by Ruth Harris What’s a Style Sheet? Look, guys, I don’t want to freak you out but, if you’re writing a book (or a short story or a novella), you need a style sheet. If you plan to self-pub, a style sheet will save your sanity while you’re writing—and after because a style sheet will […]
Beware Groupthink: 10 Red Flags to Watch For When Choosing a Critique Group
by Anne R. Allen Joining a good critique group can be the easiest (and cheapest) way for new writers to learn the nuts and bolts of writing and keep those cringe-making first drafts from gumming up slush piles or becoming part of the infamous “tsunami of self-published crap.” Whether online or in-person, critique groups can […]
Depressed? Anxious? Stressed? A Must-have Guide to Must-lists For Writers
Get Instant Relief Without Dangerous Drugs, Messy Creams Or Exhausting Exercise! by Ruth Harris Writers write—except when we’re staring into space or out the window, at a blank screen or an unfinished sentence.From first draft to final draft, we spend a lot of our time looking for help, info, inspiration. Which is why the right […]
What Should a Novelist Blog About? Do’s and Don’ts for Author-Bloggers
by Anne R. Allen When I teach blogging to new writers, the most common question I get is: “What should I blog about?” My answer isn’t the same as you’ll hear from the major blogging gurus, because most of them are teaching people how to blog for its own sake. They will all tell […]
Your “LOOK INSIDE!” Book Preview: Will it Turn Readers Away or Close the Sale?
by Anne R. Allen I get a lot of bargain ebook newsletters: BookBub, Fussy Librarian, Kindle News Daily, EBUK, etc. Often a book intrigues me enough that I click through to look at the book’s full details on the retail site. But I almost never buy. Sometimes the full blurb or a review will […]
SPEED KILLS…OR DOES IT? How to Write Fast(er) without Going Bonkers
by Ruth Harris As the Romans said (and the Olympics borrowed for its motto): Citius, Altius, Fortius. Or, as we say: “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” Sometimes publishing seems to be an Olympic event or at least it feels that way. Vroom. Vroom. Everyone wants to write faster. To publish more books. To keep up with/get ahead of […]
11 Tips For The Care And Feeding Of Your Muse: A Writer’s Guide
by Ruth Harris The muse (also referred to as intuition, instinct, the subconscious, a superpower, the Spidey sense) is generally a friendly and cooperative breed. By nature, the muse tends to be bright eyed, curious and energetic. However, ignored or poorly-treated the muse can be become depressed and mopey and will not function effectively. […]
6 Bad Reasons to Write a Novel…and 6 Good Ones
by Anne R. Allen So you think you want to write a novel? You’re not alone. According to a New York Times study done a decade ago, 81% of Americans “think they have a book in them”. With the indie ebook revolution, I’m sure the percentage has grown. Of course, most of that 81% won’t ever write […]
Why All Authors May Have a “Hybrid” Future: Veteran Children’s Author Kristiana Gregory Goes Indie
The self-publishing movement that was sparked by the introduction of the Kindle ereader eight years ago has taken the entire industry on a rollercoaster ride that shows no signs of slowing down. The only thing we can count on in today’s publishing world is change. Solid advice given yesterday may not work today. Authors need […]
REALITY CHECK: Mixed Martial Arts For Writers
by Ruth Harris No two ways about it, writers: you ARE going to suffer. How do I know? Because I’m a writer and all of these things—or variations of them—have happened to me. You will get one-star reviews. Your book will be rejected by the editor who “loves” you and your work. The hotshot […]
10 Tips for Choosing the Right Book Title
by Anne R. Allen I’m not going to pretend that picking a title for your book is easy. In fact, it gets tougher all the time. We have to consider a lot more than how grabby a title looks on a bookstore shelf these days. In choosing a title now, we have to think […]
How NOT To Win A Writing Contest: 7 Deadly Story Sins
by Dr. John Yeoman Have you ever entered a short story contest and failed to win? And wondered why? You may have made one or more of these seven ‘killer’ mistakes. How do I know? Since 2009, I’ve judged more than 6000 entries in the Writers’ Village short story award. And I’ve given every […]
13 Reasons Why You Should Write a Short Story This Month
by Anne R. Allen Mashable reported this week that the buzzword of the moment is “snackable content”—described as “bite-sized chunks of info that can be quickly ‘consumed’ by its audience.” That’s why short fiction is hot. Ditto creative nonfiction essays. But the word hasn’t reached all writers. Recently I saw a newbie writer ask for […]
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