Hi, SEers. You’re with Mae today with a subject that’s been discussed before. Even so, I hope this post brings something new to the table, as the subject is one I feel strongly about.

Critique partners are different than beta readers, and both have value. Some writers use both, but most use one or the other. For me, it’s always been critique partners. Finding a good CP, or several good CPs, is not easy—especially when they may not turn up where you expect them.

I met Karen, my first critique partner, online. We both loved writing and reading but didn’t know that about each other at the time. Instead, we connected on a site devoted to a short-lived TV show we both enjoyed. We developed a friendship first, one that went beyond the show. From there we realized we both loved books, and—shock—writing.

Karen was more of a plotter. She’d…

Hey, SE Readers. Joan with you today. Over the past few weeks, I’ve written a series of posts about using the five senses in writing. If you missed any of them, you can read by clicking on the following links:

• Sight
• Smell
• Taste
• Sound
• Touch

Today, I’m going to talk about what many refer to as a sixth sense. I swear my mother had it. I became aware of her “gift” when I began junior high school. How else could she have known my boyfriend and I kissed on the school bus?  Oh well, that’s a different story.

Seriously, we’ve heard the sixth sense called many things—a gut feeling, instinct, premonition, ESP, clairvoyance.

Whatever your thoughts on the subject, I believe, to a degree, we all have a sixth sense. Some of us are more in tune or aware. Have you ever been driving to work and suddenly have an…

Ciao, SEers. I’m currently wrapping up edits on a full five-book series. It’s hard to revise all day, every day—especially when it’s your own work instead of a client’s—so sometimes, creative breaks are necessary. They actually serve two purposes.

1. They let your analytical brain take a rest, so you’re less likely to make editing mistakes due to mental fatigue.
2. They give you fodder for your next work.

And, let’s face it. If you’re a writer, you’re probably not a one-and-done artist. You’ve got a lot of stories to tell. There are no shortcuts. If you want to write multiple books, you have to write multiple books. So, while you’re doing the post-work on your soon-to-be-released masterpiece, you might as well also be thinking about your next one.

I’ve got a pretty cool concept for my next series. It’s combining two genres I love plus lore that I adore. (Sorry…

Hi gang, Craig with you today. This is post number seven in the character archetypes series. In the Hero’s Journey, there are some common characters that are likely to show up in all stories. This doesn’t mean each archetype shows up in every story, and aside from the hero, the rest are kind of optional. Almost every story will have an assortment of them.

This series is to introduce you to them. Once you’re aware of them, you can decide if they can benefit the story you’re writing.

The Guardian has a few different names, the Threshold Guardian, the Gatekeeper, even The Wall. They all mean the same thing. This is another one that can be a character, but can also be a situation or a physical obstacle. Your hero cannot complete the task without conquering the Guardian.

It might be as simple as figuring out the bad boy who…