Writing about writing. Mostly.
by Cat Michaels Writing is a solitary experience, but it needn’t be a lonely pursuit. In addition to discoverability, writers use social media to share ideas and find support. First, however, they must be R*A*R*E and learn the unwritten ‘rules’ of virtual interaction. Whether you’re an author, blogger, or budding entrepreneur, read on to […]
by Anne R. Allen Bloggers sometimes feel like Rodney Dangerfield. We get no respect. This week, we heard how Amazon is banning 100s of book review bloggers and removing their reviews. Some of the bloggers may be violating “affiliate” rules, but others have no affiliation with Amazon and are having all their reviews removed anyway. […]
by Anne R. Allen “Think outside the box” has become a mindless cliché these days. So many people repeat it that the meaning has mostly been lost. In fact, most people are unaware they are in boxes, so they have no particular desire to think outside of one. But most of us are boxed […]
by Ruth Harris Male or female, good guys or bad girls, famous or infamous, VIPs are the Very Important Persons who go their own way, do their own thing, make their own rules and don’t give a damn about your plans, your ideas, or your outline. You create them but they have a life of […]
by Anne R. Allen The most dangerous concept in the universe is probably, “there is only one right way.” People who insist there is only one right way to live, think, behave, or believe are responsible for most of the world’s conflict and suffering. Merriam-Webster defines dogma as “a belief or set of beliefs […]
The Five ‘Insider’ Secrets Of Top Fiction Writers by Dr. John Yeoman How do you write a ‘killer’ novel or story that brings you a contract with an agent or publisher? Or that leaps over the short-list to gain a top prize in a contest? There’s a secret to it. But more than 90% of […]
by Anne R. Allen “Show-Don’t-Tell” is one of the most sacred commandments in the writerly bible. As Susan Defreitas wrote at LitReactor, “If writing advice were classic rock, this would be ‘Stairway to Heaven’.” “Show, Don’t Tell” is sound advice—up to a point. Nobody wants to read a novel that’s a dry recitation of incidents. […]
FROM MIKE TYSON TO ALBERT EINSTEIN: Why Writers Need To Goof Off And Space Out by Ruth Harris “Everyone has a plan ’till they get punched in the mouth,” observed philosopher-pugilist, Mike Tyson. Not just boxers, Mike. Ditto for writers. Whether you’re a plotter or pantser, you start out with some kind of plan. […]
by Anne R. Allen The Harvard Business School recently did a fascinating study of toxic employees and their effect on a company’s bottom line. The researchers discovered the most difficult and costly employees aren’t the lazy ones or the gossipy ones. It turns out the worst are the ones dead-set on following rules to the […]
By Melodie Campbell To the elderly man in the khaki sweater who lifted his reading glasses to stare open-mouthed… To the unknown person who gasped and knocked over a chair behind me… To the woman with the stroller who stared in horror, and then wheeled her toddler frantically away toward the exit… False […]
by Anne R. Allen First I have to say how jazzed I am to be named one of the 16 Best People to Follow on Twitter by book marketing guru Penny Sansevieri at Author Marketing Experts, Inc. Thanks Penny! It’s a great list and I’m honored to be on it. Okay, I know why […]
THE HAPPY HOOKER’S GUIDE TO THE ART AND CRAFT OF WRITING A PAGE TURNER by Ruth Harris “First you do it for love, then you do it for your friends, then you do it for money.” Ralph Ellison said it. Or was that Virginia Woolf? Depends on who you ask, but no matter where you […]
by Anne R. Allen I had what is known as a “good education.” I attended East Coast and European prep schools and Ivy League colleges. Both my parents were college professors with PhDs in literature. All of which left me uniquely unqualified for my chosen profession: writing novels. Why? Because I grew up knowing […]
Anne R Allen’s Blog With Ruth Harris