Best Of

Some writers want to know the whole plot before writing the first sentence, while others discover the story as they go. Both are valid, but most novelists sit somewhere in between. This list compares five common ways to outline a novel and the kind of writer each one suits.

Sharing a great line from your book on Instagram, X or Pinterest is one of the easiest ways to give readers a taste of your world. But there's a big difference between a plain screenshot and a carefully made quote image. This list compares four common ways writers create quote images.

Losing a world you built over years to a failed drive, a lost notebook or an accidentally deleted folder is one of the worst things that can happen to a writer. This list compares four common ways writers keep their story and world notes safe.

In a large cast, mixing up eye color, age or who's related to whom is one of the mistakes readers notice fastest. There's no single right way to track characters; the approach depends on how big your cast is and how connected your characters are. This list compares four common approaches.

If you're building a fantasy, science fiction or dystopian world, you have your own terms, titles, place names and maybe an invented language. Keeping a glossary is essential to use them consistently. This list compares four common ways to keep a fictional glossary.

Many writers want to organize their fictional world as a wiki, for readers, for a team or for themselves. There are several ways to build a wiki, and each fits a different need. This list compares four common approaches for writers.