by Stephanie Dethlefs | Apr 5, 2023 | Book Coaching, Books for Writers, First Draft, How to write a novel, Reading for Writers, Revision, writing craft
In this video, I share two of my favorite resource books that directly (or indirectly) solve the “show, don’t tell” dilemma most writers face. The Scene Book: A Primer for the Fiction Writer, by Sandra ScofieldUnderstanding Show, Don’t Tell (And Really Getting It),...
by Stephanie Dethlefs | Aug 9, 2022 | First Draft, Planning your book, Reading for Writers, writing craft, writing life
We all know that writers should also be avid readers. But do you know what it looks like to actually study a book to see what makes it work? In this episode, we’re exploring what it means to read like a writer by using a “mentor text” to study specific craft...
by Stephanie Dethlefs | Nov 30, 2021 | First Draft, Reading for Writers, writing craft, writing life
VOICE. It’s a word that gets thrown around a lot among writers. With good reason: it’s one of the most important skills you can master, because it’s what brings a narrator and/or a character to life. But it’s also one of the hardest to explain, to grab...
by Stephanie Dethlefs | Nov 2, 2021 | Reading for Writers, writing craft, writing life
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of writing advice that’s out there? I do. It is exhausting. I have a huge pile of writing books I have yet to get to, a bunch of writing podcasts I barely have time to listen to, and writer upon writer that I follow on...
by Stephanie Dethlefs | Aug 10, 2021 | Mindset, Reading for Writers, Revision, writing craft, writing life
You’ve likely heard the nugget of wisdom that to be an effective writer, you should also be an avid reader. This is true for many reasons. You get sparks of ideas. You understand how a story is structured. You internalize what is effective and what isn’t. You grow...
by Stephanie Dethlefs | May 1, 2021 | Reading for Writers, writing craft
This post originally appeared on Medium in March 2021. Highlights are from readers. We all know that it’s important for writers to also be avid readers. But today I want to talk about what it means to study a book for certain structural elements or devices that the...
