Category: How To and Tips
Practicing Inspiration
Can you really practice inspiration? We writers all want it, we all seek it, but mostly it seems to arrive on its own schedule, out of nowhere—a tiny light in the distance, or a sudden burst of joy, the sigh of relief and ahh, now I see! Here’s the right word, the missing image, the […]
US and UK editors: Double the fun – and double the edits?
By Anika Scott International situations are normal for me. I’m American, I live in Germany, and my wonderful agent is based in the UK. When the book deals for my debut novel Finding Clara (UK) / The German Heiress (US) started rolling in, I hadn’t really given a thought to how the editors at the […]
When Did You Learn To Read?
When did you learn to read? It’s a question a lot of people get asked. For some, it was before they started formal schooling, often at their mother’s knee. Others learned later. Perhaps it was more of a struggle due to dyslexia or Irlens syndrome or visual problems. For many of us, reading is one […]
Thoughts on Writing in a Time of Global Grieving
Kerry Schafer, also writing as Kerry Anne King, is the author of nine novels, including the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestseller family drama, Whisper Me This. Check out her new podcast, Write Healthy, Write Whole, featuring tips on mind, body, spirit and creative health for writers. Over the last few days I’ve been on an […]
Researching Settings from the Comfort of Your Home
By Jennifer S. Alderson A well-described setting can elevate your novel and help transport the reader into the story. Incorporating the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes one would experience in a specific place is easier than you may think, even if you can’t travel to the settings you want to describe. Because let’s face it, […]
Tinseltown or Bust? The Hollywood Dream, Part One
As writers, we often exist on dreams. We have to, or we wouldn’t write at all. The dream of a finished book, a published book, an agent, a publishing deal… It’s a common shared goal and for many of us, it does evolve from a dream into reality. But what about the Hollywood dream? How […]
Writing and Life, Tracy Rees
What do we really need to write? The perfect pen? A luxurious notebook? Silence? Chocolate? I had many such ideas when I was an aspiring writer. Now that I’m writing my sixth book to contract, I’m far more pragmatic. I think most writers have a perfect writing day. It might begin with a run before […]
My Publishing Journey: Nikki Smith
I will have just turned 47 when my debut novel is published. It is a cliché to say that I’ve always wanted to be an author, but it’s true. My parents instilled a love of books in me from an early age and as there are 5 years between myself and my younger brother, I […]
What Inspired Me? Christy Cooper-Burnett, Author of No Way Home
What inspired your book? Fans often ask authors this question, and while it’s a straightforward question, it rarely comes with a simple answer. I find the short answer to the subject of inspiration usually involves a far more detailed explanation when we delve into the heart of it. In my case, a dream inspired my […]
Finding Balance in Isolation
Last week, I had to issue a blanket threat: “The next person who tells me I should be getting so much writing done at home, I will ignore social isolation and get within 6ft to cut you.” You see, like many writers suddenly thrust into our homes with our families, I’m not blessed with an […]
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