Author Archive: Whitney Dineen
Model Writer
I did not enjoy reading when I was a kid. This was an attitude my mom and dad could not understand. Try as they might to share their love of books with me, I wasn’t interested. My parents decided not to take my blasé attitude toward literary adventure lying down. No sir, something had to […]
Being a Writer in 2020: Whitney Dineen
What in the sweet Jesus hell is going on with this year? I have never simultaneously felt like I was doing so much and so little at the same time. There have been days where the thought of getting out of bed was almost more than I could bear, and weeks where I didn’t even […]
To Self-Publish or Not to Self-Publish: That is the Question
Loads of people dream of becoming celebrated authors, seeing their books prominently displayed in bookstores and airports across the globe. It’s the fantasy equivalent of moving to Hollywood and becoming the next Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansen, or Jennifer Lawrence; something that only happens for one person out of every hundred thousand hopefuls. After writing my […]
Writing to Market
There’s this fun little thing in publishing called “writing to market.” Writing to market means picking your genre, characters, central storyline etc. according to what readers want to read at that moment. It’s a brilliant strategy, right? Unless you’re me. I don’t create stories based on demand; I can’t. I write based on character. For […]
What’s the Recipe?
Everything I’ve read about successfully writing in today’s market strongly suggests having a detailed picture of the person you’re writing for. They say it’s imperative to laser-target your audience so you can pick the right genre for your book. I’ve tried to be a good scout and do what I’m told. I’ve sketched out my imaginary reader several […]
How To Sell Books: My Marketing Journey
I thought my romcom writing career would last forever. I didn’t make much money on my first book, She Sins at Midnight, during its debut year. But I knew going in that would probably be the case. Sales wouldn’t go gangbusters until my second book, The Reinvention of Mimi Finnegan. Which is exactly what happened. […]
Humoring the Muse
My muse, a.k.a. the voice in my head, is a wonderful, fickle, and demanding soul. She’s opinionated, diverse, and relentless. If I weren’t an author I might consider handing her over to the care of a mental health practitioner. But alas, as she’s my bread and butter, we’ve worked out a compromise. I write what […]
When I Grow Up
I’ve spent the majority of my life wondering what I’d be when I finally grew up. As a kid I thought I wanted to be a paleontologist, digging up fossils and bones, solving mysteries about the world I lived in. Then my mom informed me I’d have to go weeks without a proper bath during […]
Catharsis
Over the years, my reading tastes have run the gamut from bodice rippers to serious literary works. I’ve devoured spy novels and biographies alike; lapped up women’s fiction and mysteries of all kinds. As a rule, if a story can elicit strong emotion, I’m all over it. Although lately, all I want to do is […]
You’re A Bestselling Author? Prove It!
When can you use ‘Bestselling Author’ on your book covers and in press? I recently posed this question to one of the writer’s groups of which I am a member. I was not expecting the amount of discussion this question ignited. Many authors feel that you should not consider yourself a bestselling author until The […]
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