Writing about writing. Mostly.
The audiobook market is booming! By William L. Hahn When Love and Need Become One So here comes a heaping helping of what’s good for my soul. I’ve always told tales. I just had trouble, the first fifty years or so, believing that people would pay me to tell them. But I had a revelation […]
by Anne R. Allen “Chapter titles!?” sez you. What is this, the 18th century? What am I supposed to write? Something like this? Chapter the first, in which our hero is born, discovers that fire is hot, learns to pull up his own breeches, and slays a smallish dragon. Hey, those 18th century writers knew […]
by Barb Drozdowich Hi there and welcome. I come to the publishing world from the realm of technical training, not from a creative mindset. I look at the author world, the world of books, differently than many authors. Because of this, I see common errors that indie authors make which can result in loss of […]
By Anne R. Allen Most writers have probably heard of “Upmarket fiction.” But you may have questions about it. Like, when should you use the term? And how do you figure out if your novel fits in the category? Is it considered a genre, like Romance or Mystery? And is it the same as “Book […]
by Ruth Harris You worked hard. You pored through reference books, consulted Google and maybe even — gasp! — went to the library to do research. And you made certain the characters were dimensional and well drawn. You spent time creating a solid, intriguing plot and writing zingy dialogue. You paid attention to your beta […]
by Anne R. Allen Yes, I’ve already written a warning to writers about publishing scams this month. But I heard about a new, diabolical one only a few days ago. This can affect both traditionally published and indie authors. And everybody needs to help spread the word. That’s because the author won’t know it’s happening. […]
by Jodie Renner With so many authors self-publishing these days, the best freelance editors are in high demand. So if you’re looking for a knowledgeable, experienced professional editor to help you make your manuscript the best it can be – and improve your overall writing skills in the process – be sure to take some […]
by Anne R. Allen On Friday morning at 7 AM a couple of weeks ago, the landline phone woke me with a call from a woman who wanted to know if I was the author of Food of Love. I said yes, it’s one of my titles, along with 14 other books. Why did she […]
by Ruth Harris Your blurb (aka Production Description on Amazon) has one — and only one — purpose: to make the reader an offer s/he can’t refuse. How do I know? Because over the years, I’ve written hundreds — more likely thousands — of blurbs. From the slush pile to the editor’s office. When I started […]
Writers, what do you know about author agreements? by Joseph Perry Author Agreements: Know the Legal Terms For authors who are given a book contract and may not have an agent or attorney, here are a few tips that may help you in negotiating against the publisher. 1) Grant of Rights When reading the grant […]
by Anne R. Allen Clichés exist for a reason. A whole lot of people like them. That means they get over-exposed. Clichés represent a natural way of thinking. So don’t feel bad if your first draft has a clichéd opener. It’s part of the process. Here’s the most important thing for a new writer to […]
An ARC review team helps launch a book effectively by Dave Chesson As authors, we need reviews. There’s no way of getting around it. While it doesn’t appear that reviews directly affect things like the Amazon algorithm, reviews are still a crucial tool to sell books. For example, if you’re trying to choose between a […]
An author blog gets Google’s attention by Anne R. Allen Should all authors blog? Of course not. We’re all different and we write for different audiences. There are lots of ways to establish an online presence. Anne Rice does a good deal of publicity from her Facebook page, and Stephen King is big on Twitter. […]
Anne R Allen’s Blog With Ruth Harris