A list of fantasy creatures, mythical beasts, and more, including humanoid creatures and magical animals from Norse mythology, Greek and Roman mythology, Asian folklore, Native American folklore, and other traditions.

Hey, welcome back to my series about character development based on zodiac signs! If you’re new to the series, let me explain that I don’t necessarily believe in astrology (and I don’t necessarily not believe in it), and the personality type for your sign may not fit you. This is just a way to think about creating characters. Let’s take a look

Here is one of my favorite stories about one of my nieces. It’s ridiculously cute. When she was little, her nursery school teacher had a lesson on fire safety. She asked the kids, “If your clothes were on fire, what would you do?” My niece said, “Well, I wouldn’t put them on.” It’s great because it’s so sensible. But when

The people who get my newsletter already know about this! I’m really excited about it. My book MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More is going to be for sale on Monday, October 26. This book is designed to help people get inspired, stay inspired, vary their approaches, and most of all, write faster. I can’t

As a non-parent, I’ve always been struck by how often parents believe that their small child’s tendencies or slight delays indicate what kind of adult they will be. I’ve seen enough difficult two-year-olds to grow into easygoing nine-year-olds, for instance, to ascribe temper tantrums to a child’s age rather than her personality. It’s clear to me that a child who

Most of us need a little extra writing motivation now and again. If you know my blog well, you know that I’m a big believer in positive affirmations—including writing affirmations! So here are twelve affirmations about writer’s block, creativity, and writing success, for any time you need a little extra encouragement. I guess as a writer, it’s not surprising that