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
Tips for Writers
Tips for Writers from an indie author, writing teacher, and freelance editor
Questions from Growing Writers, #1: How do you write character arcs in a series?
Welcome to the first in a series of videos/blog posts I hope to make, answering questions submitted to me from young writers, aspiring...
Crystal Crawford
Feb 816 min read
4 views
0 comments
An Awesome Tool to Help You Prep, Plot, and Plan for NaNoWriMo (or ANY novel writing project!)
Right now as I'm writing this, it's the last day of September 2023... which means it's about to be Preptober! For those who aren't as...
Crystal Crawford
Sep 30, 20236 min read
91 views
0 comments
3 Simple Tips for Writing on Kindle Vella
Hello, everyone! For those who are new here, I'm sure your first question is, "Why should we listen to YOU about how to write on Kindle...
Crystal Crawford
Sep 28, 20234 min read
50 views
0 comments
ChatGPT: What Is It, and How Does It Work? (Featuring an Excerpt Written by ChatGPT)
If you're following the writing landscape much these days, you've probably heard about ChatGPT... and you've probably also heard people...
Crystal Crawford
Apr 24, 202315 min read
18 views
0 comments
Kindle Vella: What You Need to Know About Amazon's Serial Platform
If you're an avid reader or a writer, you may have heard of Kindle Vella, Amazon's (relatively) new reading platform for serialized...
Crystal Crawford
Apr 14, 20234 min read
121 views
0 comments
A Highly Recommended (Online) Writing Class!
Learn to make your fiction writing more powerful!
Crystal Crawford
Aug 9, 20212 min read
16 views
0 comments
A Great (Free) Resource for Writers!...and something for Readers, too!
Hi, everyone! Whether you're a fellow writer, an avid reader, or both, I've got something fun to share tonight! First off, I want to...
Crystal Crawford
Apr 11, 20211 min read
24 views
0 comments
Writing Guides and Textbooks
Though I've always been a fiction writer, my first online writing endeavors were actually mostly nonfiction. While working as a Graduate...
Crystal Crawford
Dec 31, 20203 min read
19 views
0 comments
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...
Crystal Crawford
Oct 15, 20209 min read
625 views
0 comments
Overcoming Writer's Block
All writers encounter writer's block from time to time. Here are 4 simple techniques to get those words flowing.
Crystal Crawford
Sep 19, 20203 min read
6 views
0 comments
Fear: A Writer's Worst Enemy
Many of the reasons writers give for not writing are chiefly motivated by one element: Fear.
Crystal Crawford
Sep 19, 20204 min read
8 views
2 comments
If You Write Fiction, This Is for You!
Announcing my new "crash course in fiction writing" guide!
Crystal Crawford
Aug 10, 20191 min read
10 views
0 comments
Plantsing: How Loose Outlines Save My Turkey… and My Books
If you’ve followed any of my series on Plotting, you know that I like plotting.But here’s my secret: I didn’t use to plot my stories at all.
Crystal Crawford
Nov 19, 20185 min read
10 views
0 comments
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!
Crystal Crawford
Nov 12, 20183 min read
5 views
0 comments
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!
Crystal Crawford
Nov 5, 20187 min read
8 views
0 comments
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!
Crystal Crawford
Oct 29, 20185 min read
9 views
0 comments
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!
Crystal Crawford
Oct 22, 20185 min read
20 views
0 comments
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)!
Crystal Crawford
Oct 15, 20186 min read
34 views
0 comments
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)!
Crystal Crawford
Oct 8, 201812 min read
24 views
0 comments
Plotting Your Story, Step #1: Premise
Today’s post is the first in the Plotting Your Story series: Plotting Your Story, Step #1: Premise!
Crystal Crawford
Oct 1, 20184 min read
33 views
0 comments
bottom of page