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 …
I recently finished reading all six volumes of the collected Hellboy library editions as well as the complete Hellboy in Hell compilation, and as a longtime fan of the character and this series, I have come to a difficult conclusion: Mike Mignola is a terrible 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 …
One of the best known tips for writers is to be well-read. This has been said hundreds of ways by hundreds of authors, poets, and lecturers. Perhaps one of the best known variants comes from Stephen King: ““If you don’t have time to read, you 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 …
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 …
As a parent, one of the many pleasures that I enjoy is sharing movies with my children that were formative building blocks in my own childhood. Recently, I decided to introduce them to Bedknobs and Broomsticks from 1971, a magic-infused musical film attempting to rediscover Read More …
