Nov 6, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Writing
Today’s readers are more discerning than ever. They don’t want to see cookie-cutter villains who do evil for evil’s sake. They want to see deep characters that ring true. As a writer, you must take your villains seriously as characters in their own right. To...
#character development, #writing tips
read moreNov 2, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
The "therefore, but" rule is a simple way to check that your plot is driven by cause and effect. Here's what it means, when to use it, and why it...
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Oct 30, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Books
Five classic and recent reads across gothic, literary horror, and psychological suspense, each with one technique for building dread that you can...
#book recommendations, #fiction, #genre, #writing tips
read moreOct 26, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
Good at imagery but short on words? Seven habits that will help you build your vocabulary, and why plain words still have a place.
#writing tips, #reading, #writing community
read moreOct 23, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Publishing
Writing a book synopsis is probably one of the hardest parts of the submission process when you’re finally ready to find an agent to represent you...
#book agents, #traditional publishing, #writing tips
read moreOct 19, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
Passive voice isn't the same as past tense, and plenty of sentences that sound passive aren't. Here's how to spot it, why we use it, and when to keep...
read moreOct 16, 2026 | by Alessia Troisi | Book Promotion
Gift buyers shop for a person, not a genre. Here's how to market your book as a present, from a phone-friendly buy page to a gift-friendly...
#audience building, #self-publishing, #social media
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Oct 12, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
A deliberate anachronism only works if the reader can tell you meant it. Here's how to signal that early, and how to avoid the opposite trap of...
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Oct 9, 2026 | by Parker Fogg | Writing
Write what you know. It’s the oldest and simplest advice handed out to new writers, and while some people may disagree over its applicability when it...
#writing inspiration, #writing tips
read moreOct 5, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
Not sure how a two-year-old talks compared to a four-year-old? Here's how to write children's dialogue that feels believable and suits your audience,...
read moreOct 2, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Writing
Dialogue tags can make or break a reader’s immersion in your dialogue. Great use of dialogue tags can result in clear, engaging, and memorable...
#dialogue, #grammar, #writing tips
read moreSep 28, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr
Worried that everything you read is bleeding into your own book? Here's why that's less of a problem than it feels like, and what stepping away from...
#reading, #writing tips, #writing inspiration
read moreSep 25, 2026 | by Nimrod Cortés | Writing
Trauma in storytelling is a powerful force that can shape a character’s life and experiences. Depending on the type of story you’re telling, writing...
#character development, #writing tips
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Sep 21, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
Torn between several writing projects and can't decide where to focus? Here's how to work out why each one feels stuck, figure out what you actually...
#writing tips, #motivation, #productivity, #writers' routines
read moreSep 18, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Writing
We don’t always write when the mood of our surroundings matches the mood of what we’re writing. It’s hard to write about a group of friends having...
#playlists, #writing inspiration
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Sep 14, 2026 | by Walt Kessler | Ask Novlr, Writing
What actually happens to a defendant during a murder trial, from arraignment through the verdict, and how to capture it on the page.
#research, #genre, #writing tips
read moreSep 11, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Editing
"Kill your darlings" survives because it sounds brutal, not because it's accurate. Here's why the real skill isn't cutting your best work, it's...
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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
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Sep 4, 2026 | by Kim Montgomery | Writing
Chapters across the top, plot lines down the side: how a plotting grid keeps your novel on track, and how Novlr's new Planning tool builds one...
read moreAug 31, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Publishing
You know all those pages before chapter one: the title page, the copyright notice, maybe a dedication? That's front matter, and here's what actually...
read moreAug 28, 2026 | by Kim Montgomery | Publishing
You've written a picture book, now what? A step-by-step, no-nonsense guide to editing, querying agents, and landing a traditional publishing deal.
read moreAug 24, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Ask Novlr, Writing
Drowning in contradictory search results while researching a historical period? Here's where to actually find sources worth trusting, from free...
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 14, 2026 | by Pamela Koehne-Drube | Publishing
Hybrid and vanity publishing aren't the same thing, but the word "hybrid" gets borrowed by enough vanity presses that it's genuinely hard to tell...
read moreNovlr is a writer-owned writing workspace built for, and by writers. We are the home for creative writing, here to support you at every stage of your writing journey, no matter what that looks like.