I can’t stand exposition dumps in stories—they’re a lazy way to shove background info at readers and can kill a narrative’s momentum. In my novel Birthright, I focus on showing Cordelia’s journey gradually through her thoughts and interactions, letting her backstory unfold naturally instead of dumping it all at once.

When it comes to writing strong female characters here are the five most important things you’ll want to keep in mind.

When I wrote Birthright: Acquisition, I learned that crafting a believable world—even one set in a dystopian future ravaged by nuclear war—starts with establishing clear, consistent rules and grounding them in research. By diving into the effects of nuclear fallout and drawing inspiration from other authors in my genre, I created a vivid, relatable setting where Cordelia’s story unfolds, complete with a dictatorship and a slave labor society. Through practice, reading widely, and weaving believable reasons for exceptions—like Cordelia’s ability to read despite her background—I’ve found that any world, no matter how fantastical, can feel real to readers.

As a writer, I’ve learned that choosing between plotting and pantsing is about finding what sparks my creativity best—I started as a plotter but found my groove as a pantser, letting my characters guide the story as I write. Whether you love meticulously planning every detail or diving into the chaos of a blank page, there’s no right or wrong way to write; it’s all about experimenting to discover what works for you. Through practice and persistence, I’ve realized that the key is to keep writing, embrace mistakes, and let my unique voice shine, no matter the method.

In a raw and candid blog post, I lay bare the brutal truth about the publishing industry, where who you know and how you sell yourself often outweigh the quality of your craft. After years of fruitless networking, blogging, and social media efforts, I’m left despairing at my lack of readership and the rising flood of AI-generated books in a world where attention spans are shrinking fast.