Writing Tips Archives
Linda Wiken: The wow factor
When it comes to penning crime fiction that will hook a reader, don't save the best for last....
Robert Rotenberg: Call the police--Part 2
The criminal lawyer and writer seconds advice by fellow crime scribe Sheila Kindellan-Sheehan: chat up the cops....
Anne Emery: Setting as character
The author of the Collins-Burke mystery series on the value of knowing where you are....
Ross Pennie: The dynamic duo
The Szabo and Wakefield scribe on the enduring power of a memorable sidekick for your sleuth....
Lou Allin: Layering the landscape
Today's crime writing tip: think of your story as less straight line, more tapestry....
D.J. McIntosh: How to get published
The author of one of Amazon.ca's top mystery picks gives her advice on how to rise above the slush pile....
Stephen Legault: The master plan
For the creator of the Cole Blackwater mysteries, the best crime novels start with lots and lots of butcher paper....
Robin Spano: Excavating your novel
When her plot won't move forward, this B.C. mystery author just changes direction....
C.C. Benison: How to beat writer's block
C.C. Benison on not one, but two great new products to help you get writing again!...
Kay Stewart: Three keys to a believable story
The author of the Danutia Dranchuk series on the three golden rules she's picked up along the way. (Hint: get your bird species straight.)...
Barbara Fradkin: Creating an engaging series character
The writer who's spent eight books in the company of hot-headed Inspector Michael Green on getting inside your series sleuth....
Roy Innes: A deadline and a promise
This late-blooming crime writer has a two-part recipe to ban writer's block. Make that three if you've got access to a cold garrett....
Sheila Kindellan-Sheehan: Call the police!
For this Montreal crime author, the most relevant, thrilling and unexpected facts come straight from the long arm of the law....
Rick Mofina: When bad things happen to good people...
...you've got a great thriller, according to this internationally lauded crime writer. ...
Phyllis Smallman: You say "eavesdropping," I say "writing"
Listen up, says this Unhanged Arthur winner: the best dialogue comes from real people....
Eugene Meese: Making secondary characters memorable
When it comes to fleshing out characters, this Nova Scotia crime writer urges you to save lots of energy for the little people....
Debra Purdy Kong: The big scene
The author of the Casey Holland mysteries on making your best scenes into multi-taskers....
Eric Wright: Write it, then Google it
The author of the much-lauded Charlie Salter mysteries is urging you to close that Internet search engine and get writing....
Susan Calder: Putting the reader at the scene
Never be on the outside looking in, says this Calgary crime writer. ...
Dave Hugelschaffer: Ask the experts
For the author of the Porter Cassel mysteries, the best research comes straight from the expert's mouth....
Stephen Gaspar: Writing in the working day
Step one of great writing, according to this mystery scribe: punch in on time....
Linda Kupecek: The power of the sidekick
For this Calgary crime writer, sleuths are all well and good, but sidekicks can be where you have the most fun. ...
Giles Blunt: Don't overdo the research
To this IMPAC-longlisted crime writer, research can be the procrastinator's best friend. ...
Joy Fielding: A book in a sound bite
The New York Times-bestselling crime writer on the importance of summing it all up....
Sheila Dalton: Creating a unique voice
The author of The Girl in the Box on keeping only the characters who truly stand out....
C.B. Forrest: Memorable secondary characters
The author of the Charlie McKelvey mysteries on fleshing out those supporting roles....
John Moss: Write where you know
According to this Toronto crime writer, armchair travel and whodunits don't always mix....
Poetry Month writing tip: Jim Johnstone
All through April, we're featuring writing tips from Canadian poets. Today, the former CBC Poetry Prize winner on the value of a good critique....
Poetry Month writing tip: Evelyn Lau
In honour of National Poetry Month, Vancouver's Poet Laureate on the importance of getting your work out there....
Poetry Month writing tip: Jeramy Dodds
The former CBC Poetry Prize winner's writing advice is refreshingly straightforward. (That is, until you get to the balaclava.)...
Poetry Month writing tip: Priscila Uppal
We're rolling out writing tips from Canadian poets all through April. Here, Priscila Uppal gets (literally) crafty....
Poetry Month writing tip: Tanis Rideout
All this month on Canada Writes, we're rolling out tips from Canadian poets. Today: former CBC Poetry Prize winner Tanis Rideout on the importance of readiness....
Poetry Month writing tip: Roo Borson
Our latest nugget of poetic wisdom: Roo Borson on the importance of keeping an eye out for those fleeting flashes of meaning....
Poetry Month writing tip: Tim Lilburn
To celebrate National Poetry Month, the Governor General's Award-winning poet treats us to a tip on the power of writerly obsession....
Poetry Month writing tip: Erin Knight
In honour of National Poetry Month, we're serving up writing tips from Canadian poets all through April. To kick things off, Erin Knight on the virtues of a little fresh...
Food writing wisdom from Christine Cushing
The award-winning cookbook author and host of Fearless in the Kitchen on the most important ingredient in good food writing: the writer....
Canada Reads Top 10 share their writing tips
Pearls of writing wisdom from some of this year's Top 10 finalists for Canada Reads: Ken Dryden, Margaret MacMillan, Carmen Aguirre, Chester Brown and Ryan Knighton....
Adam Gopnik: Writing from the inside out
The acclaimed New Yorker contributor and judge of our True Winter Tales Challenge on where your best writing should come from... and why writing is a lot like going to the gym....
Jonathan Goldstein shows no mercy
The host of CBC Radio's WireTap on the value of subjecting yourself to an extreme writing makeover....
Daniel Kalla: Time and momentum
The author of The Far Side of the Sky and Pandemic explains just how a practicing doctor can write seven novels in seven years....
Madeleine Thien: Strangeness and belonging
The author of Dogs at the Perimeter gives us a powerful and poetic writing tip....
From Andrew Pyper
Writer's block: no such thing If you didn't show up to work for a week, and, when asked by your boss for an explanation, you answered "I had job block," she'd...
Feist's writing tip: write for yourself
Her upcoming album, Metals, is already drawing comparisons to Carole King and Leonard Cohen. Who better, then, than singer-songwriter Leslie Feist to give us some words of writing wisdom?"I...
From Di Brandt:
Rhythm and light The most important things in poetry are rhythm and light. Read your poems-in-progress aloud to yourself. Pace them out. Breathe them. If there's a snag in the...
From Lee Maracle:
Subway Stories I am never not making up stories: I watch people on the transit, look at the lines of their faces, see how they sit, check out what they...
From Stuart McLean:
A question of belief I think the question writers most often get from people who are not writers, but think they would like to be, is "Where do you get...
From David Hayes:
Writing pictures: how to craft a scene Whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction, scenes are the backbone of narrative. They are where you provide action and dialogue to show rather...
From Molly Peacock:
Find Just Twenty Minutes!One thing I hear from writers is that they don't have time to write. But I give an assignment when I teach a "sonnet studio" workshop where...