Blog Extypis
Discover our articles about writing, literature, and author tips. Learn, get inspired, and improve your craft.
Featured Articles
The most popular articles from the community
AI watermarking on text: why it's good news for writers
Claude now marks its text with an invisible watermark. For authors, that is finally physical evidence instead of permanent suspicion.
NaNoWriMo Is Gone: How to Write a Novel in a Month in 2026
NaNoWriMo shut down in 2025, but the method survives: who's replacing it in 2026, and how to build your own 50,000-word writing marathon.
How to Write a Short Story: Structure, Constraints, Method
A short story isn't a compressed novel: Poe's unity of effect, Carver's economy, Munro's ellipses — the structure and method of the short form.
Writing TechniquesHow to Revise the First Draft of a Novel: a Four-Pass Method
Revise a first draft without getting lost: six weeks in a drawer, then four passes — structure, scenes, sentences, surface — after Stephen King.
Writing TechniquesWorldbuilding for Fantasy and Sci-Fi Without the Infodump
How to build a rich fantasy or sci-fi world without burying readers in exposition — the iceberg method, through action and coherence.
AI and Submitted Manuscripts: The Real Problem Is Who Holds the File
The Writers' Union of Canada wants consent before publishers run a submitted manuscript through AI. The real issue isn't the machine reading it, it's where your file goes.
AI Detectors: The Real Scandal Isn't the One You Think
A detector declared a prize-winning story '100% AI-generated.' Except these tools are wrong half the time. The real scandal isn't the one you think.
Writing TechniquesExtypis vs Sudowrite: Which AI Writing Tool to Pick in 2026?
Sudowrite and Extypis both promise an AI that helps you write a novel. An honest comparison — pricing, language quality, data privacy, features.
AI and Copyright: The Scandal Was Never the Training
France's SACD wants to sue AI, the Senate passed the Darcos bill, Anthropic is paying $1.5B. The real question isn't whether to sue AI — it's whether this model stole the works or licensed them.
Vibe writing: borrowing the developers' word to clear up the AI & writing debate
Vibe coding has existed in developer culture since February 2025. Imported into literature, it draws a clear line where the AI & writing debate keeps going in circles — and names the real red line.
Fake AI Books: What the Authors' Open Letter Actually Says
The European Writers Council and 1,100+ U.S. authors ask publishers to ban AI-generated books. The debate is already drifting — here's the line, and why it's called "vibe writing".
Writing TechniquesBuilding a Memorable Antagonist: Beyond the Cardboard Villain
Five antagonists from literature, three working principles and a method to make your adversary the engine of your novel.
Writing TechniquesFirst vs Third Person POV: How to Choose for Your Novel
First person, close third, omniscient: each POV changes what your reader sees, feels, and believes. A practical guide to choosing without regret.
Writing TechniquesThe Ensemble Novel: Writing Multiple POVs (Guide + Examples)
The ensemble novel alternates between multiple character perspectives. Definition, examples (Faulkner, Flynn, Martin) and 6 techniques to write one.
Writing TechniquesHow Many Words in a Novel? The Complete Guide by Genre
A standard novel runs 70,000-100,000 words, but it varies by genre. Complete breakdown by genre, famous novel word counts, and practical advice.
Writing TechniquesOpening Lines: How to Write a Great First Sentence for Your Novel
Your opening line decides whether a reader will turn the page. Discover 4 types of openings, 10 famous examples analyzed, and a method to write yours.
Writing TechniquesHow to Write a Novel Synopsis (Complete Guide + Method)
The synopsis is the first document a publisher reads. Here's how to write one: ideal length, 7 essential elements, common mistakes, and a 5-step method.
Writing TechniquesHow to Write Dialogue That Sounds Real: Lessons from Hemingway, Carver, and Le Carré
How to write dialogue that rings true without being verbatim — lessons from Hemingway, Carver, Le Carré, and Elmore Leonard's rules.
Writing TechniquesShow, don't tell: Chekhov's real advice and 5 techniques
The famous rule attributed to Chekhov isn't his. What he actually wrote to his brother in 1886, and how to apply it without over-dramatizing.
Writing TechniquesHow to Write an Opening Chapter That Hooks the Reader
Seven opening strategies that actually hook readers, broken down with examples from Camus, Kafka, Morrison, Márquez, Proust, le Carré and Carver.
Writing Techniques7-Point Story Structure: Dan Wells's Method for the Novel
Dan Wells popularized a seven-beat plotting grid. Tighter than the hero's journey, more precise than the three-act template.
Writing TechniquesThe Snowflake Method: Outline a Novel in 10 Steps
Created by physicist-turned-novelist Randy Ingermanson, the Snowflake Method grows a single sentence into a finished novel. Here's how it actually works.
Writing TechniquesSave the Cat: The 15 Beats Explained for Novelists
Blake Snyder's 15 beats adapted to the novel by Jessica Brody: how to use them without submitting to them, and how they layer with the Hero's Journey.
Writing TechniquesHow to Write a Play: Structure, Stage Directions, and Tools
Acts, scenes, stage directions, distinct voices: everything you need to write a play. With examples from Williams, Miller, and Beckett.
24 articles total