How Readers React to Reactions by Donald Maass. It felt like Donald Maass was speaking directly to me in this article. I often rely on physical reactions or internal dialogue to show what a character feels—but as writers, our real job is to make readers feel. Emotional engagement is what hooks readers and keeps them invested. I’m still learning how to do that, but Donald offers a clear, practical example of one powerful way to make it happen.

The 3 Writing Exercises That Instantly Leveled Up My Writing A YouTube video from Story Lab. These are some of the most practical, immediately useful writing exercises I’ve come across—I watched it several times and took notes. Highlights include: using the Snowflake Method to generate vivid details (why haven’t I been using this more?), writing scenes that engage all five senses (smell is going to be tricky), and crafting dialogue by fully stepping into the speaker’s perspective. Highly recommended.

And a non-writing one: Sticky Chickpeas from Naturallie Plant-Based. Quick, tasty, and surprisingly satisfying. I’m not vegan or vegetarian, but I am always looking for easy ways to get more veggies into my meals—without spending hours in the kitchen or using every pan I own. This one took just 25 minutes, start to finish, served with rice, steamed broccoli, and a sprinkle of peanuts on top. Definitely going into the rotation.