Writing advice
Craft notes on characters, villains, worldbuilding, chapters and getting words down, from M.G. Darwish.
28 posts
- Grammarly for Authors See how Grammarly helps authors catch context errors, US and UK word mix-ups, and unclear sentences during self-editing, with examples from M.G. Darwish.
- 3 Ways to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing Again Advice for stalled writers: change where you write, read books in your genre, and live your life to protect mental energy and find ideas.
- Writing in First Person – My Opinion M.G. Darwish explains why he moved from disliking first person to using it in Fortier: Blood & Moon, and what it added to character and plot.
- 3 Tips on How to Craft a Good Chapter Learn three ways to craft stronger chapters: research the setup, give each chapter a clear beginning, middle and end, and make every scene matter.
- Writing ‘GOOD’ Evil Characters Advice on writing stronger villains through backstory, clear motives, humanizing details, and a real sense of danger for the hero in fiction.
- How To Make Characters Jump From Pages Advice for writing believable characters, from strong introductions and distinct dialogue to character arcs that reveal motivation and build depth.
- To Anyone Who Could Be A Writer Advice for aspiring writers on making writing a habit, avoiding harmful comparisons, accepting criticism, and learning from mistakes as they improve.
- My Thoughts on NaNoWriMo M.G. Darwish explains why he dislikes NaNoWriMo, arguing that one-month novel goals downplay research, rewriting, editing, and steady practice.
- Prologues – Are They Important? Advice on when a story needs a prologue, why most books can skip one, and how a prologue can add meaning without becoming an info dump.
- Tips on Character Development Advice on making characters feel distinct through dialogue, base traits, impulsive or calculating choices, and moral dilemmas that test them.
- Subplots in Stories Learn what subplots do in stories, how they enrich worlds and characters, and why their events should collide with the main plot rather than act as filler.
- Tips on Story Writing – Inner Conflict Advice on creating inner conflict in readers by giving each situation two sides, using a zombie outbreak and zombie rights as the example.
- Tips on World Building – The Skeleton World building advice on shaping a story’s skeleton: maps, cities, wealth, power, religion, conflict, and human behavior in imaginary worlds.
- The 3 Stages of Writing a Book A guide for aspiring authors on the three stages of writing a book: building an audience and outline, drafting with a quota, then editing and outreach.
- 6 Things You Shouldn’t Say To a Writer Six common remarks that annoy writers, from asking for free copies to offering plot fixes, with blunt advice on what to avoid and why instead.
- How To Name Your Character Learn practical rules for naming characters, from avoiding similar initials to matching names with setting and using translated words as a base.
- 5 Tips On World Building Five world building tips for fiction writers: explain systems without info dumps, set rules and limits, plan believable twists, and explore cultures.
- Answering Your Writing Questions – Part 1 Answers to five #AskAuthor questions on current reads, choosing titles, outlining novels, blogging for writers, and handling beta reader feedback.
- 3 Things You Need To Know Before Writing Anything Advice for starting a writing project: plan first, keep content or story ideas ready, and set a clear goal for what readers should take away.
- Writing a Short Story VS Writing Novel Advice on how short stories build finishing habits, why novels need every sentence to matter, and when events can be skipped or shown in full.
- 5 Things To Do To Organize Your Writing Five practical ways to organize writing ideas, notes, outlines, and project details so long drafts stay on track and avoid plot holes later.
- The Spark of Writing – How To Get Inspired To Write Advice on finding writing inspiration by writing through doubt, using mood and music, drawing from real events, and shelving ideas until they fit.
- New Year Resolutions For Writers Advice for writers on setting realistic New Year goals: write manageable daily word counts, plan a few projects, and read fiction to sharpen the mind.
- Curing Writer’s Block A blunt take on writer’s block, why it happens around 15K words, and how daily targets, rough drafts, and rewriting help keep work moving.
- Should You Change Your Decisions in Writing? A short reflection on why writers should keep hard plot decisions, let characters drive the story, and write difficult scenes rather than change them.
- How To Write A Compelling Story Advice on writing fiction that starts fast, builds flawed characters, uses cliff-hangers, plans clear plots, twists cliches, and risks killing characters.
- Greatness Begins With A Step A reflection on choosing greatness over a merely good life, resisting pressure to be like everyone else, and taking the first step toward bigger goals.
- 5 Tips For Aspiring Writers Writing tips drawn from work on Dragon Tooth: plot the story, finish before editing, build varied characters, show emotion, and use dialogue with purpose.