A bio is basically a short summary of a writer’s credentials and interests. As small as they are, bios have a big job—to describe you in...

Summer’s here, which means school is out and there are lots of fun things beckoning—barbecues, a trip to the beach, biking with the kids....

When it comes to writing about animals, the issue of gender pronouns often pops up. Should you call the family cat in your story a he,...

Drills aren’t just for military school. In fact, just about any vocation can benefit from training exercises—writing included. But what...

With the political atmosphere abuzz these days, there’s been a lot of ranting on the internet, especially on social media. Clearly people...

Here are nine reasons to take the task of self-editing seriously: It’s good practice. Self-editing is a good way to brush up on the rules...

When writers look for places to submit their work, they often choose markets that request a query letter first. Submitting a query letter...

As writers, we’re often reticent about telling non-writers what we do. Maybe it’s because we’re not like most working adults. We don’t...

Here's what I've learned about writing about dogs, although these rules are applicable to pretty much any writing field: Don’t pretend to...

So you’re well on your way to a blossoming freelance writing career. You’ve got plenty of publishing credits to your name, clients with...

Writing every day isn’t always easy, especially during December. I have to admit, there have been many days this month when I haven’t...

With many of us still enjoying the autumn color and warm afternoons, it’s hard to believe that the holiday season kicks off next month....

If you don’t already own a good thesaurus, now’s the time to invest in one. A thesaurus isn’t just a useful writing tool; it can turn out...

What's different about this book? First of all, it doesn't address every aspect of writing. Instead, No Average Writer points out common...

As I mentally prepare for our new puppy arriving in March, I contemplate how my writing life will be affected by the upcoming change. If...

Do you, like many of us writers, have those days when you wonder why you write? You think maybe all the effort you’re putting into your...

A lot has changed since my original post about my son's rap writing endeavors. For one thing, my son is a year older and no longer a...

There’s a lot to love about the state of Minnesota, but if you’re a writer living here, there’s even more to appreciate—all the great...

If you like contests and you're good at making up words, especially wacky words, you're in luck. I’ve been invited to share information...

An acrostic poem is a poem where the first letter of each line spells out a word or phrase (vertically) that the poem describes. Here’s...