Michael Gallant

Estimated reading time: 1 minute Experiment with this time-honored storytelling format and see where your creativity takes you. Many of our most beloved books follow a similar path. First, an old world is invoked or a new one created. Characters are…

Whether it comes first or last in your process — or anywhere in the middle — titling your book makes a huge difference in how readers perceive your work — and whether they decide to purchase it in the first place. A good book title grabs a potential…

Even the most brilliant writers can feel frustrated, disillusioned, or demoralized when it comes to their work. Here’s how to keep writing through it all. Sometimes when we write, it can feel like rivers of creativity are flowing from heart to brain…

These strategies can help you summon a vibrant audience for your next big literary event or book signing. In “How To Get People To Your Book Signing,” I shared some ideas on how to increase turnout for your next book signing. Here are more specific…

Creative and thoughtful planning will help you fill the house for your book launch, book signing, or next big literary event. As both a writer and a musician, I regularly see how getting people to come to live events is about more than the quality of…

When you know that your work will be translated and shared with readers in different countries, these real-world tips can help. For a decade or more, much of my professional writing work has been aimed at audiences who live in other countries and who…

Writing isn’t just a young person’s game. Many authors who didn’t start writing until they were in their fifties, sixties, and seventies (and older!) have made their mark on critics and readers. Jonathan Safran Foer published Everything Is…

Don’t struggle to create a book title — or any writing project’s title. Propel and define your work by adapting your project’s name as you go. When I began my career, I rarely gave much attention to naming my writing projects. I didn’t ignore titles…

Just as writing can evoke and require different emotions and expression, you might find the same is true when it comes time to revise your writing. Right now, I’m preparing a chapter of the novel I introduced in “The Accidental Novelist – How Stolen…

Studying current events beyond the borders of your own country can give you new story ideas and lift your writing in unexpected ways. I’ve been working on a new creative project called Current Dissonance. It’s a newsletter on the Substack platform…

Great ideas can come from the most mundane, extraordinary, or unexpected sources. If you don’t know where to begin your next work of fiction, actively seek inspiration and kickstart your creativity. Sometimes, all you need is a place to start. But…

Breaking down your writing process into a string of micro-tasks can increase your productivity and help you tackle daunting challenges. In my recent column “One Simple Question To Ask When Self-editing,” I wrote about condensing your writing…

Writing on commission with an external editor can be challenging, rewarding, or both at the same time. Here’s advice on managing the relationship and publishing something you can feel proud of. I’ve been blessed to write for a wide range of clients,…

Reducing your self-critiquing to this single question can simplify your writing process and open new creative doors. Early in my writing career, I often bombarded myself with complex self-critiquing questions. Does this sentence strike the right tone…

The HBO series featuring the DC Comics’ misfit superhero team holds valuable storytelling lessons for writers. On a whim, I recently began watching Doom Patrol, an HBO show about scientists, superheroes, aliens, and the joys and tragedies baked into…

Scrivener is a powerful writing program that has been my software of choice as I write and revise my first novel. Here’s what I’ve learned about the program along the way. In “The Accidental Novelist – How Stolen Moments Can Make A Book,” I wrote…

Rhythm in writing can be hard to define, but the cadence of your story can help pull readers in and make the experience immersive. Try these ideas to help you find your groove. As a writer, it can be easy to get lost crafting images, foreshadowing…

Need inspiration? Follow the example of these outstanding writers who created their own professional paths towards literary stardom. Some rising authors jump straight into successful careers before working any other sort of job — and it’s amazing…

Authory is a utility that consolidates your published works from multiple websites, organizes and customizes the results, and gathers other useful data. Here’s what I learned using Authory for the first time. If you are a writer whose work regularly…

Reviewing your writing from an editor’s perspective can be a challenge, even for experienced writers. Here are strategies that can help you bring fresh eyes to your written work. When you write, it can be easy to get caught up in the craft of…