top of page
Welcome to Crystal Crawford's official author blog!
Like what you read here? Support my writing & get exclusive weekly updates through MY PATREON!
Search
![Can an Onion Help You Write a Better Novel? (Introducing, the Plot Onion!)](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_b794393fc31e4bdda7c575574f8793e4~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_b794393fc31e4bdda7c575574f8793e4~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Oct 15, 20209 min read
Can an Onion Help You Write a Better Novel? (Introducing, the Plot Onion!)
this newest resource is for fiction-writers who – like me – struggle to keep the big-picture story neatly in mind while writing...
599 views0 comments
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/599d5afdcec7458e9a131b2189cfd232.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/599d5afdcec7458e9a131b2189cfd232.webp)
![Overcoming Writer's Block](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/599d5afdcec7458e9a131b2189cfd232.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/599d5afdcec7458e9a131b2189cfd232.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Sep 19, 20203 min read
Overcoming Writer's Block
All writers encounter writer's block from time to time. Here are 4 simple techniques to get those words flowing.
6 views0 comments
![If You Write Fiction, This Is for You!](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_1e821ce22a7441c49dc61ff9d258930a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_1e821ce22a7441c49dc61ff9d258930a~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Aug 10, 20191 min read
If You Write Fiction, This Is for You!
Announcing my new "crash course in fiction writing" guide!
10 views0 comments
![How to Destroy a Pesky Prophetic Hero](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_148d05b6919c40779eb35b7688840667~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_148d05b6919c40779eb35b7688840667~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Feb 18, 20193 min read
How to Destroy a Pesky Prophetic Hero
Welcome to the first-ever installment of our brand-new Evil Overlord advice column, brought to you by a coalition of super-villains...
2 views0 comments
![Plotting Your Story, Step #7: The Perfect Ending](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_fc228fde8da7481db8bc73540d066515~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_fc228fde8da7481db8bc73540d066515~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Nov 12, 20183 min read
Plotting Your Story, Step #7: The Perfect Ending
Hi, everyone, and welcome to the final post in my “Plotting Your Story” series:
Plotting Your Story, Step #7: The Perfect Ending!
4 views0 comments
![Plotting Your Story, Step #6: Detailed Outline](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_61df1a57d25748b2a363ddf3da37dac8~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_61df1a57d25748b2a363ddf3da37dac8~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Nov 5, 20187 min read
Plotting Your Story, Step #6: Detailed Outline
Hi, everyone, and welcome to post #6 in my “Plotting Your Story” series:
Plotting Your Story, Step #6: Detailed Outlines!
6 views0 comments
![Plotting Your Story, Step #5: Revelations](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_4bd22f2913fc43b8b473eedf2aefde54~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_4bd22f2913fc43b8b473eedf2aefde54~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Oct 29, 20185 min read
Plotting Your Story, Step #5: Revelations
Hi, everyone, and welcome to post #5 in my “Plotting Your Story” series:
Plotting Your Story, Step #5: Revelations!
8 views0 comments
![Plotting Your Story, Step #4: Thematic Threads](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_994a20e95acb405aa0fffec2bfd8ae6a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_994a20e95acb405aa0fffec2bfd8ae6a~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Oct 22, 20185 min read
Plotting Your Story, Step #4: Thematic Threads
Today’s post is the next in the Plotting Your Story series:
Plotting Your Story, Step #4: Thematic Threads!
19 views0 comments
![Plotting Your Story, Step #3: External Story (Plot)](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_1b9352cb277b432a95d272d7fdeddc6c~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_1b9352cb277b432a95d272d7fdeddc6c~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Oct 15, 20186 min read
Plotting Your Story, Step #3: External Story (Plot)
Today’s post is the next in the Plotting Your Story series:
Plotting Your Story, Step #3: External Story (Plot)!
29 views0 comments
![Plotting Your Story, Step #2: Internal Story (Characters)](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_6582f9199de541c1ba0541925c3331da~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_6582f9199de541c1ba0541925c3331da~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Oct 8, 201812 min read
Plotting Your Story, Step #2: Internal Story (Characters)
Today’s post is the next in the Plotting Your Story series:
Plotting Your Story, Step #2: Internal Story (Characters)!
21 views0 comments
![Plotting Your Story, Step #1: Premise](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_0b4da6a70a5b4a9084dbb10c0eba41f8~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_0b4da6a70a5b4a9084dbb10c0eba41f8~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Oct 1, 20184 min read
Plotting Your Story, Step #1: Premise
Today’s post is the first in the Plotting Your Story series: Plotting Your Story, Step #1: Premise!
33 views0 comments
![Plotting Your Story: How to Craft a Complex, Compelling Story That Keeps Readers Turning the Pages](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_e2542bc3088d47309a41a3efe49d367d~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_e2542bc3088d47309a41a3efe49d367d~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Oct 1, 20181 min read
Plotting Your Story: How to Craft a Complex, Compelling Story That Keeps Readers Turning the Pages
Hi, everyone, and welcome to my blog post series…
Plotting Your Story: How to Craft a Complex, Compelling Story Plot!
24 views0 comments
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_fb9427b5bd594ad5926368536589abb4~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/21173a_fb9427b5bd594ad5926368536589abb4~mv2.webp)
![Secrets of “Show, Don’t Tell”: What It Really Means and How to Do It Well](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_fb9427b5bd594ad5926368536589abb4~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_334,h_302,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/21173a_fb9427b5bd594ad5926368536589abb4~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Jan 15, 201810 min read
Secrets of “Show, Don’t Tell”: What It Really Means and How to Do It Well
A question I'm asked repeatedly: What about “Show, Don’t Tell”? How do I do it? What are the rules?
9 views0 comments
![A 1-Year CHALLENGE to Help You Supercharge Your Writing Career](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_dd3587ba6b2e426aa906145da6862d93~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_dd3587ba6b2e426aa906145da6862d93~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Dec 28, 201715 min read
A 1-Year CHALLENGE to Help You Supercharge Your Writing Career
I often receive comments on how I’ve managed to build an online community around my writing. Here's a step-by-step of how I did that...
5 views0 comments
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_45af7809496a4ca4999c6034cbec40dd~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/21173a_45af7809496a4ca4999c6034cbec40dd~mv2.webp)
![Should You NaNoWriMo?](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_45af7809496a4ca4999c6034cbec40dd~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/21173a_45af7809496a4ca4999c6034cbec40dd~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Oct 25, 20172 min read
Should You NaNoWriMo?
Here are some things to consider before committing to the crunch of 50,000 words in November.
2 views0 comments
![How to Succeed at NaNoWriMo](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_6d73c801f739426fb222f6fc7e6dad6c~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_191,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_6d73c801f739426fb222f6fc7e6dad6c~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Oct 25, 20173 min read
How to Succeed at NaNoWriMo
a brief bullet-point list of some of the things I learned from my frenzied first-time NaNoWriMo experience...
3 views0 comments
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_a66aab553e1945fbb1eb07c490a4138b~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/21173a_a66aab553e1945fbb1eb07c490a4138b~mv2.webp)
![How to Self-Edit Your Writing](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_a66aab553e1945fbb1eb07c490a4138b~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/21173a_a66aab553e1945fbb1eb07c490a4138b~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Oct 16, 20176 min read
How to Self-Edit Your Writing
A good self-edit can make a huge difference in your writing, but only if you know how to do it well. Here are 7 tips to help you self-edit..
11 views0 comments
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_c925e5e9246a4699a1628886f3022f7c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/11062b_c925e5e9246a4699a1628886f3022f7c~mv2.webp)
![Titles and Blurbs](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_c925e5e9246a4699a1628886f3022f7c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/11062b_c925e5e9246a4699a1628886f3022f7c~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Oct 5, 20176 min read
Titles and Blurbs
A quick bullet-point list of tips for choosing a title and writing a blurb--these are essentially the notes from a live Writers Chat I did..
20 views0 comments
![How to Create Memorable Characters](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_21db824e07164b1389c5976cefa941fe~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_21db824e07164b1389c5976cefa941fe~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Sep 25, 20174 min read
How to Create Memorable Characters
Vibrant, memorable characters are the heart of storytelling and the window through which you are able to access your readers’ emotions.
23 views0 comments
![How to Create a Captivating Setting](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/21173a_d5b00047c0ce4408af0d15342fd2d083~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/21173a_d5b00047c0ce4408af0d15342fd2d083~mv2.webp)
Crystal Crawford
Sep 18, 20173 min read
How to Create a Captivating Setting
Welcome to the first of a series of “How To” guides I’m going to be writing over the next few weeks!
4 views0 comments
bottom of page