In fiction, the strongest scenes blend conflicts, successfully advancing the plot and deepening characters. When a scene carries two conflicts at once, it becomes richer, dynamic, and more emotionally charged. Your reader will feel the tension on multiple levels, and the story will gain momentum without relying on constant action.  Whether you’re writing romance, romantasy, […]

Some sci-fi stories entertain you. Some unsettle you. Then there are the kind that linger with you, feeling more like a warning than imaginative stories.  The first time I read a novel by Octavia Butler, I finished thinking, How did she see this coming? There is a saying in the sci-fi world that Octavia knew […]

Romance readers live for romantic moments, ones that make them smile and others that make them sigh. But the romantic moments that truly make readers swoon (and screenshot, annotate, and revisit at 2 a.m.) are crafted with emotional layering, intention, and a deep understanding of what makes intimacy come alive on the page.  Whether you’re […]

One of the most popular tropes in fiction these days is the enemies-to-lovers trope. Despite its popularity, enemies-to-lovers is one of the easiest tropes to ruin with predictable beats or rushed developments. When the hate feels petty or unjustified, the reader may get bored waiting for them to just get over it already and get […]

Every aspiring and published author understands the importance of editing for every manuscript. Still, for writers of science fiction and fantasy, there is an essential pre-editing step that can save hundreds of hours: creating a style sheet. Genre fiction relies heavily on invented rules, worlds, and languages, which can make consistency difficult to maintain. Without […]

Love, magic, fantasy worlds, morally gray love interests… What more could you ask for? Since 2022, the sub-genre of romantasy has exploded in popularity. The word “romantasy” is a combination of “romance” and “fantasy,” perfectly describing a fantasy story with romance as its primary plot. But what is romantasy really all about? Let’s take a […]

You finally wrote your novel. Congratulations! Completing a full manuscript is a challenge, but you stuck to it and finished! Now you may be wondering, “What’s next?” Is it time to send out a query letter? Start soliciting for literary agents? While the next steps of publishing a book are exciting, it’s important to slow […]

This post will help you with valuable tips and resources so finding an editor for your book can be less overwhelming.

A Guide to Believable World-Building in Fantasy Writing and Sci-Fi Writing Great world-building is one of the most complex and rewarding aspects of sci-fi and fantasy writing. Working as a fiction book editor, I’ve witnessed the incredible power of a well-crafted sci-fi and fantasy world. They are the backbone of storytelling in fantasy and sci-fi, […]

Fiction authors pour their hearts and souls into manuscripts to create a masterpiece that, hopefully, will resonate well with readers. However, before sharing these stories with the world, it’s important to roll up your sleeves and engage in self-editing.