that today.

So, in American English, always use double quotes for dialogue. Single quotes have their own purpose, but they shouldn���t be used as the main marks for dialogue.

When it comes to the rest of the punctuation for a line of dialogue���well, that depends on the sentence structure.

Complete Sentences with Tags

We know a complete sentence has a subject and verb that conveys a complete thought. In dialogue, you can determine if the sentence is complete by removing the tag or beat and just looking at the words inside the quotation marks.

When a complete sentence of dialogue is accompanied by a tag, the sentence should be punctuated as follows:

���I love these chips,��� she said.

Because the tag is part of the sentence, the period goes at the end, after ���said.��� The dialogue portion ends with a comma (since it���s not the end of the sentence yet), and the tag begins with a lowercase letter because it���s in the middle of the sentence.

If the dialogue consists of a question instead of a statement, use a question mark instead of a comma inside the quotation marks. The period still goes at the end. And if you���re using someone���s name instead of a pronoun, it should be obviously capitalized.

“Do you like pickle chips?” Angela asked.
“Pickle chips make me barf,” Becca said.

A Complete Sentence with the Tag in the Middle

If a dialogue tag comes in the middle of a sentence, treat it as an interruption to the complete sentence, and use commas to separate it:

“I think,” she said, “barbecue flavor is the best.”

Note that the punctuation before the closing quotation mark in each segment is inside the marks. Also, because this is one complete sentence, the only capital letter is at the beginning. The exception would be if the tag contained a proper noun (Becca said); then the noun would be capitalized, too.

Sentences with Beats Instead of Tags

Beats are meant to stand alone and should usually be written in complete sentences themselves.

Angela shook her head. ���I really don���t understand you.���

The beat is a complete sentence, and so is the dialogue. So both elements start with a capital and end with a period (or question mark or exclamation point as needed).

2. A Word About Thoughts

While we���re talking about different kinds of dialogue, let���s look quickly at thoughts. Because they aren���t spoken, they shouldn���t have quotation marks. However, the formatting is different depending on whether the thought is direct or indirect.

Direct Thoughts capture the character���s exact thoughts and are always italicized. Notice that any tags aren���t italicized (because the tag isn���t part of the character���s actual thought).

Please, no more, I thought.

Enough with the dad jokes.

Indirect Thoughts summarize what the character is thinking. Because they���re not exact thoughts, they aren���t italicized and are formatted like regular text.

She thought he was quite tasty.

He really hoped she wasn���t interested in him that way.

3. When Should a New Paragraph Start?

A common area of struggle in dialogue is knowing when to start a new paragraph. It���s an important question because if we get this wrong, the reader is confused about who���s saying and doing what:

���No car for a week?��� Ivy���s voice squeaked into the stratosphere. ���That���s ridiculous!��� her brother said. ���Everybody just calm down.���

But when we start a new paragraph each time the speaker changes, things become much clearer.

���No car for a week?��� Ivy���s voice squeaked into the stratosphere.
���That���s ridiculous!��� Jacob said.
���Everybody just calm down.���

This rule holds true for beats, too. If Character 2 does something while Character 1 is talking, that action needs to go into its own paragraph.

���So I hit a mailbox,��� Ivy said. ���Also, the shepherd in the church’s nativity scene is now sheep-less.”
Her mother closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath.
“And I may have taken out Mr. Henderson���s azaleas���but that totally wasn���t my fault!���

4. Interruptions and Hesitations

Real-life dialogue is full of interruptions, stops and starts, and people talking over each other. Your characters��� conversations should be no different. Luckily, the punctuation for each of these is pretty simple.

Use Em Dashes for Interruptions

When your character���s being interrupted, use an em dash (���) inside the quotation marks to show their words are being cut off. This is true whether the interruption comes in the form of someone’s words or actions.

Her mom���s eyebrows shot upward. ���The azaleas? Ivy������
���It was a squirrel,��� Jacob sputtered. ���A deranged, kamikaze squirrel that fell out of a tree and stumbled right into the road. It was rabid, foaming at the mouth������
Ivy shoved him. ���You���re not helping.���

Use an Ellipse for Hesitations

Interruptions indicate a clean break, with the person���s speech abruptly stopping. Hesitations are more, well���hesitant. If there���s a pause in your character���s speech, or if their dialogue trails off slowly rather than bluntly, use an ellipse.

���Seemed deranged,��� Jacob mumbled. ���Stumbling���middle of traffic…��� He rubbed the back of his neck and decided Ivy could fight her own battles.

Clean Dialogue Makes for Stronger Writing and Easier Reading

The mechanics of dialogue may not be the most exciting thing to study but mastering them makes your story easier to read and understand. The good news is that, like most elements of writing, the more you incorporate proper punctuation, capitalization, and paragraphing into your dialogue, the easier it gets. Then you can move on to higher level techniques that will make your characters��� conversations authentic, engaging, and full of added depth���techniques that we���ll discuss in our next 101 post.

For more help with the nitty-gritty of dialogue (and other) mechanics, give English Grammar for Dummies a try.
(affiliate link)

The post Writing 101: Dialogue Mechanics appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

101: Dialogue Mechanics

Strong dialogue isn���t just about the words being said���it���s also about how those words are presented on the page.

If you���re newer to writing, there���s a lot to learn about storytelling���from big-picture techniques like show-don���t-tell to the more foundational aspects surrounding punctuation and capitalization. The technical part of writing isn���t very sexy, so we don���t talk much about it. But knowing those basics is super important if we want to write stories that contribute to the reader���s experience instead of interfering with it. And Angela and I want to make sure Writers Helping Writers offers help for authors at all stages and experience levels.

So today I���m starting a new 101 Series surrounding the foundational skills I see writers struggling with the most. Each post will cover a key element of fiction writing, and we���re starting off with dialogue mechanics���because even the most interesting conversations can fall flat if they aren���t written correctly. Poorly drafted dialogue can make the writing clunky, drag the pace, or cause confusion for readers, all of which can pull them out of the story. And no one wants that.

If you���ve ever struggled with where the punctuation goes (inside or outside the quotes?), when to use a comma vs. a period, or when to start a new paragraph in a scene of dialogue, you���re not alone, and this post is for you.

A Few Definitions

Before getting into the common dialogue mistakes, let���s identify three key elements of any good written conversation.

Dialogue: The actual words spoken by a character. (“I can���t believe it.“)Dialogue Tag: A phrase that identifies the speaker. (���I can���t believe it,��� she said.)Dialogue Beat: An action that accompanies the words being spoken. (���I can���t believe it.” Becca threw the bag of chips in the trash.)

Tags and beats are important because they���re a vital part of our real-life conversations. Including them breaks up the dialogue, creates rhythm, clarifies for readers who���s saying what, and makes the interaction between characters more authentic.

Now that we���re clear on the terminology associated with a passage of dialogue, let���s talk about the familiar stumbling blocks.

1. Proper Punctuation and Capitalization

First, always use double quotes for dialogue. Single quotes have their own purpose, but they shouldn���t be used as the main marks for dialogue.

When it comes to the rest of the punctuation for a line of dialogue���well, that depends on the sentence structure.

Complete Sentences with Tags

We know a complete sentence has a subject and verb that conveys a complete thought. In dialogue, you can determine if the sentence is complete by removing the tag or beat and just looking at the words inside the quotation marks.

When a complete sentence of dialogue is accompanied by a tag, the sentence should be punctuated as follows:

���I love these chips,��� she said.

Because the tag is part of the sentence, the period goes at the end, after ���said.��� The dialogue portion ends with a comma (since it���s not the end of the sentence yet), and the tag begins with a lowercase letter because it���s in the middle of the sentence.

If the dialogue consists of a question instead of a statement, use a question mark instead of a comma inside the quotation marks. The period still goes at the end. And if you���re using someone���s name instead of a pronoun, it should be obviously capitalized.

“Do you like pickle chips?” Angela asked.
“Pickle chips make me barf,” Becca said.

A Complete Sentence with the Tag in the Middle

If a dialogue tag comes in the middle of a sentence, treat it as an interruption to the complete sentence, and use commas to separate it:

“I think,” Becca said, “barbecue flavor is the best.”

Note that the punctuation before the closing quotation mark in each segment is inside the marks. Also, because this is one complete sentence, the only capital letter is at the beginning.

Sentences with Beats Instead of Tags

Beats are meant to stand alone and should usually be written in complete sentences themselves.

Angela shook her head. ���I really don���t understand you.���

The beat is a complete sentence, and so is the dialogue. So both elements start with a capital and end with a period (or question mark or exclamation point as needed).

2. A Word About Thoughts

While we���re talking about different kinds of dialogue, let���s look quickly at thoughts. Because they aren���t spoken, they shouldn���t have quotation marks. However, the formatting is different depending on whether the thought is direct or indirect.

Direct Thoughts capture the character���s exact thoughts and are always italicized. Notice that any tags aren���t italicized (because the tag isn���t part of the character���s actual thought).

Please, no more, I thought.

Enough with the dad jokes.

Indirect Thoughts summarize what the character is thinking. Because they���re not exact thoughts, they aren���t italicized and are formatted like regular text.

She thought he was quite tasty.

He really hoped she wasn���t interested in him that way.

3. When Should a New Paragraph Start?

A common area of struggle in dialogue is knowing when to start a new paragraph. It���s an important question because if we get this wrong, the reader is confused about who���s saying and doing what:

���No car for a week?��� Ivy���s voice squeaked into the stratosphere. ���That���s ridiculous!��� her brother said. ���Everybody just calm down.���

But when we start a new paragraph each time the speaker changes, things become much clearer.

���No car for a week?��� Ivy���s voice squeaked into the stratosphere.
���That���s ridiculous!��� Jacob said.
���Everybody just calm down.���

This rule holds true for beats, too. If Character 2 does something while Character 1 is talking, that action needs to go into its own paragraph.

���So I hit a mailbox,��� Ivy said. ���Also, the shepherd in the church’s nativity scene is now sheep-less.”
Her mother closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath.
“And I may have taken out Mr. Henderson���s azaleas���but that totally wasn���t my fault!���

4. Interruptions and Hesitations

Real-life dialogue is full of interruptions, stops and starts, and people talking over each other. Your characters��� conversations should be no different. Luckily, the punctuation for each of these is pretty simple.

Use Em Dashes for Interruptions

When your character���s being interrupted, use an em dash (���) inside the quotation marks to show their words are being cut off. This is true whether the interruption comes in the form of someone’s words or actions.

Her mom���s eyebrows shot upward. ���The azaleas? Ivy������
���It was a squirrel,��� Jacob sputtered. ���A deranged, kamikaze squirrel that fell out of a tree and stumbled right into the road. It was rabid, foaming at the mouth������
Ivy shoved him. ���You���re not helping.���

Use an Ellipse for Hesitations

Interruptions indicate a clean break, with the person���s speech abruptly stopping. Hesitations are more, well���hesitant. If there���s a pause in your character���s speech, or if their dialogue trails off slowly rather than bluntly, use an ellipse.

���Seemed deranged,��� Jacob mumbled. ���Stumbling���middle of traffic������ He rubbed the back of his neck and decided Ivy could fight her own battles.

Clean Dialogue Makes for Stronger Writing and Easier Reading

The mechanics of dialogue may not be the most exciting thing to study but mastering them makes your story easier to read and understand. The good news is that, like most elements of writing, the more you incorporate proper punctuation, capitalization, and paragraphing into your dialogue, the easier it gets. Then you can move on to higher level techniques that will make your characters��� conversations authentic, engaging, and full of added depth���techniques that we���ll discuss in our next 101 post.

The post 101: Dialogue Mechanics appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.