Our modern media is awash with reboots, adaptations, and re-imaginings, which means that we’ve become very familiar with origin stories involving characters that we already know. While many of these stories are perfectly serviceable, let’s take the opportunity to examine some of the potential issues Read More …
Years ago, while attending a writing conference as an instructor, I was approached by another writer who asked me what my writing process is. I obligingly described my nightly writing routine as well as giving a few details on my writing goals and how I Read More …
A couple of months ago, I posted a single question in several Facebook groups for writers and authors with a total membership of over 780,000. My question was this: “What would convince you to buy a book from an author you’ve never heard of?” The Read More …
Have you become blind to the mistakes in your manuscript? Are you in that limbo of eternal editing without really getting anything done? Here are a few tips to break you out of that ongoing cycle. Change Your Font, Color, and Text Size Oftentimes, we Read More …
Whether you’re a young, budding writer or an older, experienced author, reading is an essential part of your craft. Reading is a critical habit to form as a writer and cultivate your empathy as a human being. A Discover Magazine’s article on reading notes how consuming books Read More …
I am not an organized writer. I rarely have a detailed plan before I start a story, and what little pre-planning I do have is almost never written down. But even as an organic writer (I resent the term ‘pantser’) I can see the advantages Read More …
1. I’m pretty sure I’ve already read this book. 2. Do you have any books for sale that you didn’t write? 3. I gave your book a one-star rating. My plan is to add stars to keep track of my reading progress. I’ll get started Read More …
Too often, the concept of “good writing” for prose fiction is overly simplified by well-meaning industry professionals. For example, I once attended a workshop on how to write setting description. During the presentation, the presenter gave multiple examples of lengthy, image-heavy scene description. Her implication Read More …
1. Have you heard of that 50,000 word novel that doesn’t include the letter E? That’s my favorite book. 2. I don’t like negativity. Could you rephrase every criticism as a positive statement? 3. If I mention you in my foreword, can I get a Read More …
For an author, there’s no substitute for contributing to your project’s overall word count. It’s the act of interpreting our random thoughts and ideas into paragraphs and chapters that sets us apart as generative artists as opposed to wishful hobbyists. But what if you just Read More …
