May 2021

Nicki Porter

Make every word count

By Nicki Porter

Tips for making your short-short fiction and nonfiction stand out in the queue.

Features

Dearly departed

By Melissa Hart

These professional obituary writers mix storytelling, honesty, and yes…even humor.

Walking cliché

By Jack Smith

Pro tips for avoiding clichéd characters in fiction.

How to merge your many drafts

By Jessica Stilling

Plus, the dangers of over-rewriting them.

The DIY writing retreat

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

Sick of staring at your own four walls? Here are tips for creating an alternative writing vacation.

Departments

From the Front Lines

Code-Meshing 101

By Yi Shun Lai


Broadening a reader’s world and brightening any writer’s work.

Conference Insider

Jackson Hole Writers Conference

By Melissa Hart

Literary Spotlight

The Twin Bill

By Melissa Hart

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