writing for adults blog

We teach our students how to write and get published.

Learn from published authors who have spent decades perfecting their writing craft. Our bi-weekly posts offer ways to improve your craft and support your writing for adult genres such as romance, mystery, thriller, horror, and adventure.

The Best Christmas on Mars

What can you hope to gain by entering a writing contest? IFW Instructor and contest judge Lynn Smith shares why entering a contest can improve your work.

September 21, 2021

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Lights! Camera! Action! Creating Dramatic Action Scenes

IFW Instructor Kris Franklin illustrates how to build more tension in your story by showing and not telling.

September 7, 2021

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Types and Topics: Nonfiction That Doesnâ€™t Get Old | IFW

A look at magazines published one, five, ten, and twenty or more years ago will reveal the same categories of nonfiction and many of the same topics. Why? Because they address universal needs and aim to help readers improve their lives.

August 24, 2021

Planning Ahead for Timely Submissions

What’s going to be happening? Victoria Sherrow helps us plan for timely submissions for holidays and commemorative events. Look for new angles into the market.

August 9, 2021

Building Your Author Press Kit

Kelli Panique gives tips for what to include your author press kit to make it easy on you and your contacts.

July 27, 2021

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Getting the Most Out of a Writer’s Conference Part 2 | IFW

Karen Hammond offers tips and tricks for getting back in the swing of attending writing conferences.

July 13, 2021

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Getting the Most Out of a Writer’s Conference Part 1| IFW

Karen Hammond is getting us in tip-top shape for a return to in-person writing conferences.

June 22, 2021

Writing About Painful Subjects

Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Pandemic. Who hasn’t heard that word by now?

June 8, 2021

Six Tips for Writing Tantalizing Titles

Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > When you think about all of the writing

May 11, 2021

Focus and Slant: Key Elements for Nonfiction Success

Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > It was early spring, and I was thinking

April 21, 2021

What Should You Write? Choosing Your Best Nonfiction Ideas

Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Nonfiction ideas truly are everywhere, and writers who

April 13, 2021

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Magazine Sleuth: What to Study Before You Write | IFW

Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > When people think of writing, they might picture

March 30, 2021

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Sci-Fi Characters Help Your Readers Stay Afloat | IFW

If readers believe in your human sci-fi characters, theyâ€™ll believe every other aspect of your story, no matter how weird or alien or out of this world. Readers will follow you anywhere, even to the ends of the universe.

March 16, 2021

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Conventional Structures for Unconventional stories | IFW

Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Conventional Structures for Unconventional stories What is it

March 2, 2021

6 Tips to Prime, Pump, and Polish Your Writing Voice

Your writer’s voice is a skill that can be developed. Here are six tips that will help you pump, prime & polish your writing voice. Let’s get to work!

February 16, 2021

Raise Your Voice: Only You Can Tell Your Story Your Way

Voice in writing can be elusive. How do you develop your writing voice while also writing characters with their own voices? Lori Mortensen is here to help.

February 2, 2021