Recent content by Becky Martinez

We hate them, we love them, we want to see them defeated or we want to see them steal away and return for another story. Villains can often make the difference between a good or memorable story and one that is drab. Learn how to create your own memorable villains as we see how they interact...

Whether you want to write a long-term mystery series, a romance saga featuring one or two families or a fantasy trilogy that spans time and space, the joy of writing a series can be both challenging and rewarding. Readers may fall in love with one book and then want to read more with those...

Have you ever thought of yourself as a comedy writer? Probably not. Many people don’t think they can ever write it, though they might love to read it. Any story, from romance to mystery to fantasy, can use a touch of comedy or light moments. Like any type of writing, certain elements of...

*** Registration is now full. *** Whatever type of book you are writing – fiction or non-fiction -- the Plotting Circle can help get your story in order. Developed by two longtime fiction and non-fiction writers, it has served them both well in all their plotting endeavors. Learn how you can...

Polish up your pitch and get it ready for SavvyAuthors' Autumn Pitchfest. We want everyone's pitches the very best they can be! We are offering a one and a half week, mini-intensive workshop to help you polish that pitch through three rounds of feedback with from long-time and much-loved...

Ask a veteran author about the importance of creating a strong and cohesive plot with a solid GMC and they'll tell you it's key to sustaining a long and rewarding publishing career. Don't let your book fall into an agent or editor's the slush pile with a weak plot and unmotivated characters...

Sweeten up your pitch and get it ready for SavvyAuthors' Sweetheart Pitch. We want everyone's pitches the very best they can be! We are offering a one and a half week, mini-intensive workshop to help you polish that pitch through three rounds of feedback with from long-time and much-loved...

Ever wanted to write a mystery? They can be fun, they can be frightening, they can be deadly. But writing a mystery can also be a mystery itself– whether it’s a stand alone or a series, or a romantic suspense or amateur sleuth, or hard boiled detective. Learn all the basics of writing a...

Readers want books that keep their interest and attention, whether it’s great characters or a great story. But how can you as the author construct your story so that it keeps the readers turning the pages? Learn some of the mechanics of pacing and different ways you can keep the story moving and...

Don't send agents or editors away from your pitch screaming in horror! Get your pitch ready for SavvyAuthors' Take the Horror Out of Pitchfest. We want everyone's pitches the very best they can be! We are offering a one and a half week, mini-intensive workshop to help you polish that pitch...

What is a good way to distinguish yourself as an author? To make readers look specifically for your books next time they are visiting Amazon or in a bookstore? Easy! It’s an old tradition that goes way back and has been a staple in books, movies and plays forever – make them laugh! Comedy is an...

Once you have a plot and characters you should be all set to write that next best seller, right? Wrong! A boring beginning or a flat ending can leave your readers throwing the book at the wall or eager to write up a nasty review. Writing a book that can have readers eagerly awaiting your next...

Great characters are the foundation of any good story. Learn how to bring your characters to life with one of the co-authors of two books on creating memorable characters. Find out how you can come up with heroes and heroines who go from cardboard figures to believable people. Make them come...

Don’t let the plotting process get you down. It can seem like a major undertaking, but once you figure out what works best for you, you can let the real author in you come out and get down to plotting any type of story – from romance to thriller to fantasy, from short stories to a long series...

Don’t let the plotting process get you down. It can seem like a major undertaking, but once you figure out what works best for you, you can let the real author in your come out and get down to plotting any type of story – from romance to thriller to fantasy, from short stories to a long series...