Writing about writing. Mostly.
The self-publishing revolution started on clunky computers like this one by Anne R. Allen In a few days we’ll be leaving the twenty-teens to enter the 2020s. We’ll be saying goodbye to a decade of wild upheaval in the publishing industry. It’s been quite a ride. On January 5th, we’ll host agent Laurie McLean from […]
by Tara Sparling Introduction: Ever wonder what it would be like to live with a well-known fictional character stereotype? At Christmas? Well, wonder no more, and count your blessings that you don’t… It’s December the Somethingth. You come home from a long day at work. You were supposed to buy Christmas gifts, but the traffic […]
By Melodie Campbell. I’m not talking about a room of your own, with all due respect to Virginia Wolf. (Although that is certainly handy. Writing your early stories on the floor of the bathroom with your kids outside shaking the locked door gets tiresome pretty fast.) But today I’m talking about what I tell the […]
by Anne R. Allen. I’ve seen a steep decline in the number of people commenting on blogs over the past few years. I’m not sure why that is. But commenting on blogs is still an easy, painless way to get your name into search engines and build an “author platform.” I realize I’m partly […]
The publishing roller coaster can drive you nuts if you let it. by Ruth Harris I don’t really have to tell you, do I? Success followed by failure. Ups followed by crashes. Sinatra sang it: Flying high in April. Shot down in May. Moodswings. One week you pop the Dom Perignon. The next, you’re knee […]
Writing your final chapter can be tougher than writing the first. by Anne R. Allen A new book by Patricia Cornwell, of Kay Scarpetta fame, has had 100s of scathing reviews on Amazon. Not only has she strayed from the mystery genre into scifi, but the book did not come to a satisfying conclusion. Readers […]
Competing book titles can help sell your book! By Penny Sansevieri As an author you’ve probably been told to look at competing titles through multiple stages of your journey from writing, to publishing, to book promotion. Competing book titles can be lucrative references for cover design, book length, and choosing your categories and keywords. They’re […]
by Anne R. Allen I’ve had questions from several writers recently about how to approach a first chapter. New writers hear so many rules about what they must do in the first line, first paragraph, and first chapter that they can feel paralyzed, afraid to write a word. Let’s hope that NaNoWriMo is helping some […]
Your backlist: remodel without a visit to a plastic surgeon or Home Depot. by Ruth Harris No, I’m certainly not sending you to the plastic surgeon. Even though maybe, just possibly your bio/book page could use — shall we say? — a nip and tuck. (Nothing personal. Just sayin.) And I’m not recommending a visit […]
Unexamined beliefs can keep a writer in a prison of your own making. by Anne R. Allen “Think outside the box” has become a mindless cliché these days. It’s repeated so often that the meaning has pretty much disappeared. But it’s still excellent advice—if you know how to follow it. Unfortunately, most people are unaware […]
by Julie Valerie. From Book Blog to Book Deal. First things first, because I’m sure this question is on a lot of writer’s minds: does a book blog still land a book deal? My answer? Of course they do. Great writing and great content will always find an audience, and where there’s an audience, especially […]
by Anne R. Allen Anton Chekhov, the Russian playwright, also wrote short stories, essays and instructions for young writers. Probably his most famous writerly advice is this admonition: “If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don’t put it […]
Romancing your new book idea: when to give in—and when to give up. by Ruth Harris Falling in love is easy. We’re swept away, starry-eyed, giddy with possibility. This time it’s different. Really! But is it? The Old Book Blues. You’ve done it. Again! You’ve written yourself into a blind alley. You’re stuck, blocked, out […]
Anne R Allen’s Blog With Ruth Harris