With these five techniques for building suspense in fiction writing, you’ll have readers on the edge of their seats.

What’s a hero without a worthy opponent? Check out my best tips for writing a compelling villain for your novel.

Here are a few key things to consider when deciding what perspective to write your novel from.

Guest blogger Andrea Vande Vorde highlights elements of strong descriptive writing, such as metaphor, concrete imagery, and sound devices.

Learn about plot devices and principles that help keep mystery and thriller readers from spoiling your ending.

Learn about the Gateless Writing method, a framework designed to help you quiet your inner critic when generating new creative work.

Though they’re continually harped on by teachers, writers, and editors alike, “zombie” rules have no actual basis in grammar but just won’t seem to die.

Guest blogger and editor Carmen Catena breaks down how to create compelling characters by defining their goal, motivation, and conflict.

Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, mapping out some aspects of your novel in advance can streamline the revision process later on. Read on for my best tips on plotting your mystery or thriller novel.

Journalists can make great amateur detectives. But depictions of reporters in mysteries and thrillers can also go very wrong. Here are my top tips for writing a realistic journalist sleuth.