Keep readers engaged in your story with smooth writing techniquesPhoto by frankie cordoba on Unsplash Writers have their own unique way of expressing their thoughts. We use our words, instinct, feelings, opinions, and perspective to deliver what we hope will be a interesting and thought-provoking piece to readers. Because we want to keep them engaged — and coming […]
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Stop using scientists as a deus ex machinaPhoto by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash I see this narrative trope far too many times: A problem arises in the protagonist’s environment. The protagonist calls in the scientist. The scientist saves the day thanks to their superior intellect, rational thinking, and extensive knowledge of obscure facts. The scientist isn’t […]
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Bookable “The idea of the strong black woman who is noble and virtuous for how much pain she can bear and how well she bears it is extremely dehumanizing.” Photo courtesy of Bookable What do you want to do with your life and how much are you willing to struggle for it? Bestselling debut novelist Raven […]
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Ask the Editorssarah james, editor of Slackjaw, Medium’s largest humor publication, joins us to share tips on how to make your readers laughArtwork by Jessica Jungton, inspired by Andrea Piacquadio Does humor have a formula? Is it something you just know or can you grow this skillset? Did your reader laugh — aka blow more air out their nostrils […]
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Bookable“I took all the guard rails off and let the language be what kids spoke and let the racism be what it was.”Photo courtesy of Bookable We are all products of our environment. Who we are, and who we become in the world, is shaped by the places we were raised. In Shawn Stewart Ruff’s debut novel […]
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1. Read as many different types of books as possible. Read in a wide range of genres. Read classics and modern books on bestseller lists. Read craft books and autobiographies, too. Read everything you can get your hands on. Don’t feel like the time you spend reading is a waste because it’s part of the […]
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Ask the EditorsJonathan Greene, editor of Assemblage, joins us to talk about marketing and SEOArtwork by Jessica Jungton, inspired by Jessica Lewis We’ve all read tips on SEO and getting your writing in-front of eyeballs — keywords often come up. But how important are they really? How many should you try to include, if any, and where? This week, Jonathan […]
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Do you have opinions? We want to hear them!Photo by Windows on Unsplash Our goal is to provide you with advice and encouragement to write better. Over the years, The Writing Cooperative has grown to one of Medium’s largest publications. With many components — including our Facebook Community, Podcast, and more — we want to ensure we’re still meeting our goal. Please give […]
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It’s more, so much more, than simply a good messageImage by Tatiana Syrikova on Pexels As a part-time writer and full-time English teacher of over twenty years, I’ve written tons of articles on the art of writing. Though there are no magical ways to write something that will wow every reader, there are ways to assure that […]
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It’s easier than you thinkPhoto by Daria Nepriakhina on Unsplash One of the most important steps in getting published is finding a literary agent. There’s no license or criteria you need to meet to call yourself a literary agent — anyone can do it. Because of this, it’s important to do your due diligence. Researching agents doesn’t have to […]
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