Why “Show, Don’t Tell” Is Ruining Your Writing (And the Voice Formula That Actually Works)
The common writing advice 'show, don't tell' is often misunderstood. Discover how to use the powerful 'Voice Formula' to infuse your descriptions with personality, emotion, and meaning, and avoid the 'show, don't tell' trap that can ruin your writing. Get practical, actionable tips to master the art of showing vs. telling.
The Emotional Weather System of a Scene
When we talk about a scene, we talk a lot about what happens in a scene. But today, I want to focus on what moves through it.
The Best Literary Magazine Rankings for Writers (A Roundup)
There are hundreds of literary magazines accepting submissions right now. A few dozen of them would genuinely move the needle on your writing career. The gap between those two facts is where most writers lose weeks, and where a good ranking list saves you. The better news: the best lists don't all use the same methodology, which means they complement each other in ways that are actually useful. Here's what each one measures and when to reach for it.
No, It’s Not You: Why Even a Great Editorial Letter Might Not Save Your Book
You shelled out thousands for an editorial letter from a reputable editor. You did everything right. You cut your darlings. You lit a candle. Rewrote that saggy middle. Sacrificed a goat (okay, just your weekends). And still—crickets. Full requests fizzle out into polite nos. Maybe even the dreaded “this is great, but I’m going to pass” email that still haunts your dreams.
Why Agents Stop Reading: What Your Opening Pages Need to Deliver
Learn what makes agents stop reading—and what keeps them hooked. This deep-dive into first five pages covers craft techniques, common pitfalls, and real examples to strengthen your novel’s opening.
Become a Querying God: What Your Query, Synopsis, and First Five Pages Really Need to Prove
Learn what your query, synopsis, and first five pages must prove to stand out in today’s publishing landscape—plus tips to make every sentence count.
The Business of Being a Writer: What Nobody Tells You About the Work Behind the Words
Writing a book is only part of the work. This guide explores the invisible labor, emotional toll, and sustainable systems behind a real writing life—including how to protect your energy, track submissions, and diversify your creative career.
Beyond What You Know: Research as Ritual, Curiosity as Craft
Learn how to research for fiction in a way that feels intuitive, expansive, and emotionally true. This guide explores mentor texts, lived experience, curiosity, and craft tools to help you write beyond what you know—without losing your voice.
The Season of Showing Up: What Happens When You Return to the Page, Again and Again
Feeling stuck in your writing? Discover how to honor your creative cycles, rebuild momentum, and show up to the page, on your own terms.
We are Currently Accepting Pitches for Guest Blog Posts!
The Burgeon Design & Editorial Team is seeking blog post pitches from writers, fiction editors, and book reviewers. We invite submissions focused on the publishing industry or the writing process, with a particular emphasis on topics that resonate with writers.
10 Things Keeping You From Finishing Your Book
Writing a book is a journey full of creativity, passion, and—let’s face it—plenty of challenges. No matter how deeply we love our stories, there are countless ways we can unintentionally stand in our own way. Whether it’s overthinking every decision or waiting for the perfect moment to start, these habits can creep in and slow down even the most motivated writers. But the beautiful thing is that once we recognize these roadblocks, we can take intentional steps to move past them and reignite our momentum.
Is Your Book Idea Worth Pursuing? Here’s How to Find Out
Writing is, at its core, a relationship between you and your reader. It’s not enough to love your own idea—your story has to give readers a reason to care. When you develop the ability to switch between your perspective as the writer and the reader’s point of view, that’s when the magic happens.
The Ultimate Query Letter Checklist: Do You Have What Agents Want?
Your goal is to seduce the literary agent into wanting to read more. Just like you would a regular reader, your copy needs to speak for itself. In this case, it’s the query letter. At a bookstore, this is similar to the back cover or inside flap copy. Consider how you’d summarize your book to a potential reader in just a few sentences—now imagine doing that for an industry professional who’s evaluating whether your book has the commercial appeal, market viability, and sales potential to succeed.
14 Reasons Why Your Manuscript is Getting Rejected by Literary Agents
Querying has never been easy, but now that it’s trickier than ever, you have to really make sure your submission package shines.
How can you best ensure that you’re putting your best foot forward when submitting to an agent?
Why an MFA Might Not be Enough: 1O Lessons I Wish I’d Learned
There’s this little secret in the MFA world. You can pay $30k+ and still not know how to write a book. My MFA journey taught me a lot, but there were important lessons it didn't cover, lessons that could have saved me from post-graduation burnout and self-doubt… as well as how to navigate publishing.
Is Your Book Idea Too Common? How to Create a Compelling Book Idea
I've read thousands of book pitches over the years, and while some book ideas made me lean in with excitement, eager to delve into the pages of a promising story, others left me wondering how the author could breathe life into an idea that seemed, at first glance, the same as other stories out there.
Writing People of Color as a White Author
The predominant issue regarding this topic right now is that so many white authors have written harmful perspectives of people of color. From books riddled with micro-aggressions to overt racism, white authors have proven over and over that they have no business writing stories from the perspective of People of Color (POC). It’s time for white people to step aside and let people of color tell their own stories.