Allison WilliamsAllison K Williams

Allison K Williams has edited and coached writers to publication with many of the best-known outlets in media. As a memoirist, essayist, and travel journalist, Allison has written craft, culture and comedy for National Public Radio, CBC-Canada, the New York Times, and many more. She leads the Rebirth Your Book writing retreats series and, as Social Media Editor for Brevity, she inspires thousands of writers with weekly blogs on craft and the writing life. Allison holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Western Michigan University and spent 20 years as a circus aerialist and acrobat before writing and editing full-time. Her latest book is Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro From Blank Page to Book (Woodhall Press, 2021). Learn more at her website.
When Should Writers Stand Their Ground Versus Defer to an Editor?
Image: two professionals, a woman and a man, sit side by side at a table, writing and reviewing documents.
Is it best for unpublished authors to trust the editorial guidance of their agents and editors, especially when it comes ...
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/ Ask the Editor
Motivation Doesn’t Finish Books
Image: one of the slats at the back of a park bench bears a plaque reading "We will support each other during this difficult time."
Some writers can finish a book all by themselves, but even more of them have support systems, deadlines, teachers, exercises, ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
How to Get Published in Modern Love, McSweeney’s or Anywhere Else You Want
Image: pegboard on a wall, with hundreds of different ballpoint pens hooked to the surface.
If you’d like to see your work in national publications—and get paid—tailor your essay to smoothly fit their voice and ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
Why Agents Don’t Give Feedback—And Where to Get It Instead
Why Agents Don’t Give Feedback—And Where to Get It Instead
Providing feedback to every pitch would leave agents no time for their existing clients. Instead, check your own first pages ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
Writers, Stop Using Social Media (Like That)
Image: illustration of a businesswoman running on a large hamster wheel, in front of bookcases.
A social media following doesn’t guarantee sales. Building an audience that’s engaged with your work—your mission—requires more varied tools ...
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/ Guest Post, Social Media
What If Your Memoir Is Middle Grade?
Image: a young, redheaded, freckled girl holding a magnifying glass.
What makes a memoir suitable for YA or middle-grade readers isn’t shying away from tough topics but approaching them with ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
How to Get Your Writing Done When New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work (and They Usually Don’t)
Image: a colorful notebook, pencil case, pencil and open day planner on a wooden table.
Instead of resolving to make a big change in your habits, think of one small thing to do to support ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
What It Takes to Be a Freelance Editor
Image: wooden stick with a carrot hanging from the tip.
Being a freelance editor requires lifelong curiosity, persistent self-education, ruthless support—and the ability to do all this quickly ...
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/ Business for Writers, Guest Post
Why Your Memoir Also Needs the Good and “Normal” Times
Image: scrapbook pages from a wedding, with photo booth snapshots and handwritten messages from guests
Showing the moments of normalcy brings the reader more fully into your life, and heightens the drama when traumatic events ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
How to Restart Your Unfinished Book
How to Restart Your Unfinished Book
Your calendar will never be suddenly free of urgent distractions. To finish that book on the back burner, you must ...
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/ Creativity + Inspiration, Guest Post
How to Move From First Draft to Second Draft to Publishable Book
Image: painting of a firefighter rescuing a child amid an inferno
When you’ve completed a draft but it’s falling a bit flat, it’s time for the Story Draft: creative work done ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
2 Methods for Structuring Your Memoir
2 Methods for Structuring Your Memoir
Authoring a memoir, the gift of hindsight allows you to invest moments with deeper meaning than they may have had ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice