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.

Bad dialogue can slaughter your story faster than a plot twist gone wrong—I’ve learned that the hard way. It’s the heartbeat of your characters, and if it doesn’t ring true, your readers will tune out. Here are my five battle-tested tips to craft dialogue that grabs attention, from eavesdropping on real voices to ditching the ‘he said, she said’ clutter—because nothing kills immersion like a clunky chat.

I learned to let characters write the story through X-Files fan fiction, but the real breakthrough came with Leila—a complex figure I crafted to rewrite a plot I hated. My trick? Work backward from the plot to uncover who they are and why they matter. Here’s how I turned a fandom spark into a universe of my own.

Writer’s block has haunted me more times than I’d like to admit—a struggle I see echoed across Twitter by authors everywhere. From losing my spark after David Bowie’s death to finding it again through a chance meeting with an actor, I’ve learned there’s no quick fix. For me, it’s all about waiting for the muse to return, whether sparked by a photograph or time itself. My journey from stalled creativity to finishing novels like Birthright: Acquisition (on sale now) proves it: time heals writer’s block, even if forcing it only leads to trash I can’t stand.