Articles & Resources
Writing insights, book news, teaching resources, faith, music, and creative projects.
-
Varying Sentence Beginnings: A Dialogue Revision Exercise
A practical dialogue exercise for varying sentence beginnings, using action beats purposefully, and avoiding a repetitive tennis-match rhythm.
-
Aspiring Authors: What to Do After You Finish a Manuscript
A step-by-step guide for aspiring authors after finishing a manuscript, from revision and beta readers to editing, querying, and independent publishing.
-
Behind The Last Archangel: From Contract to Launch
Michael D. Young shares how The Last Archangel moved from publishing contract to cover design, soundtrack experiments, character development, and a family-friendly launch.
-
How to Hook Readers from the First Page
Learn how to create a first-page hook with curiosity, meaningful change, clear stakes, vivid details, and an honest promise about the story.
-
Welcoming Bryson: A Family Milestone from 2010
A family record of learning that Bryson was coming, announcing the pregnancy with a Big Brother shirt, his November 2010 birth, and the loving…
-
The 13th Reality Series Review: Quantum Physics for Young Readers
A review of The 13th Reality series and its use of alternate worlds, riddles, strange technology, accessible quantum concepts, and fast-moving adventure.
-
Sentence Soup: How to Vary Sentence Structure
Use the sentence-soup analogy to improve prose by varying sentence length, beginnings, verbs, description, punctuation, and pacing.
-
Organizing Your Novel: Plot and Character Planning Methods
Flexible methods for organizing a novel’s plot and characters, including scene cards, timelines, idea webs, continuity files, and voice exercises.
-
How to Plan an Engaging Elementary-School Author Visit
Lessons from a two-day elementary-school author visit covering assemblies, 21 classroom workshops, age adaptation, active writing practice, logistics, and book signing.
-
Alma the Younger Review: Bringing Book of Mormon Figures to Life
A review of Alma the Younger and its use of research, cultural context, family relationships, class conflict, and redemption to humanize scriptural figures.
Michael D. Young 