Practice eight advanced strategies for developing a stand-out writing style readers crave. 

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

CONTENTS:

• Overview
• 8 advanced writing style strategies 
• Final writing style thoughts

Overview

Discover easy steps you can take to transform your writing in minutes. 

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

CONTENTS:

• Writing style overview
• 6 easy writing style tips
• Final writing style considerations

Writing style overview

What is writing style? Writing style refers to the unique way you express yourself in words. It includes sentence structure, tone, and word choice, as well as how these elements relate to the overall message and meaning of a piece of writing.

No matter your genre—fiction, blogging, content marketing, or creative nonfiction—improving your writing style makes your work more engaging. It helps you communicate ideas with your readers more effectively.

Below, you'll find 6 quick tips you can apply to a short writing sample to see instant results.

6 easy writing tips 

Grab a short sample of your writing, something that matters to you, in any genre. Then, use these tips to refine the sample quickly and see improvements right away. This is your chance to...

Explore 14 diverse styles of creative writing and experiment with different techniques to develop your own style. 

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

CONTENTS:

• What is style in creative writing?
• Why do you need a writing style?
• 14 creative writing styles
• 5 writing style exercises 

What is style in creative writing? 

Style in creative writing refers to the distinct way a writer uses language to express ideas, create atmosphere, and shape the reader’s experience. It encompasses the choices you make at the sentence level, including word choice, syntax, rhythm, and tone, to achieve a particular effect and set your work apart.

Beyond these smaller components, creative writing style can include broader elements like narrative voice, pacing, and structure, all of which reflect the themes, characters, and emotions of your story.

Let's consider some examples:

• You might tell a story about a lonely, isolated widow using a somber, melancholy style, with sparse, understated...

Explore the vast array of top-rated creative writing courses on different genres and topics, available online and open to the public (no application). 

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

CONTENTS:

• What is a creative writing course?
• 18 creative writing courses 
• How to choose the right course for you
• FAQ 

What is a creative writing course?

A creative writing course is an educational program that helps creative writers master their craft and complete writing projects. As a creative writer, you'll find many valuable courses that cover all facets of writing, from getting started and learning specific techniques, to getting published and promoting your work. 

However, not all courses for writers are creative writing courses.

In a true creative writing course, you'll find a heavy emphasis on craft, the specific techniques involved in creative writing, such as developing fictional characters, structuring a plot, or refining your style. Most creative...

Explore your earning potential as a writer, break the myth of the underpaid writer, and discover what you can do to earn more doing what you love.  

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

CONTENTS:

• Job outlook for writers in 2024
• Writer salary averages based on job title
• Writer salary averages based on experience 
• Top paying US cities for writers
• Top paying companies for writers 
• Key learnings from salary data
• How to earn more as a writer

Job outlook for writers in 2024

When starting or advancing your career in professional writing, knowing your earning potential is an important step in charting your path. While the old stereotype of the "penniless writer" persists, the reality is far more promising—there are plenty of lucrative and fulfilling opportunities for turning your writing passion into a career.

My advice: Don't be swayed by hearsay or well-meaning advice suggesting that writing doesn’t pay. Instead, rely on solid,...

Explore eight stories with emotional resonance, cultural and historical significance, and timeless lessons for every generation. 

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

CONTENTS:

• Why should we read tear jerkers?
• How I compiled this book list
• 8 timeless books that will make you cry

Why should we read tear jerkers? 

Reading tear jerkers offers a unique kind of catharsis, a deep emotional release that we often need but may not get during the course of everyday life. Tear jerkers take us on carefully crafted emotional journeys, as we follow characters through their struggles and triumphs. They help us process our own emotions and contemplate more deeply what it means to be human. 

Beyond the emotional release and life lessons, tear jerkers help us connect with others. In seeing the world through the eyes of fictional characters, we learn to feel empathy and compassion, not only for people who exist only on paper, but also for each other. 

How I compiled this...

Discover an empowering process for requesting writing feedback, receiving it with grace, and implementing it to unlock your full writing potential. 

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

CONTENTS:

• How to ask for feedback
• How to receive feedback with grace
• How to implement feedback with confidence 

Requesting writing feedback is unique opportunity to gather diverse responses to your work-in-progress, find out what inspires people, and discover opportunities to develop your work further. A good critique partner, editor, or book coach can help you peer into your blind spots and uncover the hidden potential in your writing.

There's no thrill quite like finding out what someone has to say about your writing. To navigate this moment with ease, you have to be vulnerable and humble, adopt a growth mindset, and remain open to both praise and constructive suggestions.

Hear from a member of my writing community, the Author Exchange: "Receiving feedback about...

Discover the qualities of a good critique letter and explore an example to elevate your critique process.

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

CONTENTS:

• What is a critique letter?
• How to write a critique letter
• Critique letter example
• Additional resources  

What is a critique letter?

A critique letter is a type of writing feedback you compose to help a writer improve a piece of creative, professional, or academic writing. Critique letters are used by many people in the writing world, including developmental editors, literary agents, book coaches, critique partners, and beta readers to communicate writing advice.

Their unique format is part of what makes them particularly useful. Unlike delivering verbal feedback or marking up a manuscript with comments, writing a critique letter means you can deliver a polished, structured message to a fellow writer about their work's strengths and opportunities for improvement. 

How to write a critique...

Explore writing feedback examples from real writers and get inspired for your next critique.

By Julie Tyler Ruiz 

CONTENTS:

• Overview
• Women's fiction feedback example
• Philosophy essay feedback example
• Historical fiction feedback example
• Nutrition nonfiction feedback example
• Final tips

Overview

Exchanging feedback with other writers offers you a valuable opportunity to improve your work and support others in their writing process. Gathering a range of opinions provides insight into how readers might respond to your work and helps you make informed decisions about how to revise. Crafting useful feedback on others' work raises your own awareness of craft and strengthens your relationships in the writing world.  

In conjunction with my article, "How to Give Writing Feedback Authors Crave," I've put together four writing feedback examples to help you recognize what good feedback looks and sounds like. With permission...

Explore the craft of giving writing feedback and how this process can elevate your writing and the work of others. 

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

CONTENTS:

• What is writing feedback?
• What are the benefits of giving feedback?
• Elements of a good writing critique 
• How to give writing feedback: 7 steps
• Love giving feedback? Here's how to do it more often 

What is writing feedback?

Writing feedback is the art and craft of reviewing a written work-in-progress (WIP) to identify what works and what doesn't and then delivering your impressions in a way that helps the author improve their work. As we'll explore in more detail, writing feedback can take the form of verbal or written commentary addressing a WIP's strengths and areas for improvement. For example, when reviewing a piece of creative writing, such as a novel or short story, you might praise the author's compelling cast of characters, while alerting the author to plot points that need development. 

Critique vs...