Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris

Writing about writing. Mostly.

  • Home
  • About
    • About This Blog
    • Ruth Harris
    • Anne R. Allen
    • Shirley S. Allen
  • Archives
  • Books
    • Books by Anne R. Allen
    • Books by Ruth Harris
  • Guest Bloggers
  • Contact
  • How To Get Your Book Published
  • Resources For Writers

February 21, 2021 By Anne R. Allen 51 Comments

Five Common Beginning Writer Storytelling Mistakes

Five Common Beginning Writer Storytelling Mistakes

Storytelling isn’t as easy as it seems by Anne R. Allen Making mistakes is how we learn. Some beginning writer mistakes are so common they’re almost a rite of passage. Here are five I see all the time. I think I did every one when I was starting out. Taking “Show Don’t Tell” to Extremes […]

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: Writing Craft Tagged With: Anne R. Allen, show don't tell, storytelling mistakes, The First Five Pages, The Lady of the Lakewood Diner

March 6, 2016 By Anne R. Allen 100 Comments

6 Reasons “Show Don’t Tell” Can be Terrible Advice for New Writers

6 Reasons “Show Don’t Tell” Can be Terrible Advice for New Writers

by Anne R. Allen   “Show-Don’t-Tell” is one of the most sacred commandments in the writerly bible. As Susan Defreitas wrote at LitReactor, “If writing advice were classic rock, this would be ‘Stairway to Heaven’.” “Show, Don’t Tell” is sound advice—up to a point. Nobody wants to read a novel that’s a dry recitation of incidents. […]

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: The Publishing Business, The Writing Life, Writing Craft Tagged With: critique groups and criticism, developing your writing style, newbie advice, show don't tell, writing rules

December 23, 2012 By Anne R. Allen 43 Comments

The Secret Writing Rule Book…and Why to Ignore It

The Secret Writing Rule Book…and Why to Ignore It

by Anne R. Allen   Somerset Maugham famously said, “There are three rules for writing. Unfortunately, nobody knows what they are.” But pretty much everybody you meet in this business will tell you there are a whole bunch. (One is “never start a sentence with ‘there are’” —so watch yourself, Mr. Maugham.) I recently read […]

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: Writing Craft Tagged With: Anne R. Allen, Beginning Novelist, Dorothy Parker, editor Jamie Chavez, Secret writing rule book, show don't tell, words to eliminate from your writing, writing rules

Subscribe
Subscribe now and receive our weekly blog!
100% Privacy. We don't spam.

Anne's Latest Book

The Hour of the Moth

The Hour of the Moth
Buy from Amazon

Ruth's Latest Book

Diamonds Are For Now

Diamonds Are For Now
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Barnes and Noble
Buy from Apple Books
Buy from Kobo
Buy from Google Play

Follow Anne

  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Follow Ruth

  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Follow Anne Here

Follow Anne Here

Follow Ruth Here

Follow Ruth Here
writers digest 101 best websites for writers award

Anne R. AllenAnne R. Allen writes funny mysteries and how-to-books for writers. She also writes poetry and short stories on occasion. She’s a contributor to Writer’s Digest and the Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market.

Her bestselling Camilla Randall Mystery Series features perennially down-on-her-luck former socialite Camilla Randall—who is a magnet for murder, mayhem and Mr. Wrong, but always solves the mystery in her quirky, but oh-so-polite way.

Ruth Harris NYT best selling authorRuth is a million-copy New York Times bestselling author, Romantic Times award winner, former Big 5 editor, publisher, and news junkie.

Her emotional, entertaining women’s fiction and critically praised novels have sold millions of copies in hard cover, paperback and ebook editions, been translated into 19 languages, sold in 30 countries, and were prominent selections of leading book clubs including the Literary Guild and the Book Of The Month Club.

The best SEO books of all time

50 Kickass Resources

50 Kickass Resources

Thanks, Author Marketing Resources!

The best Blogging books of all time

Follow Anne

Follow Anne

Categories

Best Writing Blogs in 2018

Best Writing Blogs in 2018

Top 50 Writing Blogs

Top 30 Websites for Indies


Top 30 Websites for Indies

Thanks, AME!

Annual Bloggers Bash Awards Nominee Best Blogging Writing Blog

Annual Bloggers Bash Awards Nominee Best Blogging Writing Blog
  • Privacy Policy
Subscribe
Subscribe now and receive our weekly blog!
100% Privacy. We don't spam.

This site is designed and maintained by:

This site is designed and maintained by:

RSS Anne R Allen’s Blog With Ruth Harris

  • The Hidden World of Writing Scams: What Every Author Needs to Know May 4, 2025 Anne R. Allen
  • About
  • Books by Anne R. Allen
  • Books by Ruth Harris
  • Shirley S. Allen
  • Guest Bloggers
  • HOW TO GET YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 Anne R Allen and respective authors · Site Maintained by Nate Hoffelder

%d