Category: How To and Tips
WILL WRITE FOR FOOD
By Christina Hamlett Over the course of 25 years, friends who broke bread at our dining room table never failed to suggest that the two of us should turn our culinary capers into a cookbook. In 2017, I took them up on the challenge and published Easy Eats and Frugal Feasts—a collection of fun recipes, […]
The Blog Tour Demystified
The Blog Tour Demystified Before I launched my debut, I understood blog tours were a thing, and…very little else about them. Two tours later, I’m a fan of this often-misunderstood marketing tool—with a few tips and caveats. Here’s a breakdown: What is it, exactly? You provide free copies of your book in exchange for a series of […]
A ‘TRUE’ STORY ABOUT INSPIRATION
by Josje Weusten ‘We shouldn’t be reading this!’ the student sitting across from me on the first row interjects before I have even properly started my introduction. The lecture I’m giving is part of an undergraduate course on the European history of the novel. Having ironed out the main kinks years ago, I am used […]
Go Team or No Team: Thoughts and Advice on Writing Collaborations
By Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne One of the biggest drawbacks of the writing life for most authors is that it’s by and large a lonely profession. Unless you count conversations with fictional people, most of an author’s career is spent alone in front of a computer . . . which is perhaps why many […]
Forgotten Stories as a Rich Source for Historical Fiction
By Imogen Matthews Readers of my historical fiction books will know that I have a passion for discovering stories about the Dutch who lived under brutal German occupation during World War 2. Over the past decade I have uncovered stories about a woodland hideout for Jews, the astonishing bravery of young boy who bravely smuggled […]
Finding Time for Writing by Janice Rostron, Author of Time Is Power: Create Space for What Matters Most
Finding the space for quiet, focused writing time can seem all but impossible in our modern lives. The world around us is busier and noisier than it ever has been before. On top of the everyday demands of our careers, homes, partners, children, family members, friends, and hobbies, we are bombarded information overload and never-ending […]
I’m No Longer Writing Heroines
By Stacey Simmons I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in writing classes, seminars, workshops, or retreats where a well-meaning instructor, professor, or writing guru has directed me to use The Hero’s Journey (THJ) to structure my story. Whether writing fiction, memoir, or non-fiction, I have been redirected to this pattern more times […]
How I Learned to be a More Courageous Communicator
by Michelle Gladieux I’m a fan of communication that aligns with one’s innermost values. I often ask my coaching clients where they’re using full-mind, full-body, and full-heart communication. As I’ve worked to overcome shyness and negative self-talk, I’ve found little things in communication make a big difference. I try to listen more patiently these days. […]
Running Wild: The Origins of a Groundbreaking Publisher
As the powerhouse founder of Running Wild Press, Lisa Diane Kastner has been featured in Forbes and has claimed a spot on multiple “Best of” lists. In her acquisition editorial endeavors, she has identified talent like Jamie Ford (Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet) and Tori Eldridge (Dance Among the Flames) among many […]
From Architecture to Thrillers: The Surprising Links between Academic Writing and Commercial Fiction
By Mailan Doquang I’m an architectural historian by training. I’ve spent my career researching, writing about, and teaching the history of medieval French architecture, of buildings like Notre-Dame of Paris. In 2018, nearly a decade after completing my doctoral degree, I published The Lithic Garden: Nature and the Transformation of the Medieval Church (Oxford University […]
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