Brand Yourself Before Someone Else Does It
If you don’t define your brand, others will do it for you. In today's world, writers aren’t just authors; they are brands. Learn how to take control of your identity, craft a clear message, and build a brand that reflects your true creative purpose.
Show, Don’t Tell: The Power of Sensory Details in Writing
Engaging writing isn’t just about what happens—it’s about how it feels. Sensory details bring stories to life, immersing readers in vivid experiences rather than just delivering information.
Timeless Storytelling Lessons from Hadestown: What Writers Can Learn from the Broadway Hit
Hadestown left me inspired to write better, deeper, and more meaningfully. As a writer, I walked away with several truths, but one that was overarching and one I talk about often: we tell stories because we believe they can change the world. So, in the theme of Hadestown, we tell them again. And again. And again.
The Business of Writing: Why Writers Must Think Like Entrepreneurs
Discover why successful writers must adopt an entrepreneurial mindset. Learn key business strategies, marketing tactics, and financial insights to build a sustainable writing career.
Storytelling Lessons from A Trip to the Moon by Méliès
What can writers learn from A Trip to the Moon? Clay Stafford explores how Georges Méliès’s groundbreaking film teaches timeless storytelling techniques—mystery, suspense, action, horror, and romance—offering valuable lessons for writers of all genres.
Writing Guest Blogs: Understanding the Blog’s Audience
Guest blogging is more than just writing—it's about understanding the blog’s audience and aligning your content with their expectations. Learn how to research a site’s mission, analyze reader engagement, and craft a post that not only resonates with the audience but also strengthens your credibility and expands your reach as a writer.
Screenwriting: Making Connections
Want to break into screenwriting? Learn how strategic networking can connect you with agents, producers, and filmmakers, opening doors to career-changing opportunities in the film industry.
A Writer’s Business Plan: Mission, Vision, Goals
Writers need a business plan just like any other profession. Crafting a strong mission statement, setting SMART goals, and mapping out a one-, three-, and five-year vision can help turn your writing dreams into reality. Learn how to create a strategy that keeps you focused, productive, and successful in your writing career.
Americana Literature: Using Regional Settings
Americana literature thrives on regional settings, immersing readers in specific American landscapes, cultures, and histories. By deeply researching a location—real or fictional—writers can craft authentic, sensory-rich narratives that bring their stories to life.
A Look at Traditional Publishing: Cons (Part 3 of 3)
Traditional publishing offers credibility and support, but it’s not for everyone. It can be slow, highly competitive, and requires creative and financial compromises. Authors must weigh the trade-offs of prestige versus control and financial return before choosing this path.
A Look at Traditional Publishing: Pros (Part 2 of 3)
Traditional publishing offers writers professional editorial support, wide distribution, and industry credibility. While it requires overcoming hurdles, the rewards include career-long prestige, financial advances, and access to established marketing channels.
A Look at Traditional Publishing (Part 1 of 3)
Traditional publishing is one of several paths available to writers today. It offers professional support, financial backing, and wide distribution but comes with trade-offs. Understanding the process and its implications is crucial in choosing the right publishing path.
Sagging Middles: Deepen Character Motivations by Introducing External Pressures
Deepening your characters’ motivations in the middle section of a story is vital to increasing the narrative's momentum. The middle should further complicate the plot and create a more layered, intertwined experience. One way to achieve this is by introducing external pressure—whether from antagonists, societal expectations, or unexpected complications—to force characters to confront their fears, desires, and flaws.
Writing for Video Games
Writing for video games is an intricate blend of storytelling and player interaction, where writers craft dynamic narratives that adapt to player choices. Unlike traditional storytelling, video games require nonlinear structures, immersive worldbuilding, and collaborative teamwork with designers and developers. Whether you're a seasoned writer or new to the field, understanding narrative design and interactive storytelling is key to success in this unique medium.
Tunnel Vision Is Your Friend: Embrace the Focus
Tunnel vision isn’t a flaw—it’s a superpower for productivity. By eliminating distractions and focusing on one task at a time, you can work more efficiently, think more clearly, and achieve more in less time. Try it for just 30 minutes and see how much you accomplish.
Memoirs: Writing a Good One
Memoirs are not autobiographies—they are reflective narratives that explore a specific theme, experience, or transformation in your life. The best memoirs go deep, focusing on emotions, insights, and personal growth rather than a chronological account of events. If you have a moment, theme, or experience that has shaped you, it might be the perfect foundation for an extraordinary memoir.
Screenwriting: Competition and the Reality of Script Submissions
Breaking into Hollywood as a screenwriter is incredibly competitive, with thousands of scripts submitted each year and only a handful produced. To stand out, writers must create exceptional, original work, understand industry gatekeeping, and strategically network. Success requires persistence, skill development, and a strong business mindset—but for those who commit, the dream of seeing their script come to life is within reach.