Articles and Guest Blogs

from various magazines especially Writer's Digest Magazine where Elizabeth is a contributing editor



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Many of Elizabeth's Writer's Digest articles also appear in reference books published by Writer's Digest Books.

• "Should You Go There?" By Elizabeth Sims
  Politics and religion might not make for polite dinner conversation, but the topics can add depth to your fiction if handled with care. Here’s how to proceed.
  Writer's Digest January 2018
• "Fiction Lab" By Elizabeth Sims
  Every great story invention starts with an experiment. Awaken your inner scientist with these 8 steps.
  Writer's Digest September 2017
• "The Lake Effect" By Elizabeth Sims
  A personal essay about being a Michigan writer.
  Mystery Readers Journal Midwestern Mysteries, Volume 33, No. 1, Spring 2017
• "Knock 'em Dead" by Elizabeth Sims
  Do you aspire to speak at writing conferences? Here are 15 tips to earn you rave reviews.
  Writer's Digest March/April 2017
• WRITER’S WORKBOOK: Secondary Characters "Stepping Up Your Sidekicks" By Elizabeth Sims
  Writer's Digest February 2017
  
  
• "21 Ways to Pivot Your Plot" by Elizabeth Sims
  Need more tension, momentum or just an unexpected turn? Try these strategies.
  Writer's Digest January 2017
• "It’s the Little Things" by Elizabeth Sims
  The best writers know that every word counts. Here’s how to nail the small stuff—without sweating it.
  Writer's Digest September 2016
• "Make a New Commitment to Your Writing" by Elizabeth Sims
  Whether you have yet to pop the question or it’s time to renew your vows, try this 10-step plan to keep your love alive.
  Writer's Digest Writing Basics 2016
• "Power Tools" by Elizabeth Sims
  It’s not the size of your writer’s toolbox that matters—it’s how you use what’s inside. Become proficient with these 2 tools, and you can fix most any story problem.
  Writer's Digest January 2016
• "Characterizing Quick" by Elizabeth Sims
  Develop dynamic characters in no time with these 15 easy hacks.
  Novel Writing 2015 Writer's Digest Yearbook (Magazine Single Issue)
• "Make a New Commitment to Your Writing" by Elizabeth Sims
  Whether you have yet to pop the question or it’s time to renew your vows, try this 10-step plan to keep your love alive.
  Writer's Digest November/December 2015
• "What Real Revision Looks Like" by Elizabeth Sims
  Curious about the previous lives of published novels? An award-winning author shares her before-and-afters, alongside plenty of tips for improving your own work.
  Writer's Digest September 2015
• "15 Hacks for Characterizing Fast" by Elizabeth Sims
  Learn to paint true-to-life characters in swift, sure strokes.
  Writer's Digest May/June 2015
• "How to Craft Flawless Dialogue" by Elizabeth Sims
  Character conversations are the gems of your story—but just as readers can appreciate fine jewels, so can they spot cheap imitations of the real thing. Use these 7 steps to add quality and clarity to your story’s talk.
  Writer's Digest January 2015
• "21 Fast Hacks to Fuel Your Story With Suspense" by Elizabeth Sims
  When your plot starts lagging behind your word count, try one of these simple suggestions for picking up steam.
  Writer's Digest November/December 2014
• "Shelf Savvy" by Elizabeth Sims
  Book categorization is key to finding readers and maximizing sales. Here’s what you should know.
  Writer's Digest September 2014
• "Finding the Funny in Fiction" by Elizabeth Sims
  Learn how to punch up your fiction with humor.
  Writer's Digest May / June 2014
• "Mapping Out Your Hero’s Adventure" by Elizabeth Sims
  an excerpt from You've Got a Book in You
  Writer's Digest February 2014
• "Miscalculations and Missteps" by Elizabeth Sims
  AKA "First-Novel Gaffes to Avoid" or 7 rookie mistakes and how to avoid them.
  Writer's Digest January 2014
• "Transform Your Novel Into a Symphony" by Elizabeth Sims
  Get too focused on any one instrument at play in your story, and you might lose sight of the harmony inherent in truly great fiction. Here’s how to compose the elements of your novel into a masterpiece.
  Writer's Digest November/December 2013
• "Going Public" by Elizabeth Sims
  Cultivating a public author persona can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. These tips will help you ace readings, signings, interviews and more.
  Writer's Digest September 2013
• "Breaking Bad" by Elizabeth Sims
  Using Profanity And Other Raw Talk In Your Fiction
  Writer's Digest May/June 2013
• "True Story" by Elizabeth Sims
  Your truth doesn’t have to be stranger than fiction to be just as compelling. Here’s how to borrow tools from fiction to pen a true-to-life memoir that reads like a page-turning novel.
  Writer's Digest March/April 2013
• "Master Description Through Sensory Detail" by Elizabeth Sims
  Learn ways to call upon all five senses in your work.
  Writer's Digest January 2013
• "How to Develop Any Idea Into a Great Story" by Elizabeth Sims
  Even stories that start with brilliant strokes of inspiration too often fizzle out before we reach The End. Use this four-step method to develop your best ideas to their fullest.
  Writer's Digest November / December 2012
• "10 Fast Hacks for Fiction Writers" by Elizabeth Sims
  Whether you’re trying to set a scene, define a character or close a plot gap, each of these clever techniques gets the job done fast.
  Writer's Digest September 2012
• "The Reluctant Risk-Taker's Guide to Filling the Creative Well" by Elizabeth Sims
  Great writing begins with an appetite for life. Try these 8 approaches to get out of your comfort zone, break rules and reap rewards.
  Writer's Digest July/August 2012
• "7 Simple Ways to Make a Good Story Great" by Elizabeth Sims
  To stand out to the gatekeepers who hold the keys to publication, it's not enough for your story to be good. Use these techniques to take your fiction to new heights.
  Writer's Digest March/April 2012
• "Namedropping: Craft Perfect Names for Your Characters" by Elizabeth Sims
  What's in a character's name? Everything. Here's how to master the neglected art of moniker-making.
  Writer's Digest January 2012
• "Spin Subplots Like a Master Weaver" by Elizabeth Sims
  Whether you're planning the fabric of a new story or looking to thread depth into one that's falling flat, try these 7 methods to a tightly woven plot.
  Writer's Digest November/December 2011
• "Fan Out!" by Elizabeth Sims
  Why fan conferences deserve a closer look.
  Writer's Digest October 2011
• "10 Things for Every Writer's Bucket List" by Elizabeth Sims
  Writer's Digest September 2011
  
  
• "How to Gain Perspective on Your Work" by Elizabeth Sims
  Writer's Digest July/August 2011
  
• "The Long and Short of It" by Elizabeth Sims
  Would your great idea work best as a novel or as a short story?
  Writer's Digest March/April 2011
• "It's All Relative" by Elizabeth Sims
  Depicting convincing relationships could just be the key to writing better characters. Try these 8 ways to do it.
  Writer's Digest February 2011
• "8 Ways to Write a 5-Star Chapter One" by Elizabeth Sims
  Writer's Digest January 2011 and Writer's Digest Yearbook presents Writing Basics
• "On the Loose in LA" by Elizabeth Sims
  Lessons From The Road by an awesome newcomer
  crimespree #38 Sept/Oct 2010
• "10-Minute Fixes to 10 Common Plot Problems" by Elizabeth Sims
  in the Writer's Digest Big 10 issue and Writer's Digest Yearbook presents Writing Basics
  Writer's Digest September 2010
• "Write This, Not That" by Elizabeth Sims
  Forget formulaic junk-food mysteries. Infuse your story with all the ingredients of savory suspense.
  Writer's Digest May/June 2010
• "Handsell Your Book: 10 Simple Steps" by Elizabeth Sims
  Yes, your own efforts really can make an impact on your sales, one reader at a time. Here are 10 simple steps to word-of-mouth success.
  Writer's Digest March/April 2010
• "How to Make Your Novel a Page Turner" by Elizabeth Sims
  Never underestimate the power of suspense in any genre. Use these surefire techniques to make your book one readers won't be able to put down.
  Writer's Digest January 2010
• "How Even a Bad Conference Can Make You a Better Writer" by Elizabeth Sims
  18 Lessons you can learn from any writing conference.
  Writer's Digest October 2009
• "A Notebook, a PT Cruiser, and a Week in L.A." by Elizabeth Sims
  Elizabeth tells about her research for the Rita Farmer mystery series
  Mystery Readers Journal for Summer 2009 - Los Angeles Mysteries I
• "What Not to Expect When You're Expecting" by Elizabeth Sims
  A veteran author tells you writer to writer, what geting published is really like—and confronts the seven biggest myths.
  Writer's Digest July/August 2009.
• "Rough It Up" by Elizabeth Sims
  Rough up your first draft to get to the good stuff.
  Writer's Digest, February 2009 and Writing Basics 2009
• "Face-to-Face with an Agent" by Elizabeth Sims
  You’ve got an agent. You’ve got a deal. Is it worth it to fly to New York--on your own dime--for some face time?
  Writer's Digest October, 2008
• "A Hollywood Hunt for Deep Background" by Elizabeth Sims
  Writer's Digest December, 2007
• "Start Me Up!" by Elizabeth Sims
  feature in Writer's Digest, December, 2006

• "Store Wars" by Elizabeth Sims
  lead article in LOGOS: Journal of the World Book Community, vol. 13, issue 2, (2002)
• Book reviews by Elizabeth Sims
  for The Detroit Free Press:, 1991-92

Elizabeth's Guest Blogs:

The Lynne Show, August 29, 2017
Recorded interview by Dr. Lynne Bernfield

Jane Friedman, July 13, 2016
Internal Dialogue: The Greatest Tool for Gaining Reader Confidence

Writer's Digest,September 9, 2013
Tapping Your Inner Villain

Jane Friedman, May 14, 2013
To Be Great, Strive to Be Ordinary

Writer's Digest, May 13, 2013
Zest + Small Things = Great Writing

Abbott Press, April 25, 2013
THE "STRESS-FREE" ART OF WRITING

Writer's Digest posted an excerpt from
You've Got a Book In You April 23, 2013
STORMWRITING: WHAT IT IS AND WHY YOU SHOULD TRY IT