What’s An Elevator Pitch? I never like to assume everyone understands/knows these terms. While it’s a common phrase in some circles, it’s not it others. So, for those who don’t know: Your elevator pitch (in this case) is you “selling” yourself & your book to a potential reader in a short time… as in under … Read More
Congratulations! You did it. You actually did it. Has it sunk in yet? You said you were going to write a book, and you wrote a mother trucking book. You poured your heart and energy and God given (or hard gained) talent into it. So, um, now what? Say It Loud, Say It Proud If … Read More
Can you write a novel in eight weeks? And why on earth would you want to? The answers are inside…
First: What’s An ISBN? ISBN = International Standard Book Number. These numbers are created and sold through Bowker Identifier Services. This is the only legitimate source of ISBNs. This assigned, unique 10 or 13 digit number identifies your book to retailers, libraries, and such all around the world. ISBNs are purchased by the publisher or … Read More
Can I get a hell, yeah? Yep, writing is harder for us simply because it means more to us. So, how about I give you my four all-time favorite resources for making things a bit easier? The first one is my go-to for self-edits. Honestly, I can’t imagine doing edits without it… 1) Pro Writing … Read More
Write. Edit. Publish. Ta-da! End of article! Kidding, I’m kidding. If it were that easy, everyone would be doing it. Sure, in it’s stripped down form, yes, that’s the process. But when you break it alllll down into it’s steps, it’s a wee bit more complex. Let’s start with the obvious. You need to have … Read More
The Catalyst In a recent session with a client regarding his particular journey toward writing, I said the following, Listen, I know this’ll probably sound super flaky, but I really believe in signs. I think they’re everywhere, and they’re trying to point you in the right direction. You just have to pay attention and follow … Read More
So, we already experience the collective cringe when… we hear someone misuse two, too, and to, or they’re, there, and their, or… you get the idea. Those are the equivalent to nails-on-a-chalkboard for writers, amiright?? That means I’m not even going to address them. We’re good. Today, I’d rather tackle something that is usually only … Read More
You’re busy. You’re tired. You have too many thoughts crowding your brainbox. I know. Oh, AND most of your best ideas come when it’s impossible for you to write. Welcome to the Writer’s World. The good news? There are worse problems to be had. The good news part two (because screw bad news)? We can … Read More
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CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE WRITE>PUBLISH>PROMOTE CHEATSHEET DOWNLOAD ! As A Matter Of Course… Throughout the process of writing your book, you’re probably – at least in the back of your mind – contemplating how to publish it. Back in the day, there was only one real option: a publishing company. Sure, you could print … Read More
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE WRITE>PUBLISH>PROMOTE CHEATSHEET DOWNLOAD ! Let’s Get This Out Of The Way If you’ve come to know me & my blog writing style, you know I hate fluff and nonsense. I do this obligatory first paragraph, then we jump right in. My (logical) guess is that you’ve opened this link because … Read More
First: Congratulations! You’ve booked a signing! Now what, right? You know the obvious things to bring: books. But how many? And what the hell else?! I Gotcha. Let’s start with that obvious one & work our way down. Books. Depending on the venue, between 20-50 is a safe number. However, best practice is to have … Read More
Social Media. It may be a lot of (negative) things, but it’s also an extremely wide-reaching, FREE platform for you to put your book and yourself on. It’s basically a no-brainer, right? So, what’s holding you back? Maybe you’ve been dreading it. Or maybe you don’t think you need it. Well, I hate to break … Read More
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE WRITE>PUBLISH>PROMOTE CHEATSHEET DOWNLOAD ! Okay, the solution may be slightly dramatic. But it’s definitely a solution. One I happen to love, too. It turns out I’m a List Girl. Pretty sure I made that up, so now it’s a thing. We’re non-discriminatory, so if you’re a List Guy, you’re welcome … Read More
I’m not saying it’s really a secret, but it also isn’t the first thing authors talk about when discussing their books. In fairness, why should it be? We want to tell you about our book, not how it got published! Now, if we’re specifically asked…we’ll talk your head off. Kidding. It’s actually a mixed bag … Read More
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE WRITE>PUBLISH>PROMOTE CHEATSHEET DOWNLOAD ! Imagine: You’ve written and published your first book. It’s out in the universe, available on Amazon – freaking Amazon, man – and you’re at a dinner party. Someone says to you “So, what do you do?” Is your answer: A) I’m an author. I’ve just published … Read More
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE WRITE>PUBLISH>PROMOTE CHEATSHEET DOWNLOAD ! The 8 Elements of a Story: Setting: This is where the story takes place & can be one or multiple locations and/or time periods. Character: The star (or stars) of your ‘show’ Plot: The meat of what happens in your story. from set up (introduction) to … Read More
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE WRITE>PUBLISH>PROMOTE DOWNLOAD! I Don’t There, I’ve confessed. I’m a hardcore, all-out pantser. I sit, I write, I watch the story unfold in front of me. Therefore, my outlining advice comes not from me, but from people who actually outline their books before writing them. Now, I’m going to go blah … Read More
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE WRITE>PUBLISH>PROMOTE CHEATSHEET DOWNLOAD ! Excellent question! But… I don’t have the answer to that. Sorry. I’m afraid you’ll have to decide this one for yourself, based on what fits your needs. If you want nothing to do with formatting, you’ll choose a platform that offers this service (several do, fees … Read More
STAGES OF W. P. P (writing, publishing, promoting). If you have not already done so: Determine – or create – your workspace. Designate a time of day, and/or a daily time length you’ll devote to writing. *no hard rule here – set a ‘keepable’ goal! Knowing what kind of writer you are – a planner, … Read More
Anthology: A book that’s a collection of articles or stories written by several people. ARC: Pre-publication advance review copy or advance reader copy. Send this when looking for media/trade/literary reviews, reader reviews you wanted posted as soon as you officially publish the book, and blurbs from endorsers (see below). Back matter: Material at the end of the book, … Read More
I Hate Fluff, So… The second best person to learn proper punctuation from is one who has failed and learned from their mistakes. The first person, of course, is an expert. Luckily for you, this post has both. Which one am I, you ask? Expert? *Cue crickets. Person who has failed and learned? *Raises hand … Read More
Words count. They matter. They affect. They resonate. They hurt and they heal. So, yes… words count. However, I’m referring to a different kind of word counting, the literal kind. It’s what authors are constantly checking when writing – the number of words in the story. Literally.
Building Character Or rather, characters. This is one of a fiction writer’s biggest tasks. If your readers can’t feel or see what you are trying to emote through your characters, you’ve lost them. Fiction readers want nothing more than to climb inside the minds and live in the world of your characters while they’re with … Read More
