Writing Craft Archives - Uncharted

Ready for Psychological Thrills?

By Caitlin Taylor So As we head into October, you might be itching for a thrill. Here at Uncharted, we’ve got you covered. After you read these five YA psychological thrillers, you might want to hide under your covers… Welcome to Ellingham Academy, a private school in Vermont founded by tycoon Albert Ellingham for the […]

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Embark on an Island Adventure

By Caitlin Taylor So The end of summer may be upon us, but who says you still can’t transport yourself to an island tropical or otherwise? Here are five YA books you should pick up if you’re longing for an unforgettable getaway (in every sense of the word). Claudine Henry has her future plans set […]

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Mysterious and Eerie, and a bit Haunting: An Interview with Cayce Osborne

Cayce Osborne’s debut mystery/thriller, I Know What You Did, has been called “A whip-smart and thoroughly engaging psychological thriller, with a highly memorable protagonist and a brilliantly original narrative concept.” I’ve had the pleasure of reading early drafts of several of Cayce’s manuscripts, and I’ve loved every one. Her writing is inviting and easy to […]

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What’s New On BookTok?

By Caitlin Taylor So You’ve heard what your friends are talking about.  You’ve passed by the table at Barnes & Noble.  You’ve watched the TikToks.  So, what’s new on BookTok? Justin and Emma find each other and connect because they have the same curse: every person they date finds their partner for life the second […]

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Less is More: Declutter Your Prose by Ditching Modifiers

By Jessica Berg Oh, adjectives and adverbs! We love to use them, especially in zero drafts. They’re accessible, quick, and easy, and they help us get the story out of our minds and onto the screen/page. But are they doing our writing any good? Probably not – at least not in the final version of […]

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Meet Your Next AI Friend

By Caitlin Taylor So Artificial intelligence is on the rise and everyone’s mind as another chatbot or generative AI application emerges on every site you use or engage with. But have you met these AI characters? Check out these YA books (written by real humans!) that take place in worlds powered by artificial intelligence and […]

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Recommended Reading: Genre Flash!

by Myna Chang I love genre fiction and flash fiction, so I was thrilled when I learned Uncharted would be offering another flash contest this year! The contest is open to stories of 1,000 words or less in any of our genre categories: science fiction, fantasy, thriller, horror, mystery, historical, or young adult. We love […]

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Beyond the Bounds of Realism:An Interview with Tara Campbell

Tara Campbell is a writer, teacher, Kimbilio Fellow, fiction co-editor at Barrelhouse Magazine, and graduate of American University’s MFA. Her award-winning work includes multiple short story and hybrid collections. Her sixth book, City of Dancing Gargoyles, will be released by SFWP in the fall of 2024. The novel is set in the parched, post-apocalyptic Western […]

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Read Until the World Ends

By Caitlin Taylor So The world is a scary place. It can also always be scarier. For some, that might be a comfort to keep in mind during troubling times. Here are some well-known YA dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels we hope will counterintuitively give you some peace of mind. The Waves are coordinated attacks The […]

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Dive Into Pride This June With These Colorful Reads

By Caitlin Taylor So Happy pride month, dear readers! However you may identify and show up in the world every day, we want to celebrate everyone in the LGBTQ+ community. Here are some books you can dive into this month and all year round. Based on a true story from Patricia Highsmith herself and the […]

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Crafting Character Transformations

By Jessica Berg So often, authors will create an engaging and immersive narrative with rich characterization, and then … nothing happens. That is to say, there’s no change in the main character from the beginning of the work to the end. In other words, there’s no arc. Understanding character arc is key for writers who […]

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Start the Summer With These Great Reads!

By Caitlin Taylor So With summer upon us, more sunshine will hopefully translate to more free time for you to read books outside! Catch these titles at your nearest library or bookstore and take them along your next vacation. Click on the books to find out more! Cadence spends every summer on a luxury private […]

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