The life of a writer can be busy, busy, busy! Along with your everyday tasks, you have ideas to come up with, red pens to buy, edits to write…and rewrite…and rewrite, and then submissions to send out to literary agents and editors. There’s simply no time to sit down and pen a personal, old-school letter to other writers about your literary adventures! Fortunately, the time-crunch experts at Writer’s Relief have come to the rescue. We’ve created a handy letter template you can use to quickly dash off a letter to your writing group cohorts. Just fill in the blanks in the style of an iconic game ..read more

Intriguing combinations, riveting complexity, lots of creativity: You could be describing a remarkable poem, short story, or novel…or great jazz music. While listening to a jazz playlist can help inspire your writing sessions, the submission strategists at Writer’s Relief know that including elements found in jazz music can also improve your writing and boost your odds of getting published. Here’s how great writing is a lot like exceptional jazz music. Jazz Music Elements That Can Enhance Your Writing Dynamic Soul Listening to good jazz music can make you feel buoyant joy or deep emotion. Wh ..read more

April is National Poetry Month, which has grown into a worldwide celebration of poetry and its significance in society and culture. With more and more mainstream readers discovering the power of poetry, we here at Writer’s Relief have put together a list of 10 poetry collections worth reading and sharing. Whether you prefer poetry that is solemn, abstract, unexpected, lighthearted, or surprisingly moving, you’re sure to find all that and more in these wonderful collections. Poetry Collections You’ll Want To Read  Root Fractures by Diana Khoi Nguyen National Book Award finalist Diana Kh ..read more

April is National Poetry Month, so many readers and writers are focusing their attention on the latest trends in poetry. According to this article Writer’s Relief found on LitHub.com, some of these developments are downright cringy, and the blame seems to land at the feet of one particular social media platform. This list of the latest poetry crimes includes using the words “gossamer” and “the moon”—and the poem’s speaker actually being the moon. Click here to see all ten of the cringiest trends in poetry. The post Here’s What’s Currently Cringy In Poetry Trends | Writer’s Relief appeared fi ..read more

Spring cleaning usually makes you think of mopping floors, wiping down windows, or raking out the flower beds. But at Writer’s Relief, spring cleaning means dusting off the red pen and putting a shine on your poetry, short story, personal essay, or novel! Here’s what you should toss from your writing to make it more appealing to readers, editors, and literary agents. Spring Cleaning Your Writing: What To Toss, What To Keep Brush Off The Dust: If your writing has a dusting of typos or grammar errors, it’s time to get out your red pen and start polishing. You can proofread your own work, but h ..read more

If you enjoy puns, you’ll really enjoy the Edible Book Festival. Created by librarian and writer Judith Hoffberg and artist Béatrice Caron, the only rule of the Edible Book Festival is to create book-related, edible art. In this article Writer’s Relief found on LitHub.com, festival celebrations have featured “Anne of Green Bagels,” “Challah-ver’s Twist,” and “The Decline and Fall of the Ramen Empire.” Anyone ready to take a bite out of “Fifty Shades of Grey Poupon,” or  “Infinite Zest”? Click here to enjoy more Edible Book Festival puns—and maybe find a celebration near you! The po ..read more

You’ve probably read stories where the characters’ actions are all explained, leaving no room for interpretation. For example, if a character is sad about Grandma skipping town with the winning lottery ticket, do you know it because the writer told you so, or because the character is holding an old, cherished photo of Grandma while standing in her empty apartment? The second option is an example of subtext. But what exactly is subtext, and why is it important? The experts at Writer’s Relief have some insights and tips to share about using subtext to improve your writing. How And Why You Shou ..read more

If you’re tired of basketball’s March Madness, there’s another bracket competition that might interest you. In this article Writer’s Relief found on ElectricLiterature.com, you can vote to help choose the saddest book ever written! Voting has already started: Will the winner be one of the classics—such as Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina or Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson—or one of the newer contenders, which include Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro or Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles? Click here to see the full bracket and learn more about how to cast your vote. The post March ..read more

As society becomes more conscious of racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, and transphobia, it’s important to choose words that do not unknowingly spread harmful ideas. Writer’s Relief has discussed the significance of gender-neutral language in writing, but it’s also important to be aware of other terms and expressions we use in our writing that might seem insensitive. Here’s how to use sensitive language in your writing. Using Sensitive Language When Writing Gender Bias and Singular “They” When talking about a group of individuals where the gender of the group is established, it can be easi ..read more

If your muse has spent the winter months burrowed under thick blankets, it’s time for a wakeup call! Even the sleepiest muse won’t be able to resist this spring-themed inspiration. Writer’s Relief has put together the best visual spring writing prompts to awaken your creativity. Note: We would love to read what you write in the comments section! Just be aware of the rules about what is considered previously published writing in the publishing industry. Spring Writing Prompts   The oarsman looked at us in surprise. “You don’t know the legend of the samurai stationed at Himeji Castle and ..read more