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.
True Crime: These Cases Are Real
True crime is more than just shocking cases—it’s a genre that explores human psychology, justice, and society’s response to crime. Whether studying law enforcement for storytelling or seeking insight into the human mind, true crime offers a compelling and often unsettling look at real-life mysteries.
The Four Ps of Marketing: How It Applies to You (Part 2 of 2)
In this essay, we apply the Four Ps of marketing—product, price, place, and promotion—directly to writers and speakers. Understanding these principles helps position your work effectively, attract new audiences, and build a sustainable career. By aligning your branding, pricing, and promotional efforts, you can create a clear, professional presence that enhances your success as a writer, speaker, or both.
The Four Ps of Marketing: An Overview (Part 1 of 2)
Marketing is a pivotal aspect of success for authors and entrepreneurs. Understanding the Four Ps—Product, Price, Place, and Promotion—helps craft effective strategies for reaching audiences and sustaining a career. This essay explores these fundamental marketing principles and how they interconnect to build a strong brand.
Writing Early Readers
Writing early readers is about more than just simple sentences and short word counts—it’s about fostering confidence, comprehension, and a lifelong love of reading. Learn how to craft engaging stories for children ages 5-7 as they transition from picture books to independent reading.
For the Love of Graphic Novels
Graphic novels are more than just comics—they're a unique blend of storytelling and visual art. Discover why these standalone works deserve literary recognition and how they create immersive reading experiences.
Public Speaking: Defining Your Niche
Public speaking is a powerful tool for writers and creatives to build their brand. Learn how to define your niche, engage audiences, and craft a compelling speaker brand that resonates.