Category: How To and Tips
Writing for a Cause
I write because I love to create stories; to formulate something from nothing that hopes to engage and inspire readers from all over the world. There is something magical in our imagination that allows us to send our audiences on a journey whether it is a true story or fantasy. That is what inspires me […]
The 12 Steps to Self-Publishing
My mother used to say, “Good thing you got your father’s math skills and my English skills, and not the other way around.” My mother was an art major and my father owned a small business. Mom and I would make up stories together with fascinating characters and my dad taught me the old-school way […]
The Art of the “Difficult” Female Protagonist
Gone With the Wind, published in 1936, was extraordinary for many reasons. For me, the real genius of Margaret Mitchell’s work was her creation of Scarlett O’Hara, a rich, challenging, and difficult character. She’s spoiled, self-centered, scheming, and her family is on the wrong side of history. In spite of all that, we turn the […]
Why You Should Choose A Hybrid – An Insider’s Guide
As I’m sure you’re well aware by now, there are several different types of publisher out there and ways to go about securing one. Much information already exists regarding traditional and self-publishing in blog or tweet form (that’s supposed to be a joke), so we won’t waste any time on those. Alternately, this Guide is […]
Walking and Writing: Step By Step, Word By Word
I’m going to walk my way to my next novel. When I write it, of course, I will plant my butt in my chair and go head-to-head with the blinking screen of my laptop. But each word I type there will first take shape when I’m putting one foot in front of the other, when […]
5 Mistakes I Made Writing My First Novel
I began writing my first novel thinking I’d get it done in a year. It ended up taking me four. Sure part of this was due to my full time job, and propensity to procrastinate, but if I had known then what I know now I probably could have made it happen. Here are the […]
Writing With Young Kids at Home: How I Did It
I often get asked how I managed to write a novel when I had young kids at home. It’s an almost universal dilemma: who doesn’t have a creative dream? Most of us have creativity inside us, just dying to come out and express who we really are. And yet we’re busy people – we have […]
Why We Should Reconsider The Way We Review Books
If you are an author, the uncanny ability of book reviews and ratings to fill your day with sunshine or suck you into a storm cloud may resonate with you. I’ve basked in the glow of thumbs-up reviews and ratings, and endured the gloom of a few poor ones, those fretful 1’s or 2’s on […]
On Co-Writing
For better or for worse, co-writing is a sort of marriage and therefore should not be entered into lightly. A quick Google search will tell you that there really isn’t a lot out there regarding how-to tips. My co-author, Melissa Storm, and I had to learn a lot by trial and error. From this experience, […]
On Life Writing
I’ve been thinking about life writing – what it is and what it means – since I got invited to do a workshop with offenders in Durham prison. English PEN are an incredible international organisation that campaign to defend writers and readers around the world whose right to freedom of expression is at risk. They […]
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