Riley Adams's Blog

 

by DiAnn Mills, @diannmills

Throughout time, the world has provided us with real people who attempted feats of courage to survive the odds against them. Those heroes and heroines tapped into mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual strength to battle and overcome obstacles. Those bigger-than-life people laid the foundation for fascinating stories to captivate readers.

The process of creating a fictional account or story based on real people challenges the writer to weave facts into characters and events, which allows the reader to walk the pages of the adventure with the character. The process sets the stage for an incredible story seen through a unique POV by using emotion, symbolism, and sensory perception that fits into the real person.

The writer explores information from reliable sources, libraries, respected websites, front-page news, or the latest media report to pull out facts and discover between-the-line possibilities. But the process has three challenges that must be addressed:

How much information can a writer use legally without the threat of plagiarism? Copying and pasting from previously published works is illegal.How can the event or person be used to create an intriguing story? The basis of heroism is a personality open to wisdom and learning. Story is line after line of emotive conflict, and the problem lingers on what could have happened vs. what might have happened.If a real person is part of the story and recognized as a hero or heroine, how does the writer show growth and change?

For many writers, the prospect is intriguing. The facts and research are documented, and adding characters and literary techniques to tell the story should be . . . easy. But the story requires skill to develop unforgettable and unpredictable characters.

What do writers need to accomplish their story?A character who steps into a reader’s heart and takes permanent residence. They are three-dimensional, feeling, thinking, acting, and reacting people who have a dynamic backstory that explains behavior in the present.A plot that identifies a problem and employs a complicated means of solving it. Mounting conflict moves the storyline forward.A strong point of view expressed by the character who has the most to lose and gain in every scene. For the protagonist to represent a recognizable person in history, traits must identify with what is commonly accepted about the person.A credible display of character emotions motivated by the past, present, passion, personality, and persuasion. Life experiences will have influenced the real person’s emotions. How do those critical parts of story line up with facts? Showing how the person reacted and responded to various situations can be a tightrope, but when completed effectively, readers will praise the writer.A dialogue linked to genre, culture, setting, and detailed characterization.A setting with strong antagonistic traits.A climax that explodes naturally from all the happenings and events leading up to the black moment.A critical resolution designed to meet reader satisfaction. It must tie all the loose ends and answer all the questions. Accuracy to facts is a must.Using fiction techniques for the sake of story is needed for rising action, but a writer who changes history might not find their story accepted.

The plot doesn’t have to match the historical or front-page headlines, but it must be believable. Writers take seeds from established facts and massage what’s necessary into the character’s life. Fascinating backgrounds help writers create a similar or fresh story idea.

The prospect of creating a story from a real person is a task worth the hard work. Done properly, the reader is entertained, encouraged, inspired, and learns more about what shaped our world.

Are you ready to roll back your writing sleeves and take on the project?

 

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, conference consultant for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers, a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn is active online and would love to connect with readers on: Facebook, X, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, BookBub, YouTube, LinkedIn or her website: diannmills.com

 

Author @diannmills shares expert tips on creating compelling stories from real people while respecting facts and legal boundaries:
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by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Welcome to a very strange edition of LitLinks! I apologize for its brevity and formatting. The tech gremlins have gone on a total rampage this week. I’ve decided to completely eschew a laptop for a desktop (being delivered tomorrow), which will help with some of the problems I’m facing. You should see a very normal edition next week. :) I feel like I should be hanging a sign that says “Thank you for your patience with our progress,” ha.

How a Misbelief About Love Can Be a Guiding Light for Your Romance Characters: buff.ly/0Ukdq7K by Jane Friedman #wkb45

Elements of Suspense: buff.ly/Ix6g4sW from Fictionary #wkb18

Should You Write What You Know?: buff.ly/EHsNRwp by Savannah Cordova #wkb31

Crime Fiction: In The Spotlight: Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower: buff.ly/YJjXDBs @mkinberg.bsky.social #wkb44

When to Get Up and Write in the Middle of the Night: buff.ly/xC32GZM by Josh Bernoff #wkb31

Writing 101: Semi-Colons & Other Tricky Punctuation Marks: buff.ly/x8y3Sat by Becca Puglisi #wkbd

37 Days of Shakespeare Day 35: Much Ado: buff.ly/nqiAnUh from Secrets of Story #wkb14

Author, Take Back Your Power: buff.ly/syI3EyK from Writers in the Storm #wkb31

Shadow Work for Writers (Part 1 of 2): buff.ly/uR0Jcyd from Writer Unboxed #wkb31

Help! My Romance Draft Is a Mess (Now What?): buff.ly/QiovHZm by Stuart Wakefield #wkbb

Sabotaging My Own Writing Before Even Starting? buff.ly/qqGkki4 by Kristen Arnett #wkb30

Apostrophes & Possession(‘s): buff.ly/dIqtgRu from Story Empire #wkbd

Using Formula Without Being Formulaic: buff.ly/bN3cy2R from Fox Print Editorial #wkb89

Longlist: The 50,000 Pound Baillie Gifford Prize for Nonfiction: publishingperspectives.com/2025/09/long… by Porter Anderson #wkb84

How to Decide If a Writer’s Retreat Is Right for You: buff.ly/upEzSDj by Nathan Bransford #wkb84

Write a Great Screenplay: buff.ly/k4wCHxn from Writer’s Digest #wkb48

The Problem in How to Train Your Dragon: buff.ly/vq6FLfN from Flying Wrestler #wkb14

What Are Editorial Reports and Should You Write Them? buff.ly/yuNFPBf by Louise Harnby #wkb82

The Value of Warming Up Before Each Writing Session: buff.ly/H0KJ0xL from Writers on the Move #wkb31

Basic Copywriting: buff.ly/DSEpt4O from Nonprofit Copywriter #wkb8e

10 Ways to Use Setting Effectively in Fiction Writing: buff.ly/XacSlFD from Career Authors #wkb90

Pinterest Is My Best-Kept Author Marketing Secret: buff.ly/Gwc3Ft1 by Melissa Bourbon #wkb71

Create a Plan for Local Book Presentations: buff.ly/iUt9Ceu By Linda Wilson #wkb84

Moving and Writing: buff.ly/QIsN7B7 by Kay DiBianca #wkb31

Four Ways Writing a Book Will Teach you about Your Writing Fears and Habits: buff.ly/txR74iF by Rebecca Camarena #wkb31

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On LitLinks:
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by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you’re there, check out the Writer’s Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here. Follow the WKB on Facebook here.

I’m not posting tomorrow, in observance of Labor Day. See you back here next Sunday.

The One Answer That Matters: By Greer MacallisterFive Tips to Self-Care for You and Your Creativity: by Justin CampbellBehind the Scenes: A Day in the Life of a Cowriting Team: by Christina DelayHow to Reclaim Joy in Your Writing Life: by Colleen M. StoryEmbrace the Process: by Sue ColettaWrite your first draft for yourself: there are no rules: by Anne R. AllenWrite Your Manuscript Like an Endurance Athlete Trains: by Miffie SeidemanSpine-Tingling Quotes From Horror Authors: from The Writer MagazineHorror Writing Advice Classics: By Toni FitzgeraldMystery Writing: In Search of the Penny Drop: by James Scott BellDomestic Employees in Crime Fiction: @mkinberg.bsky.socialHow To Best Approach Nonfiction Book Developmental Edit Revisions: by Nina AmirHow Many Poems Does It Take to Make You a Poet? by Brenda Gates SpielmanA Family Affair: Three Easy Poetry Forms to Do with Young Ones: by Shutta CrumFive Questions for Designing Faster-Than-Light Technology: by Oren Ashkenazi3 Easy Tips to Crafting a Compelling, Cozy Book Blurb: by Michele Pariza WacekBook reviewer Lloyd Russel shares his approach: emphasize the positive, finish what you start, and email is best for review requests: by C. Lee McKenzie at the IWSGHow To Get Your Book Noticed: by Ellen Birkett MorrisWhy Substack (still) matters for writers: by Dan BlankThe UK’s 2025 Polari Prize Controversy and Its Implications: by Porter AndersonA Potential Settlement in the Anthropic AI-Training Lawsuit: by Porter AndersonHow Publishing Has Changed Since 2015: AAP’s Annual StatShot: US Revenues Were $32.5 Billion in 2024: by Porter AndersonAuthor Complaints, Conflicts of Interest at Fortis Publishing: @victoriastrauss.comSay What? Avoiding Dialogue Duds: by Travis Tougaw10 Frameworks for a Novel: by Paula MunierThe Semi-Colon Is Dead;Long Live The Dash? By PJ ParrishWhat Is a Capitonym? by Arlene MillerTop 10 Fillers To Delete From Your Screenplay Or Novel Right Now: by Lucy VayBeta readers: your book’s first reality check and why you need it: @rozmorris.bsky.socialMaster List of Scents, for Writers: by Bryn Donovan

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by Michele Pariza Wacek

Are you one of the many cozy mystery authors who would rather write another book than write your Amazon book blurb?

You’re definitely not alone. On the one hand, you know how important those blurbs are, at least if you want to sell any books. On the other, you just wrote an entire book! How are you supposed to summarize it in a brief, compelling manner that convinces readers to buy it?

I know, it’s tough. Which is why I wanted to share 3 quick tips on crafting the perfect blurb to sell your book.

But first, who am I and why on earth should you listen to me? Along with being a cozy mystery author, I’m also a direct response copywriter. I built a multiple 6-figure copywriting company that I ran for over twenty years, and my specialty was helping entrepreneurs with their online sales. While none of those entrepreneurs were fiction authors, the lessons I leaned over those years I was able to transfer to my fiction business, specifically selling cozy mystery books.

So, with that, let’s jump into the 3 tips.

Tip 1: Think small

One of the best examples is from one of my psychological thriller books. This book ended up being 110,000 words of a massive, sprawling plot about a college student who had cystic fibrosis, an angsty love story and a touch of mean girls and general college angst. The main character college student was also hiding a family secret around her twin sister disappearing when they were around five years old, and for most of the book she was being stalked.

As you can see, it was a very complicated plot.

So what did I write for my book blurb?

As a child, Kit’s twin sister Cat disappeared, never to be heard from again. Until one Halloween night. But is it really Cat?

That’s basically the opening scene. Nothing about the stalking or her disease or the love story (which is pretty prominent in the book) or really anything else.

Now, I will admit, part of the reason why I was able to distill that book into 3 sentences (which were so successful for this book that it ended up getting as high as #28 in the entire Kindle store) was BECAUSE the plot was so complicated. I was at a complete loss trying to fit all the details into a few paragraphs on Amazon. So I decided to focus on just one plot point. And it worked.

Over the years, I’ve had my best successes picking one or two plot points (especially if they’re trope-y) and leaving the rest. The books that have struggled more seem to be the ones where I’m not as good as whitling it down to one or two trope-y plot points.

So how do you pick which plot point to focus on? I’m glad you asked, as that leads me to tip #2:

Tip #2: Your blurb should capture the emotional payoff of your book

For example: one of my cozy mysteries that is very twisty mystery (and also one of my longer cozies) starts with these two sentences:

5 friends went into the woods. Only 4 came out.

For that cozy, because it was a very twisty and kind on the dark side for a cozy mystery, I emphasized the mystery part.

I have another, much lighter and funnier cozy mystery series that starts like this:

Emily Hildebrandt has run into a bit of a rough patch. She’s lost her job, her fiance and her apartment. Still, she never expected to be desperate enough to accept an invitation to live with her eccentric Aunt Tilde in Redemption, Wisconsin.

But, beggars can’t be choosers. Even if part of the deal is she has to pretend to work at her aunt’s latest hair-brained scheme, The Redemption Detective Agency.

First off, you’ll notice the second blurb is much longer. That’s because in that series it’s less about the mystery, and more about humor and relationships. There are silver sleuths, pet detectives, a strong romance subplot, and a lot of humor. Now, I didn’t capture all of that in the blurb, but I wanted to capture the feeling or emotional pay off the reader can expect. I barely talk about the mystery at all in the blurb (it’s hinted at in the end) whereas my other cozy mystery, the mystery is front and center.

That’s what I mean about making your blurb fit the emotional pay off. If you are more of an Agatha Christie cozy mystery author, you may want to focus on the mystery. You may especially want to lean into the mystery if it fits a common mystery trope (i.e. locked door, lost in the woods, amnesia, family secrets, etc.)

If your cozy mystery is more about the cozy, and especially if you have lots of cozy tropes, lean into that (i.e. small town, quirky characters, pets, baking, hobbies, fish-out-of-water sleuth, silver sleuths, humor, etc.)

Lastly, I would also make sure your cover fits the emotional pay off of your book. In other words, not only should you make sure your cover matches the top 100 of its category, but that it also fits the tone of your book. Remember, the cover is the first thing that is going to catch the readers’ eye. If the cover draws them in, they’ll read the blurb. If the blurb and the cover don’t match (i.e. your cover looks like a culinary cozy but it’s actually a vacation cozy) the reader is going to experience emotional dissonance between your cover and the description, which means they won’t buy your book.

Tip 3: The writing itself should match what the reader will experience

Is your book funny or lighthearted? Then add some humor or lightheartedness to the blurb. Is it more twisty or hard-boiled? Make it more mysterious or maybe even add a dash of high-stakes thriller writing if your book includes some of that.

If you have a very distinctive main character voice (or if your main character is an animal, like a cat or dog), you may want to have your character write the blurb, as that can be a very effective way of giving your readers a taste of the book.

Remember, readers are looking to be entertained as well as to feel a certain way. If they don’t care for your writing style, or the writing style of your book, they probably won’t enjoy reading your book, regardless of how well it’s written or how great the mystery is. Readers also aren’t going to spend a bunch of time trying to figure out if your book is a match for them, so if your blurb isn’t clear or if they don’t get a good sense of the experience they’re going to get with your book, they likely aren’t going to take a chance.

So, to recap, a good book blurb will:

Be short and sweetCapture the main tropes in as few as words as possibleCapture the emotional pay off of your bookCapture the experience of reading your book

It may seem a little daunting to approach book blurbs in this way, but once you get the hang of it, you might be surprised how quick and easy writing a successful book blurb is. Good luck and happy selling!

A USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author, Michele Pariza Wacek taught herself to read at 3 years old because she wanted to write stories so badly. It took some time (and some detours) but now she does spend much of her time writing stories. Mystery stories, to be exact. They’re clean and twisty, and range from psychological thrillers to cozies, with a dash of romance and supernatural thrown into the mix. You can learn more about her at MPWNovels.com.

You can also check out her newest release, The Mysterious Case of the Missing Ghost, Book 3 of The Redemption Detective Agency on Amazon.

Cozy Mystery Blurbs: 3 Copywriter Secrets from Michele Pariza Wacek:
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by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you’re there, check out the Writer’s Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here. Follow the WKB on Facebook here. 

Here we go! LitLinks is back and hopefully glitch-free!

The right type of editor: by Daphne Gray-GrantWhat Does It Mean to Write and Publish a Viral Article? by Rebecca Morrison @janefriedman.comBartz v Anthropic: Find Out if You May Be Part of This Class Action: @victoriastrauss.comFrom Author to eCommerce Brand: By Alicia McCallaReading Challenges? Count Me Out: by Ellen Notbohm7 Love Triangle Novels That Are About More Than Romance: by Lidija HiljeHow to Establish a Regular Writing Routine: by Chad GraysonThe Perfect Writing Day: by Amy Armstrong7 Reasons Why Writers Need a Break: by Kayelle AllenTalent vs. Grit: by Kay DiBiancaProgress and Practice: compiled by Dale Ivan SmithOvercoming Objections: Defeating Your Top Book Writing Hurdles: by Rebecca CamarenaWhere authors gossip, geek out and let off steam: 15 of the best literary Substacks: by Sam LeithAI Can’t Gaslight Me if I Write by Hand: by Deb WerrleinDon’t Fall for AI: Nine Reasons for Writers to Reject Slop: by Chris WinkleAn incomplete list of things Jane Austen disliked: By Emily TempleWe find a way: by Dan BlankYou are an experience: by Dan BlankThe Romance of Being an Artist: By Steven PressfieldHow to Deal With a Powerful Faction Helping Team Good: by Oren AshkenaziAutofiction: When Your Story Doesn’t Fit in the Box: by April DávilaWriting the Memoir My Father Never Could: By Margot SingerGenre is a Container, Not a Cage, a Tool, Not a Limitation: By Matthew Clark Davison and Alice LaPlanteCrime Fiction: In The Spotlight: Isabel Briggs Meyers’ Murder Yet to Come: @mkinberg.bsky.socialWhy Daylight Killings (in Life and Literature) Are So Deeply Disturbing: by Christopher J. YatesThe First Mystery Story: by Elaine VietsThe Murder Mystery: Keeping It Fresh: by Liza TullyActivism as an Element in Crime Fiction: @mkinberg.bsky.socialTaking Criticism: by James Scott BellThe Latest in Marketing Ploys: by Terry OdellHow you share is a craft: by Dan BlankDon’t Delete That! by RJ ReddenHow Do You Create Value in a Newsletter? from Fox Print EditorialHow my son gained 60,000 followers in 90 days: by Dan BlankWhat should writers do about social media? by Dan BlankPlot, Character, or Situation: Your Story’s Entry Point Determines Next Steps: by Heather Garbo @janefriedman.comHow to Drill Inside Your Villain’s Head: by Debbie BurkeEmbarrassment Into a Story: A Writer’s Gold Mine: by Sy RosenHow to Make Your Character Likeable: by Dana IsaacsonEmbedded dialogue: How to capture speech memory in narrative: by Louise HarnbyBad Movies Can Teach You a Lot About Good Writing: by Alex J. Cavanaugh at the IWSG Writing Advice and Literary Wisdom from the Great E.B. White: By Sam WellerHow to Find Symbols in Your Settings: by Becca PuglisiWriting: What Do You Have to Say? by Linda S. ClareWriting 101: Avoiding Purple Prose: by Becca PuglisiWriting for the Long Haul: Notes from the Trenches: by Lucy BurdetteConcerning the Rule of Cool (and Other Observations): By David CorbettHow to Find the Heart of Your Story: By Rachel ToalsonReader Fatigue: Is Pacing in Novels a Lost Art? by Kelley J. P. LindbergFinding the Perfect Title: By Yi Shun LaiWhat Is a Mondegreen? Examples: by Arlene MillerWhere Am I? by Sue ColettaVoice Matters: By Kathryn CraftSovereignty: Owning Your Voice is the Ultimate Power Move: by Sarah Sally HamerMake Every Word Count: by Brenda Copeland

 

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by Nick Bailey

It was a dark and stormy night… reading this opening, you might be tempted to roll your eyes. But there’s a reason the phrase has endured long enough to become a literary cliché. In just seven words, it clearly establishes atmosphere — the mood or emotional experience of a novel.

Of course, “a dark and stormy night” might be a little too on the nose for most readers. To help you balance impact with nuance, I’m here with five quick tips to enhance your story’s atmosphere. Let’s get into it!

1. Use sensory details beyond sight

When drawing readers into a scene, it’s often most intuitive to begin with what you see. Humans are visual creatures — we instantly understand the difference between a rich emerald canopy and a murky olive grove.

But there’s much more to a rich sensory experience than sight alone. We have five extraordinary senses, after all. Make use of them in your writing!

Each sense brings a different flavor of imagery to the table. For instance:

Taste works best when used sparingly. Think of the salty bite of the cool ocean spray, or the tang of smoke from a lingering cookout.Smell is equally adept at pulling readers into a scene. You might pair the bitter flavor of a freshly brewed coffee with a quip about its rich aroma, for example. This kind of contrast can make even the most mundane setting feel layered.

Going back to our dark and stormy night, consider which other sensory indicators you could use to let readers know it’s raining. Perhaps your protagonist could hear the low roll of thunder in the distance, or feel the cold sting of rain on their skin — remember, a little goes a long way!

2. Gauge the mood with character behavior

Back in the 1970s, Dr. Albert Mehrabian conducted a study on human communication. He found that a whopping 55% of human interaction stems from our body language. That isn’t to say that dialogue isn’t important, but one thing holds true: when people communicate, non-verbal indicators do a lot of heavy lifting.

By putting this principle into practice in your prose, you can signal the atmosphere to your readers without a single line of dialogue.

Let’s say your protagonist walks into an Old-West style saloon. As they enter the room, conversation grinds to a halt, and every patron turns their head to stare, unblinking, as your character walks up to the bar. The bartender’s hand shifts in the direction of the shotgun he keeps beneath the counter. In a scene like this, the regulars’ reactions speak volumes about how “welcome” strangers are ‘round these parts.

Now imagine that your protagonist enters that same saloon during a good old-fashioned hoedown. A rosy-cheeked musician cranks out a rendition of Red River Valley on a rickety old piano, as the townsfolk sashay across the creaky floorboards. In both scenarios, it’s the same location, maybe even the same people — but the atmosphere feels completely different thanks to their behavior.

3. Include cultural or historical details

Did you notice anything else about that last example? The rowdy antics of our saloon-going friends (or foes!) weren’t the only atmosphere-enhancing elements present. Red River Valley is a cowboy classic that will instantly transport any in-the-know readers right back to the American frontier. Including the occasional cultural or historical detail like this will help ground your story in its exact time and place.

The trick here is to pick details that feel natural to your characters and setting. If you wanted to create a similarly lively atmosphere in, say, 1920s New York, you could switch out the saloon for a speakeasy. Patrons wouldn’t do-si-do to folk tunes; instead, they’d shimmy to the Charleston step, a smooth arrangement of Ain’t She Sweet being played in the background.

Of course, these cultural touchstones only work if they’re accurate. Nothing will take readers out of the roaring twenties nightlife like an errant Chappell Roan tune. To avoid any anachronistic mishaps, take the time to thoroughly research your story’s setting. Food, fashion, language, technology — any and all authentic details that will strengthen your story’s atmosphere.

That being said, there’s no need to go overboard. A historical tidbit here and there will draw readers in, but a full chapter dedicated to the rise and fall of the American speakeasy will (probably) take them out.

4. Match your vocabulary to the mood

So far, we’ve discussed how things actually happening in a scene can help you build atmosphere. Now let’s talk about the powerful tool that makes it all possible: your prose.

The words you use to describe your scene carry as much atmospheric weight as the events themselves. Compare the difference between “The house was old” and “The house sagged under decades of neglect.” Both convey age, but the second description feels more human and specific. It creates an emotional connection to the house, as if years of disrepair have left it tired and lonely.

Always consider the connotations of your word choices. If a character raises their voice, they might “snarl,” “shriek”, “cheer”, or “bark” depending on the circumstances. It’s prudent here to mention Elmore Leonard’s fourth rule for writing: never use an adverb to modify the verb “said”. Nothing will kill the atmosphere you’ve worked oh-so-hard to build more than a phrase like “she said, vociferously”.

Instead, let your carefully chosen verbs do the atmospheric heavy lifting. A character who “whispers” creates intimacy, while one who “bellows” fills the room with tension, all without a single adverb cluttering your prose.

5. Control your sentence rhythm

Rhythm isn’t just reserved for music — it’s also an essential component of any atmospheric story. But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what literary legend Haruki Murakami had this to say on the subject:

“Whether in music or in fiction, the most basic thing is rhythm. Your style needs to have good, natural, steady rhythm, or people won’t keep reading your work… If the way the words fit the rhythm is smooth and beautiful, you can’t ask for anything more.”

By tailoring your sentence structure to the mood of your story, you’ll create a well-aligned rhythm in which readers can lose themselves. For example, if your character is wandering through a sun-dappled meadow where wildflowers sway and butterflies drift in the afternoon breeze, then your sentences should mirror that same unhurried, flowing pace. This will allow readers to savor every lovingly crafted sensory detail alongside your character.

What about a combat scenario? In this context, sentences should stay punchy. A swift jab here. A right hook there. Another strike, and the enemy falls.

See the difference? Keeping things short creates a fast, staccato rhythm — similar to a racing heartbeat or rapid breathing. Readers will experience the urgency of the scene as they scan the page faster, and their own heart rate quickens.

Of course, you don’t always need to jump from one extreme to the other. An abrupt shift to a shorter sentence structure may signal a sudden shift in mood, which can mark a key narrative turning point. But just like a piece of longer music might ebb and flow, your sentences can do the same to create a dynamic and engaging atmosphere.

Lastly, remember that genre writers can (and should!) employ this technique in different ways. A thriller writer might use lots of short sentences to create fast-paced action, for instance, while a romance writer will use longer sentences to build anticipation.

By keeping each of these tips in mind as you write, you too can master the art of atmosphere in storytelling. Now, go forth! Brave the dark and stormy night of creative uncertainty, and craft an immersive atmosphere that will leave readers hanging on your every word.

Nick Bailey writes about anything and everything in the realm of writing and self-publishing for Reedsy, a publishing platform that connects authors with editors, designers, and marketers to help them publish a book. Aside from reading, Nick enjoys hiking, electronic music, and filling up his personal cookbook with new recipes.

Master the art of atmosphere in your storytelling with these 5 essential tips from Nick Bailey:
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Hi everyone!

I promise I haven’t forgotten about LitLinks. :)  I’m hoping to resume my link roundup in the next couple of weeks. I’m running into tech gremlins that are keeping me from accessing and categorizing my shared links.  I’ve got a support ticket open, so fingers crossed!

Thanks, as always, for coming by my site.

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Today I’m over at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group with a post on plot devices. When done wrong, they drive me crazy. But when they’re done right, they can make a story very enjoyable. Hope you’ll hop over to join me.

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By Rue Matthiessen

My novel, Woman with Eyes Closed, was inspired by a theft at the Kunsthal museum in 2012. Seven masterworks were stolen. Among them was a painting by Lucian Freud called Woman with Eyes Closed.

Later, I read that evidence pointed to what would have been considered the worst outcome. That the mother of the criminals had put all of the works in her stove and burned them, trying to save her kids. People were talking about it a lot, and arguing. Some were angry about the loss of seven masterworks. Yet others had great sympathy for a mother whose children were in danger. They said that no matter the value or greatness of these works, the value of a human life was much greater, and they understood her actions completely. (In fact, the fate of the paintings was never definitively proven.)

Having grown up in an intense literary and artistic community on Long Island, where I still live, this debate resonated with me. I found myself coming down on both sides. An idea for a fictional work began to brew.

I found out that the woman in the painting, Woman with Eyes Closed, was a young friend of Freud’s, and that she was terminally ill, and had two small children. This opened up a sub plot that seemed custom made. My mother, Deborah Love Matthiessen, died in ’72, when I was thirteen. That story is part of my earlier book, a memoir, Castles & Ruins.

Because I know so well the great benefits art gives to the public, I mourned the (supposed) loss of the paintings. Because I grew up in a literary and artistic milieu where art and letters did often have a greater value than people, even the people who made it, the story behind this painting touched me deeply.

I love where I live, and am grateful that I was encouraged by my parents, in a benign way, to do this work. It can be extremely satisfying to capture something that is missed, a person, a painting, an atmosphere, an era. Our area is known as “the Hamptons.” It has undergone many changes, the original country-and-creatives vibe has been almost completely lost. That is another thing that I felt able to re-create. When I finished Woman with Eyes Closed I went to the beach, in front of the house that I used as a model for the home for my main female character, Perrin Clayton. No one was around, so I felt free to open my arms to the sky and shout I did it!

 

Rue Matthiessen is a two-time Pushcart Prize nominee whose essays and short fiction have appeared in numerous literary journals.  She is the author of three books: the novel Woman With Eyes Closed (2025), the memoir Castles & Ruins (2024) about growing up in Sagaponack, NY, among writers driven by fierce literary ambition, and Buttonwood Cottage, chronicling the renovation of a Caribbean house, scuba diving, and the natural beauty of Bonaire.  Recently she was featured in the Bridgehampton Museum’s Distinguished Lecturer Series and the Longhouse Talks series in East Hampton. She lives on the East End of Long Island.

When Art and Life Collide: The Story Behind My Novel
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by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethspanncraig.com

Creating a personal style guide can be really helpful when you’re writing in series. It was something that Penguin did for me when I wrote for them (to make sure I stayed on track throughout the series), and I found it useful enough to continue after I started self-publishing.

A style guide is different from a story bible or character bible. While your story bible tracks characters, relationships, and plot events, your style guide focuses on the mechanical and technical aspects of your writing.

Why Create a Personal Style Guide?

Creating a personal style guide solves a few different problems at one time:

Consistency: Readers notice inconsistencies even when they can’t pinpoint exactly what bothers them. A style guide ensures your character who drank coffee “every morning” in book one isn’t suddenly a lifelong tea drinker in book three.

Efficiency: When you document your style decisions, you avoid repeatedly solving the same problems.

Professional Presentation: Consistency signals professionalism to readers, reviewers, and industry professionals.

Mechanical Elements for Your Style Guide

Here are mechanical aspects I track in my style guide that have saved me lots of time:

Punctuation Choices:

Whether to use the Oxford/serial commaEm dash or en dash preferences (and with/without spaces)Ellipsis formatting (three dots or the ellipsis character; spaces or no spaces)

Capitalization Standards:

Title capitalization style (which words get capitalized in chapter titles)Treatment of place names (Downtown vs. downtown)Fictional organizations, businesses, and eventsTime periods and eras (the Sixties vs. the sixties)

Number Formatting:

Time expressions (2:30 p.m. vs. 2:30 PM vs. half past two)

Formatting Choices:

Italics usage (for emphasis, thoughts, foreign words?)Bold text applications (chapter headings only? scene breaks?)How to format text messages, emails, or letters within your narrativeScene break indicatorsChapter heading style and numbering

Spelling Preferences:

Variant spellings (toward vs. towards, etc.)Compound words (makeup vs. make-up, healthcare vs. health care)Treatment of foreign wordsRegional dialect spellings for consistency

Technology and Modern Elements:

How to handle brand names (iPhone or smartphone?)Social media platform referencesTreatment of app names and digital terminologyHandling of text messages and digital communication

Special Cases:

Recurring unusual terms unique to your story worldConsistent handling of slang or vernacularFormat for internal thoughtsHandling of flashbacks or dreamsTreatment of letters, notes, or documents within text

The key is creating a system that works for you. My style guide is a Word document.

Style Guides for Collaboration

For indie authors who work with different editors across a series, a comprehensive style guide ensures consistency regardless of who handles each book.

Do you maintain any kind of style guide for your writing? What elements have you found most helpful to document?

Discover how creating a personal style guide can streamline your writing process, strengthen your voice, and eliminate unnecessary decision-making:: #WritersTips #WritingLife
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