Writing about writing. Mostly.
by Nate Hoffelder Self-publishing a book can get quite expensive. A good cover designer can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, and the editorial costs can set you back even more. While there are many important expenses, there are also many ways to spend money and get nothing useful in return. For example, take the […]
by Anne R. Allen Recently I’ve seen sad posts by a number of new writers who are having trouble marketing a self-published debut novel, or are discouraged by numerous rejections. Some are furious at the world for not loving their stuff. In a lot of their work, I see the same problem. It’s usually right […]
by Ruth Harris From the fairy tales read to us when we were children to the latest bestselling thriller, rogue characters are what keep us enthralled. From the Wicked Witch to the Superhero. Cinderella to Gone, Girl. Christian Grey to Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo. The Black Swan—or the Black Sheep. He/she/they/it […]
by Anne R. Allen Ooops. I seem to have missed my 10-year blogiversary! I posted my first attempt at blogging on Friday, March 13, 2009. Yes, Friday the 13th. Apparently I have a need to tempt fate. But I immediately lost the blog for about three months, and didn’t write my second post until June […]
Don’t make these punctuation blunders. by Kathy Steinemann Are you guilty of these punctuation mistakes that confuse readers and drive editors batty? Someone told me recently that about 90% of writers need the information in this post (no names mentioned, but she runs a popular writers’ blog, the one with the green-on-green color scheme). Are […]
A writing template codifies a story pattern like The Hero’s Journey. by Janice Hardy There’s more to writing a great story than just ticking off plot and character boxes. Template is an ambiguous term in writing. It can refer to a writer’s personal style sheet used when developing a story, tools for brainstorming, or worksheets […]
Publishing scams target babes in the woods by Anne R. Allen I hear about new publishing scams all the time. Sometimes scammers approach me personally, but more often I hear a sad tale of woe from some newbie who has fallen for the latest con. This week I realized that almost all the victims of […]
by Ruth Harris No. Non. Nein. Nyet. No effin way. And, in case you haven’t suffered enough: لا (That’s Arabic for “not right for us.”) And it’s not just you. If you’re a writer, you will be rejected. And you will be dissed. Period. Comes with the territory. (Sorry about that.) Kathryn Stockett ’s The Help (on the New York Times bestseller list for over 100 weeks, with sales of several million […]
Clichéd emotional responses like the single tear can bore your reader by Becca Puglisi The single tear trickling down the cheek. A kiss that leaves one’s knees weak. The grin that stretches from ear to ear. *Yawn* Oh, excuse me. I almost fell asleep there. Why Readers Hate Clichéd Emotional Responses Clichés in writing are […]
by Anne R. Allen I blog often about an author’s online presence and the importance of keeping your image squeaky clean, especially when you’re starting a writing career. That image is sometimes called your “author persona.” Artists have always had personas—an image they project when they are in public. It may involve a way of […]
Anne R Allen’s Blog With Ruth Harris