Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris
Writing about writing. Mostly.
Rejection and failure make you think of quitting? Be like Thomas Edison instead. by Ruth Harris Rejection can make us want to cry and/or break things but rejection is almost never personal and often has nothing to do with your book, either. The sting of rejection can be bullied into submission with a can-do, eff-you […]
by Anne R. Allen I first blogged about the plight of slow writers back in 2014, at the height of the indie publishing boom. All the indie superstar gurus were telling writers to grind out ebooks as fast as they could type to take advantage of the “Kindle Gold Rush”. Three years later, the Kindle […]
Burnout can hit the most motivated writers and Type A high-achievers by Ruth Harris We’re writers and we don’t need no lousy bosses to crack the whip. We can do it to ourselves–create the frazzle, the frustration, the deadlines, the endless to-do lists, negative feedback, and the conviction that we’re not doing enough fast enough. […]
Are literary fiction writers getting bad advice about publishing? by Mike Sahno I’ll go out on a limb right off the bat and say that most writers get at least some bad advice somewhere along the way. Literary fiction writers are no exception. Now, I’m an indie author who formed his own company to publish […]
by Anne R. Allen No matter how great a book’s cover and blurb, one thing can stop me from buying yet another ebook for my Kindle: an author bio on the buy page that screams “amateur.” I spent some time as an editor, so when I pick up a book for relaxation, I want to […]
Stress or burnout? Writers can suffer from both. by Ruth Harris Look at your to-do list. WiP needs edits and revisions Editor/cover designer to hire Promo forms to fill out First draft to finish Get that new book/new series ready to launch The next-to-final draft need polishing Backlist covers need a refresh A box set […]
Make a Living Writing Fiction: Follow these Ten Steps By Elizabeth S. Craig I’ve been asked by everyone from writers with day jobs to high school students if it’s possible to make a living as a writer. The answer is easy—it’s definitely possible. The next question is trickier to answer—how does one go about making […]
Book length memoir is a hard sell, but short essays can be a goldmine. Memoir is the most popular genre at any writers’ conference, and the most common genre in any agent’s slush pile. Unfortunately, it’s the hardest to write well—and the least likely to be successful if you’re an unknown newbie writer. That’s because […]
Anthologies like “Equality” can also be a great way for established authors to expand their readership. by Anne R. Allen Anthologies have long been one of the best ways for new writers to get publishing credits and start building an audience. They’re also an excellent way for authors at any stage of their careers to […]
Looking into my Crystal Ball by Fuse Literary Agency Co-Founder Laurie McLean Wow. 2016 sucked. In so many ways. I was never happier to kick a year to the curb than 2016. From David Bowie in January to Carrie Fisher in December, it seemed that each week brought a fresh tragedy to our lives. […]
First chapters are the hardest. So write them last. by Anne R. Allen Happy New Year! And many thanks to Frances Caballo, who this week named this one of the Best 15 Blogs for Indie Authors to Follow. I hope you had lots of fun over the holidays. Now it’s resolution time. Time to get […]
Book title generators because “A Christmas Carol” is taken Titles. The easiest part of the book to write. Right? All you have to do is pick, say, one to twelve words. Just make them clever, catchy, evocative, and a one-way ticket to making your book a block-busting bestseller. Easy! I don’t know about you, but […]
Novel genre isn’t always obvious, even to the author. While we’re writing, (especially during NaNoWriMo) we just let the inspiration pull us along. But there comes a point where we have to decide where our work fits in the great bookish ecosystem – its genre and the age of its audience. Writing coach and novelist […]
