Recipe for a Successful Synopsis
It’s easy to get wrapped up in our story’s subplots and twists and turns, but this recipe can cut through that confusion so we can complete a short, clear synopsis.
Pin ItSelf-Publishing: Prioritizing Fast, Cheap, and Good
All writers, especially those who self-publish, have to decide: Are we writing and publishing just for ourselves? Or are we writing and publishing to get customers (readers)? If we’re doing it for ourselves, things like editing and those nice covers we talked about last time don’t matter. Those who write […]
Pin ItDo You Judge Books by Their Covers?
I’ll admit it. I do judge books by their covers, especially in this age of self-publishing. If authors don’t care about the quality of their book cover, it’s easy to assume they also didn’t care about the quality of their writing. Besides, we all have too many reading choices now, and just […]
Pin ItAuthor vs. Characters: Can Our Morals Be Different?
The recent talk of watching what we say on the internet and being aware of our brand has brought up several ways people come to odd conclusions about us as writers. Despite all our work to ensure that our behavior supports who we are and what our brand is, people will […]
Pin ItBranding 101: Who Do You Want to Be?
In the comments of my last post about watching our online behavior, some people worried about the bigger picture. Can we still be true to ourselves? Should we not express opinions at all? Would it be safer to stay offline? Let’s work through those questions in reverse order. Locking ourselves […]
Pin ItBehave…The Internet Never Forgets
When we interact with people in real life, we’re often advised not to talk about politics or religion. Bringing up those emotionally charged topics is a good way to start arguments with strangers and friends alike. Yet I’ve seen countless authors, aspiring and published, break this rule online. If they’re […]
Pin ItWill Omniscient POV Ever Be Popular Again?
My recent post about avoiding “information dumps” prompted a conversation in the comments about omniscient point-of-view (POV) and its use of “telling” rather than “showing.” Serena Yung wanted to know why omniscient POV—and thus, telling rather than showing—are less common now than in the classics. She’s certainly right about omniscient being […]
Pin ItFaking It: Making Our Actions Count
We’ve probably all heard the phrase: Fake it until you make it. The idea is that we’re supposed to act the way we want others to see us, and we’ll be treated the way we want. The concept can be applied to our personal life as well as our professional […]
Pin ItIntroducing the Query/Blurb Exchange Club!
The response to my request for help on my query in my last post was amazing. I really shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, we all know you are amazing, right? *smile* But the tremendous outpouring of offers to help also made me feel guilty. I’ve heard stories from others about […]
Pin ItWhat Writing Step Are You Afraid Of?
I’ve said before that I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. However, I do have several writing goals for this year. Like many writers, my big goal has to do with making progress toward being published, and that means I have to face my fear. For me, that translates into… *dun […]
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