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A Highly Recommended (Online) Writing Class!

Crystal Crawford

Aug 9, 20212 min read

News and Updates

A Highly Recommended (Online) Writing Class!

Learn to make your fiction writing more powerful!

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Crystal Crawford

Jun 18, 20211 min read

News and Updates

What's Up with YA Parents?

A new Trope Talk video is up! This month we're chatting about the absent or clueless parent trope found in many young adult books. What...

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Crystal Crawford

May 21, 20211 min read

News and Updates

Introducing: Trope Talk Videos!

Grab a coffee, pull up a chair, and join us as we chat book tropes! I just launched a fun, new thing on YouTube: Trope Talk with MJ and...

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Crystal Crawford

Dec 31, 20203 min read

Tips for Writers

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...

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The Secret Messages Sweet YA Romance Series

Crystal Crawford

Dec 30, 20202 min read

My Writing

The Secret Messages Sweet YA Romance Series

Info on Crystal Crawford's YA romantic comedy book series, The Secret Messages Sweet YA Romance Series!

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Can an Onion Help You Write a Better Novel? (Introducing, the Plot Onion!)

Crystal Crawford

Oct 15, 20209 min read

Tips for Writers

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...

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Free Online Writing Course! (And an interview about my writing!)

Crystal Crawford

Jun 24, 20201 min read

Book Promos

Free Online Writing Course! (And an interview about my writing!)

Info on a free, online writing workshop I got the chance to beta-test... and they interviewed me about it, too!

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Plantsing: How Loose Outlines Save My Turkey… and My Books

Crystal Crawford

Nov 19, 20185 min read

Tips for Writers

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.

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Secrets of “Show, Don’t Tell”: What It Really Means and How to Do It Well

Crystal Crawford

Jan 15, 201810 min read

Tips for Writers

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?

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Don’t Have Scrivener? How to Use Microsoft Word for All Your Writing Needs

Crystal Crawford

Nov 13, 20176 min read

Tips for Writers

Don’t Have Scrivener? How to Use Microsoft Word for All Your Writing Needs

Don’t have fancier software, but have Microsoft Word? Learn how to make the most of it for your writing process.

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Crystal Crawford

Aug 28, 20172 min read

Tips for Writers

Call for Community

Writing is solitary, but I have learned how much stronger and better, my writing can be when I have the benefit of a writing community.

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Crystal Crawford

Aug 7, 20174 min read

Tips for Writers

Helpful Books for Writers

As both a writer and a writing instructor, I read a lot of books on writing. Here are my top book recommendations for writers.

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Crystal Crawford

Jul 31, 20177 min read

Tips for Writers

Wattpad Can Make You a Better Writer

While my writing is no longer on Wattpad, I still stand by this post--Wattpad really did make me a better writer.

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Crystal Crawford

Jul 10, 20172 min read

Creative Nonfiction

Cringe-Worthy Can Be Good

There are two reasons a reader might cringe while reading a story... The difference between these two reasons can make or break a story.

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Crystal Crawford

Jun 25, 20173 min read

Tips for Writers

Fail Bravely

So this is my motivational speech to you today, any of you who are writers: GO FAIL. Here's why...

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Plot or Characters – Which Matters More?

Crystal Crawford

Jun 19, 20174 min read

Tips for Writers

Plot or Characters – Which Matters More?

Characters or plot – which matters more? When you’re planning out a story, how do you decide what to focus on?

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