From blank page to published: tips from published authors
Writing and publishing can feel like an uphill battle, filled with self-doubt and numerous hurdles. This weekend, I attended a local...
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MUST-HAVE PUBLISHING RESOURCES FOR AUTHORS
The saying “you don’t know what you don’t know” is so true when it comes to publishing, whether it’s self-publishing or traditional publishing. Authors are writers first and foremost. They know the craft of writing but it’s all the other steps—revising and editing, publishing, and marketing—that can be daunting, even to the most seasoned among them. This blog post compiles more than fifty links to vetted publishing industry resources. And it's still growing! (updated May 2024)
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Jun 143 min read
Top 3 book opening mistakes (and how to fix them)
Every write knows that a strong opening to their book is crucial for engaging readers. It's the first impression, the hook, that either...
May 244 min read
Unraveling your narrative with a reverse outline
Have you ever found yourself lost in the labyrinth of your own writing? Do your characters often run away with the plot? Are you staring...
May 104 min read
Crafting success: a guide to creating author goals
Goal-setting is an important part of any new undertaking and can have a profound effect on productivity. If you’ve ever found yourself...
Feb 233 min read
Exploring the world of book publishing: traditional, hybrid, and self-publishing
Book publishing has undergone significant transformations in recent years, offering authors a plethora of choices in how they bring their...
Jan 194 min read
A guide to using the Pomodoro Technique for writers
Have you ever had the experience of sitting down to complete a task only to find yourself overwhelmed by what needs to be done, unsure of...
Dec 22, 20235 min read
Top 3 questions I receive about publishing
(I'd like to say that I'm writing this blog post for the benefit of readers, but really, I'm writing it for me.) These are the top three...
Dec 8, 20235 min read
Writing in third person
Limited vs. omniscient narration Third person narration is a literary style where the narrative is told from the perspective of a...
Nov 17, 20234 min read
Dialogue tags & action beats
Formatting attributes of speech alongside action in fiction I've written about the basics of formatting dialogue here. This blog is a...
Oct 20, 20234 min read
NaNoWriMo 2023
National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, is a great opportunity for writers to challenge themselves to write a 50,000-word novel in...
Sep 8, 20233 min read
Query Letter 101
A query letter is a formal letter that a writer sends to literary agents or publishers to introduce themselves and their work with the...
Jul 6, 20235 min read
Elements of a successful book: the back cover blurb
You’ve written your book and edited the heck out of it, and you don’t want to deal with it anymore. Sounds about right? But then you...
Jun 22, 20233 min read
Elements of a successful book: title
Book titles and subtitles feel pretty basic—every book has a title (at least), and I don’t think it’s controversial to say that your book...
May 25, 20235 min read
Elements of a successful book: content
Dive in with me as I explore the commonalities between successful books no matter how they were published, what genre they are, or...
May 11, 20235 min read
Dealing with the grammar police
(And why they have nothing to do with editing.) Whether you’re a writer or an editor, putting yourself and your writing in front of...
Apr 27, 20233 min read
Formatting dialogue in fiction
A grammar miniblog Most writers are familiar with the basics of formatting dialogue in fiction such as in the following examples: “I...
Apr 15, 20235 min read
US copyright and permissions
What every writer should know Confusion about intellectual property, copyright, and permissions abound in the self-publishing world. It...
Mar 17, 20235 min read
Keeping readers engaged: the first ten pages of your novel
Ask anyone and they’ll likely say that writing a book is a hard job. Ask a writer and they’ll likely say that starting to write a book is...
Feb 6, 20233 min read
Narrative tense
Writers have a lot to consider when they choose the narrative tense of their novel. Deciding on the right tense for your story has a...
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