Writing Tips, Workshops, and Inspiration from Bestselling Authors

OUTLIERS MEDICAL-FORENSIC FILES: Alice in Wonderland Syndrome by DP Lyle, MD What Drugs Might Cause Side Effects in My Character With Alice in Wonderland Syndrome?   Q: I have a question about Alice in Wonderland Syndrome (AIWS) My character is in his mid-30s. From what I've gathered from reading this syndrome, it is fairly common with children and with migraine sufferers and it is controllable. However, I want my character to have side-effects. In other words, even though hi

OUTLIERS ONE MORE THING: The Power of Delusion by Jenny Milchman When I am writing a new novel, I always suffer from a perseverative delusion. Except that suffer  is really the wrong word because this is a delusion of the most blissful order. It’s that I am writing the world’s first perfect first draft. Now, we all know this is impossible, right? Even I know it’s impossible–and I’m the one suffering from it! Still, the delusion persists. Over the course of six (soon to be sev

OUTLIERS PSYCHOLOGY AND WRITING: Your Inner Muse by Katherine Ramsland, Ph.D. Welcome to my column on how psychology and writing interact. I’ve been writing and publishing since the 1980s. Initially, it was for academics. Then in 1991, I published a commercial book, Anne Rice’s biography. Over the years, I’ve shifted between these frames, adding fiction and learning much about the writing process. In this column, I’ll offer tips for your work from clinical, cognitive and fore

OUTLIERS MEDICAL-FORENSIC FILES: Congenital Heart Disease by DP Lyle, MD What Congenital Heart Defect Might My Female Family Members Suffer From?   Q: I'm trying to construct a family of women who have a congenital heart defect. The mother has   died from it. The older sister dies as the book begins. The middle sister is suffering, and her imminent death is part of the plot. (She's 18). What I'd like is for her to be treated by surgery, but a surgery the poor girl can't affor

OUTLIERS ONE MORE THING: It’s All in the Name by DP Lyle News flash—characters need names. Not just any old name, but their name. It has to fit. It’s personal. If you mis-name a character, they’ll fuss at you until you fix it. Usually in the middle of the night. Has this ever happened to you? You finish your first draft and dive into the initial rewrite. Where you meet Martha, Who the hell is Martha? There’s no Martha in this story. After a bit of digging around you remember

Join Terry Shepherd and Jennifer Dornbush in the Outliers Studio at Bouchercon 2025 in New Orleans for a chat with best-selling author and Outlier Boyd Morrison https://boydmorrison.com WATCH: Outliers YouTube Channel: GET TO KNOW: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLia8l2DJ_EnXVqej3dnFj-48RJetAYpcl LISTEN: Outliers Podcast Series On Your Favorite Outlet: https://www.outlierswritinguniversity.com/shows

Best-selling Author Lisa Jewell Best-selling Author Lisa Jewell sat down with Terry Shepherd and Jennifer Dornbush in the Outliers Studio...

Best-selling Author Brad Thor Best-selling Author Brad Thor sat down with Terry Shepherd and Jennifer Dornbush in the Outliers Studio at...