Did you know that George RR Martin, the mastermind behind the epic “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, often writes multiple chapters for each character consecutively? This non-linear approach helps him ...

How to write a novel in 2026, how to stay focused, how to finish a project, and when not to, from one of fantasy's most prolific bestsellers.

“A writer,” Saul Bellow once observed, “is a reader moved to emulation.” But what if it’s also the other way around? What if, when we think about writing, we are actually teaching ourselves how to ...

Editor’s Note: This is the second column in a new series, “Are You Writing?” Part 1 is here. I have heard many irritating suggestions on scholarly productivity in my time, but none get my blood aboil ...

It’s easier than ever to find someone to comment on your work. But whether you participate in an online critique group, meet up in person, post excerpts on Wattpad, or have a writing partner, getting ...

This is part of Help! Wanted, a special series from Slate advice. In the advising biz, there are certain eternal dilemmas that bedevil letter writers and columnists alike. This week, we’re taking them ...

All advice is suspect. I'm not suggesting you break all the so-called rules of creativity you've collected. Only that every tip can be counteracted with its opposite. And some advice is just plain bad ...

If you open up a Twitter thread or an advice column for graduate writing, you’ll probably see advice such as “Just write.” “You can’t edit a blank page.” “Put words on paper—even if they’re terrible, ...

“Happy the man who has never been told that it is wrong to split an infinitive,” says The Economist’s style guide “Happy the man who has never been told that it is wrong to split an infinitive,” says ...

From 10-word social media posts to 100-word emails to 1,000-word blogs, sloppy writing reflects a disorganized mind. Any warning signs of disorganization will send prospective clients running — and ...

We need to stop telling our students to have their essays checked by a native English speaker. It doesn’t help them, sometimes harms them, and perpetuates a false narrative about writing and language.