Sep 7, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
Struggling to turn a great horror premise into an actual plot? This post breaks down why horror lets you coast on atmosphere longer than other...
#plotting, #genre, #fiction, #writing tips
read moreAug 21, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Writing
There is nothing quite like the feeling of finishing off a chapter that you’re really happy with. You’ve hit all the beats just right, the pacing is...
read moreAug 17, 2026 | by Jess McKenna | Ask Novlr, Writing
A slow burn where the hero's still grieving his "perfect" dead love interest is a melodrama trap waiting to spring. Jess McKenna breaks down why...
read moreAug 10, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr
Not sure what in medias res is? Here's what the term actually means, where it comes from, and how to tell whether your story needs it (or whether...
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Aug 3, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
Got a story with history that matters, but explaining it keeps turning into a lecture? Here's how to let readers discover your world's backstory...
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Jul 27, 2026 | by Ravi Ahmed | Ask Novlr, Writing
A software developer and amateur sci-fi writer debugs why his platonic hugs kept reading as romantic and finds the real fix isn't the touch itself,...
#character development, #writing tips
read moreJul 13, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
Learn how to write vivid smell descriptions even without a strong sense of smell yourself, using borrowed language, taste connections, and character...
read moreJul 10, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Books
Beach reads are built to be devoured fast, which is exactly why their craft goes unnoticed. Here are six that are secretly small masterclasses in...
#genre, #writing tips, #reading, #book recommendations
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Jul 5, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“Is it possible to get back to writing after over 3 years? At that time was the last time i was able to finish something but i was already unhappy...
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Jul 3, 2026 | by Char | Writing
Everyone has 24 hours in a day, but those 24 hours look different for each person. It can be difficult to find time for your writing, especially if...
#productivity, #writers' routines, #writing tips
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Jun 29, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“Hiii just a question do you have an advice on how to write a ‘mean girl’ without having like the hollywood stereotypes? I’m currently writing one of...
#character development, #tropes, #writing tips
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Jun 22, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“Hi! I’m writing my novel in a small town from US as a non-US citizen and as someone who never visited the country. I’m doing my research as much as...
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Jun 19, 2026 | by Arthur Franz IV | Writing
As writers, we like to think we’re in complete control of our characters. It can be tempting to think that, because your name is in the byline,...
#character development, #writing tips
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Jun 14, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
TEST“Hello! Idk if this is a common problem or not but recently I’ve found out that I overuse participial phrases in my writing. More so I do it in a...
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Jun 11, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Writing
Picking the right tense for the story you want to tell is an often overlooked part of narrative development. Writing tenses consistently is crucial...
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Jun 6, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“How to write a mentor who is evil but genuinely cares about the main protagonist? And raised him since a young age. Also, the main protagonist is...
#character development, #writing tips
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Jun 5, 2026 | by Kim Montgomery | Writing
Writing a perfect ending is hard. Is it the most excruciatingly difficult part of the writing process? Is it the most hair-pulling, mind-wracking,...
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May 29, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Writing
The antihero has become an increasingly beloved figure in modern storytelling, for their morally ambiguous nature and complex personalities. Unlike...
#character development, #writing tips
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May 25, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“How do I know whether or not to put my book in multiple perspectives? I think it would make my story better but how do I know if it really needs it?...
#character development, #plotting, #writing tips
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May 18, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“How do I make a calm and collected character in a very overwhelming situation?” Writing a character who remains composed when everything around them...
#character development, #writing tips
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May 14, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Writing
Never, in the history of the written word has there been more contradictory writing advice than that surrounding synonyms. Possibly hyperbolic? Sure....
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May 11, 2026 | by Savannah Jackson | Ask Novlr, Writing
“I’m struggling to make my characters’ relationships feel real. They interact, but it feels flat. How do I give them chemistry?” So much of what...
#character development, #writing tips
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May 7, 2026 | by Lydia Yadi | Writing
Narrative non-fiction brings to life true stories like historic events and personal experiences. It uses the techniques usually associated with...
#book recommendations, #non-fiction, #writing tips
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May 4, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“Okay so I’m trying to write a story set in the future and I’m kinda stuck?? Like I know what my general plot is and I have my characters figured out...
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Apr 25, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Books
“Tips on developing a magic school for adults? Most magic schools I read about are for children, so I wanted to make a magic university.” While...
#book recommendations, #worldbuilding, #writing tips
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Apr 23, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Writing
If you’ve ever felt the grip of a good book, unable to put it down, you understand the pull of a well-told story. Behind the scenes of your favourite...
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Apr 19, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“How do you keep a chapter on topic? I keep finding myself going off on tangents, adding scenes that don’t really belong, or ending up somewhere...
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Apr 16, 2026 | by Crystal Kamm | Books, Writing
Writers have tons of creative ideas, but most of us aren’t scientists. So, how do we make sure that we get the science right in our fiction? Even if...
#book recommendations, #reading, #writing tips
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Apr 12, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“I’m struggling with how I should write sci-fi future with human-like aliens. I don’t want to focus on differences but rather on similarities between...
#character development, #science fiction, #writing tips
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Apr 8, 2026 | by Martin Woods | Writing
In most genres, once you have the story, the setting suggests itself. In the science fiction and fantasy genres, however, the setting often comes...
#worldbuilding, #writing exercises, #writing inspiration, #writing tips
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Apr 5, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“I’m struggling to get into characters’ heads. The fandom I write for has many different characters and I’m trying to keep them as canonical as...
#character development, #writing tips
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Apr 2, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Writing
When you take on any writing project, you might find yourself stuck on a story point, unable to muddle through a character’s motivation, or be unsure...
#productivity, #writing events, #writing tips
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Mar 30, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“I wrote a short story a while back that I really love, and I keep thinking about it. I feel like there’s more to explore with these characters and...
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Mar 26, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Writing
Your setting is fundamental to your story. It’s the backbone of your plot and is essential to providing narrative context, establishing the mood and...
#downloadable templates, #worldbuilding, #writing tips
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Mar 21, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“I’m stuck on my story and I don’t know how to continue. I have a few continuations in mind and don’t know which one to pick. Every continuation...
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Mar 20, 2026 | by Kim Montgomery | Writing
Is there a single perfect novel opening? No. Is there a single winning formula to your perfect novel opening? No. There are, however, very common...
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Mar 16, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“This is probably an unusual question, but how do you come up with titles? I don’t mean titles for chapters or such, but titles for positions, like...
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Mar 9, 2026 | by Allie Cooper | Ask Novlr, Writing
“I’m struggling to tie together my novel’s bigger themes. I have all these big ideas I want to explore, like grief, identity, and belonging but they...
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Mar 2, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“I’ve been told my prose is ‘too plain’ and that I should make it more lyrical, but I’m not really sure what that means. Can you help?” Firstly, I...
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Feb 23, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“I’m trying to write a backstory for my main character. She’s supposed to have this really tragic past that explains why she’s so closed off and...
#character development, #writing tips
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Feb 13, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Editing, Writing
“Hello, I was writing my book and I realised that I had two plot holes that need fixing. I am not good at fixing plot holes so I tried to find...
#plotting, #revision, #writing tips
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Feb 12, 2026 | by Allie Cooper | Books, Writing
In On Writing, his seminal work on the craft of creative writing, Stephen King said, “Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting...
#book recommendations, #writing inspiration, #writing tips
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Feb 7, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“How to do research for a story set in a field you know very little about (the film, music industry, sports like basketball…)?” The adage “write what...
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Jan 28, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Books, Writing
Cosy fiction is the literary equivalent of a warm hug. It’s about emotions and gentle storytelling, where things are restored, not destroyed. Rather...
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Jan 19, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“Any advice on how to write time skips? I’m working on the second draft of my novel and I keep getting stuck on transitions where time passes....
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Jan 12, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Editing
“How do I know when I’ve done enough editing and my story’s actually ready to show to other people? I always feel like there’s more I could fix, but...
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Dec 26, 2025 | by Nimrod Cortés | Writing
You’ve probably read a story set in a world so wonderful that you think: “I wish I lived there”; or even better, it inspires you to imagine all the...
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Dec 22, 2025 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Editing, Writing
“As a writer, we basically know the major beats before starting writing, but readers don’t, and we sometimes might slip too deep into things when the...
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Dec 15, 2025 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
“I don’t know if there’s already an article about this, but how should I go about an enemies to lovers type side plot? My two protagonists are in a...
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Dec 12, 2025 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Books, Writing
Writing is a skill that takes practice, but there is more to being a great writer than simply putting words on a page. Reading is an essential skill...
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