There are so many staples in the fantasy genre, and most of them are awesome! We love elves, dwarves, large-scale battles, and, of course, dragons. But what if we want to keep these favorites without letting them fall into the “it’s already been done” category? My advice to you is twofold. First, don’t worry about doing something no one else has done. Everything has...

Writing is a blast, but it is taxing. Those who don’t write or regularly engage in creative processes might not understand just how much energy and brainpower go into creating fictional worlds and characters. But there are things we can do to help set us up for a great and successful week of writing. Here are three things you can do over the weekend or on Mondays that will set you up for writing success during the week.

Writing books is so much fun, but it can also be a daunting task, especially when you first start. When I first started writing novels, I put together a small collection of books to reference to help keep me on track and give myself the best chance at success. These books have remained essential to my writing process, and recently I have added a few more to the pile. If you are new to writing or just looking for some excellent writing craft and career books, here is a list of

Writing villains can be a blast! The villain is one of the main elements of many stories that helps propel the protagonist into and through their journey. I prefer stories with a clear distinction between good and evil, but individual characters often have elements of both that they struggle with throughout the story. Villains are the same. Whether they completely buy into evil or get redeemed in the end, villains are people too and are fraught with flaws and failings. Over t