Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris

Writing about writing. Mostly.

  • Home
  • About
    • About This Blog
    • Ruth Harris
    • Anne R. Allen
    • Shirley S. Allen
  • Archives
  • Books
    • Books by Anne R. Allen
    • Books by Ruth Harris
  • Guest Bloggers
  • Contact
  • How To Get Your Book Published
  • Resources For Writers

November 28, 2021 By Anne R. Allen 33 Comments

21 Reasons for Writers to Give Thanks.

21 Reasons for Writers to Give Thanks.

by Ruth Harris There are some great reasons for writers to give thanks— That brilliant idea that comes out of nowhere just when you were about to give up. The reader who absolutely gets what you’re doing and says so in an intelligent, perceptive review. The google doc that goes everywhere you do seamlessly. Scrivener […]

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: The Writing Life Tagged With: Ruth Harris, Zuri, Zuri a love story

September 26, 2021 By Anne R. Allen 38 Comments

4 Deadly Writer Sins—and How to Avoid Them. Plus a Top-Secret Pro Tip for Writing a Book Readers Can’t Put Down

4 Deadly Writer Sins—and How to Avoid Them. Plus a Top-Secret Pro Tip for Writing a Book Readers Can’t Put Down

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 […]

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: Writing Craft Tagged With: chapter endings, First lines, Ruth Harris, Zuri a love story

April 25, 2021 By Anne R. Allen 23 Comments

8 Stages in the Life Cycle of a Writer: From the Aha! Moment to Beyond the Grave.

8 Stages in the Life Cycle of a Writer: From the Aha! Moment to Beyond the Grave.

The life cycle of a writer can be as predictable as a frog’s by Ruth Harris A glimmer of an idea sparks in the writer’s mind. You’re in the shower, just waking up, cooking dinner, mopping the floor, or on the way to the supermarket, dentist, or a hot date with The One. It’s the […]

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: The Publishing Business, The Writing Life Tagged With: Ruth Harris, Zuri a love story

February 23, 2014 By Ruth Harris 44 Comments

From Pathetic to Professional: 8 Ways to Beat the First Draft Blues

From Pathetic to Professional:  8 Ways to Beat the  First Draft Blues

by Ruth Harris You’re happy, even delirious. You’ve finished your first draft! Then you read it. OMG, you think, did I write that?Yes, you did. 🙂 It stinks. It sucks. It’s so rancid it threatens to warp the time-space continuum. Think you’re alone? Here’s Hugh Howey in a blog post: “I suck at writing. Watching a rough […]

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: The Publishing Business, The Writing Life, Writing Craft Tagged With: Character names, crutch words, how to write dialogue, Hugh Howey, know your genre, reverse outlining, Ruth Harris, Scrivener, Self-Editing, self-editing tips, sh***y first drafts, Zuri a love story

October 27, 2013 By Ruth Harris 29 Comments

The Big “O” for Writers—Organization: The Writer’s Toolkit #3

The Big “O” for Writers—Organization: The Writer’s Toolkit #3

by Ruth Harris   This is Ruth Harris’s third installment in her Writer’s Toolkit series. You can read Writer’s Toolkit #2 here and Writers Toolkit #1 here. Today she’s talking about tools for organizing your research and ideas: very timely for me this week. I’ve been working on and off for months on researching my […]

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: E-Books and Technology for Writers, Writing Craft Tagged With: Evernote, free online resources for writers, Open Education Database, plot boards, Ruth Harris, Scrivener, Shelly Jump, The Organized Writer, Zuri a love story

June 30, 2013 By Ruth Harris 29 Comments

Rejection, Rotten Reviews, and Social Media: 7 Ways Writers Need to be Like Rhinos

Rejection, Rotten Reviews, and Social Media: 7 Ways Writers Need to be Like Rhinos

by Ruth Harris   Writers are always urged to have or develop  “rhino skin.” But let me add a few words about rhino skin. When I wrote ZURI, I did lots & lots of research about rhinos. As it turns out, rhinos have thick hides but sensitive skin—quite different from the usual perception. What rhinos […]

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: Social Media and Marketing For Writers, The Writing Life, Writers Dealing with Reviews and Rejection, Writing Craft Tagged With: advice for writers, coping with rejection, how to be a successful author, how to deal with negative reviews, opportunities for writers, rhinos, Ruth Harris, Zuri a love story

April 28, 2013 By Ruth Harris 27 Comments

The Key to Writing Memorable Fiction

The Key to Writing Memorable Fiction

by Ruth Harris   This week Ruth Harris discusses one of the major elements that separates ho-hum storytelling from bestselling fiction: details.  Yes, we know you’re often told to keep details to a minimum, and that’s a good rule, but like the judicious use of seasonings in cooking, choosing the right ones will make the […]

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: Writing Craft Tagged With: AbFab, ebookbargainsuk, How to write memorable fiction, Mad Men, Readwave, Ruth Harris, The Colbert Book Club, The Gatsby Game, The importance of detail in fiction, Zuri a love story

Subscribe
Subscribe now and receive our weekly blog!
100% Privacy. We don't spam.

Anne's Latest Book

The Hour of the Moth

The Hour of the Moth
Buy from Amazon

Ruth's Latest Book

Diamonds Are For Now

Diamonds Are For Now
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Barnes and Noble
Buy from Apple Books
Buy from Kobo
Buy from Google Play

Follow Anne

  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Follow Ruth

  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Follow Anne Here

Follow Anne Here

Follow Ruth Here

Follow Ruth Here
writers digest 101 best websites for writers award

Anne R. AllenAnne R. Allen writes funny mysteries and how-to-books for writers. She also writes poetry and short stories on occasion. She’s a contributor to Writer’s Digest and the Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market.

Her bestselling Camilla Randall Mystery Series features perennially down-on-her-luck former socialite Camilla Randall—who is a magnet for murder, mayhem and Mr. Wrong, but always solves the mystery in her quirky, but oh-so-polite way.

Ruth Harris NYT best selling authorRuth is a million-copy New York Times bestselling author, Romantic Times award winner, former Big 5 editor, publisher, and news junkie.

Her emotional, entertaining women’s fiction and critically praised novels have sold millions of copies in hard cover, paperback and ebook editions, been translated into 19 languages, sold in 30 countries, and were prominent selections of leading book clubs including the Literary Guild and the Book Of The Month Club.

The best SEO books of all time

50 Kickass Resources

50 Kickass Resources

Thanks, Author Marketing Resources!

The best Blogging books of all time

Follow Anne

Follow Anne

Categories

Best Writing Blogs in 2018

Best Writing Blogs in 2018

Top 50 Writing Blogs

Top 30 Websites for Indies


Top 30 Websites for Indies

Thanks, AME!

Annual Bloggers Bash Awards Nominee Best Blogging Writing Blog

Annual Bloggers Bash Awards Nominee Best Blogging Writing Blog
  • Privacy Policy
Subscribe
Subscribe now and receive our weekly blog!
100% Privacy. We don't spam.

This site is designed and maintained by:

This site is designed and maintained by:

RSS Anne R Allen’s Blog With Ruth Harris

  • You’re Not Failing to Get Published. You’re Building Inventory June 22, 2025 Anne R. Allen
  • About
  • Books by Anne R. Allen
  • Books by Ruth Harris
  • Shirley S. Allen
  • Guest Bloggers
  • HOW TO GET YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 Anne R Allen and respective authors · Site Maintained by Nate Hoffelder

%d