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You Can’t Sell an Idea

February 18, 2025June 8, 2021 by J. Michael Straczynski 6 Comments

Ideas are a dime a dozen. What matters is expressing an idea in ways that are unique to the artist and specific to the time and culture.

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The Alchemy of Emotion: 6 Key Strategies for Emotionally Affecting Fiction

February 18, 2025June 7, 2021 by Susan DeFreitas 6 Comments

To create the alchemical magic of emotion in your fiction, you need to approach the challenge from more than one angle.

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Strained Brain? How to Stoke Your Mental Fire

February 18, 2025June 3, 2021 by Kim Catanzarite 10 Comments

It’s impossible to fire on all cylinders all the time, so dedicate some of your writing time to stoke the flames of creativity.

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What Writers Can Learn from Runners

February 18, 2025June 2, 2021 by Ron Hogan 3 Comments

The most useful work is that which tests our limits and forces us to write something we didn’t realize we were capable of producing.

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Writers: Ask for What You Want

February 18, 2025June 1, 2021 by Bella Mahaya Carter 21 Comments

Your community might be all too willing to help promote your book. The hard part is overcoming the fear of asking.

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Don’t Tease Your Reader. Get to the Tension and Keep It Rising

February 18, 2025May 27, 2021 by Joe Ponepinto 5 Comments

If you write knowing how the story will end, you’ll deprive readers of the tension that comes from putting obstacles in your characters’ way.

How to Get Your First Freelance Byline (and Why Even Fiction Writers Should Freelance)

February 18, 2025May 26, 2021 by Catherine Baab-Muguira 5 Comments

Freelance writing—even for little or no pay—offers a low-stakes way to gain publication credit, hone your skills, and raise your visibility.

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Deepen Characterization by Mining Your Own Reactions

February 18, 2025May 25, 2021 by Tiffany Yates Martin 4 Comments

Paying attention to your own visceral reactions and thoughts can help you create richly developed characters who leap off the page.

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Why Your Memoir Also Needs the Good and “Normal” Times

February 18, 2025May 24, 2021 by Allison K Williams 2 Comments

Showing the moments of normalcy brings the reader more fully into your life, and heightens the drama when traumatic events occur.

How Much Do Authors Earn? Here’s the Answer No One Likes.

March 27, 2025May 19, 2021 by Jane Friedman 28 Comments

What you earn is about what business model you can envision or build for yourself and whether it’s sustainable for you over the long term.

Your Final Responsibility to Your Story: Creative Stewardship

February 18, 2025May 18, 2021 by Jessica Conoley 3 Comments

When you’ve finished your story, it’s time to step into a stewardship role to place it in the best position to connect with readers.

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To Write a Better Memoir, Learn This F-Word

February 18, 2025May 17, 2021 by Lisa Cooper Ellison 4 Comments

True forgiveness can take years to achieve. That’s why memoirs take longer to write than novels. But it’s worth the effort.

Overcoming Writer’s Block Brought On By Childhood Trauma: Q&A with Marc Jampole

February 18, 2025May 12, 2021 by Kristen Tsetsi 3 Comments

The poet and author discusses writing through trauma, his novel’s path to publication, adjusting details to suit a higher truth, and more.

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How to Find Compelling Comps for Your Book

February 18, 2025May 10, 2021 by Star Wuerdemann 20 Comments

Identifying comparable titles helps agents and publishers understand where your book fits in the market and who your most likely readers are.

The New Holy Grail of Traditional Publishers: Direct-to-Reader Relationships

February 18, 2025May 7, 2021 by John B. Thompson 6 Comments

Building direct-to-reader relationships may help publishers shift the balance of power in a game where Amazon holds most of the cards.

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4 Voices That Can Help (or Hinder) Your Memoir

February 18, 2025May 5, 2021 by Lisa Cooper Ellison 10 Comments

In writing memoir, internal voices—with competing interests—can emerge to inform the narrative. A rounded story is careful to balance them all.

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When I Decided to Write My Own Story—And Not Someone Else’s

February 18, 2025May 4, 2021 by Laurie Lisle 9 Comments

One author struggles to prioritize between major writing projects when time and energy are limited.

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What If It Takes 12 Years to Get an Agent?

February 18, 2025April 29, 2021 by Catherine Baab-Muguira 12 Comments

What keeps many writers from a book deal isn’t a polished manuscript or proposal. It’s a sense of the publishing landscape as it really is.

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3 Key Tactics for Crafting Powerful Scenes

February 18, 2025April 27, 2021 by Susan DeFreitas 6 Comments

When placed intentionally, crafted well, and set up via emotional context and backstory, scene might be the writer’s most powerful tool.

Authors accuse Diversion Books of not paying on time and breach of contract

March 20, 2026April 21, 2021 by Jane Friedman Leave a comment

Authors report payment issues with Diversion Books, a digital publisher that has expanded over the years into traditional publishing operations.

book sales up in 2020

How the Pandemic Is Affecting Book Publishing

February 19, 2025April 20, 2021 by Jane Friedman 9 Comments

The dramatic shifts to online sales makes it critical that publishers and authors adjust marketing strategies and build new skill sets.

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Which Comes First: Character or Plot?

February 18, 2025April 14, 2021 by Sharon Oard Warner 8 Comments

Without insight into how your characters will react in even the most mundane of circumstances, you aren’t ready to plan or pants your plot.

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How to Turn a Microsoft Word Document Into an Ebook (EPUB)

February 18, 2025April 13, 2021 by Jane Friedman 119 Comments

Word doesn’t export to EPUB, but you can still produce an editable file quickly, without buying software or using a “meatgrinder” conversion.

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A Debut Novelist in a Pandemic: How to Navigate a Launch Through Social Media

February 18, 2025April 12, 2021 by Kathleen Marple Kalb 7 Comments

When the pandemic thwarted a debut author’s launch plans, she had no choice but to jump into the deep end of social media.

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Hybrid Publishing: Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know

February 18, 2025April 7, 2021 by Barbara Linn Probst 48 Comments

Hybrid publishing is like hiring a contractor: You pay them to oversee the design and construction and, when it’s done, you own the result.

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What Every Writer Needs to Know About Email Newsletters (They’re Not Going Away)

February 18, 2025April 6, 2021 by Catherine Baab-Muguira 6 Comments

Even a small email list is better than no list at all, because it likely represents your most devoted, true fans.

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How to Get Accepted by a Writing Mentorship Program

February 18, 2025March 31, 2021 by Julie Artz 5 Comments

Mentorship programs are a popular way to gain knowledge and exposure, but as their popularity has risen the competition has gotten tougher.

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Sometimes Better Than Blogging: Guest Blogging

February 18, 2025March 30, 2021 by Belinda K Griffin 4 Comments

Guest blogging allows you to leverage someone else’s existing audience as a way to reach new readers and grow your own audience.

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Finding Your Way to the End

February 18, 2025March 24, 2021 by Sharon Oard Warner 9 Comments

Given that many of us sidestep endings in real life, it should not be surprising that writers have trouble concluding book projects.

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3 Common Pitfalls When Writing From Your Own Life

February 18, 2025March 23, 2021 by Susan DeFreitas 8 Comments

Factual details can be great fuel for your writing, but it’s crucial to recognize when adherence to them is getting in the way of the story.

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Beware of Chapter-by-Chapter Book Critiques

February 18, 2025March 22, 2021 by Lisa Cooper Ellison 6 Comments

Misguided feedback, which can damage your manuscript, often arises from a common mistake: asking the right question of the wrong person.

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The Green-Eyed Monster: Jealousy in the Time of Quarantine

February 18, 2025March 17, 2021 by Nancy Stohlman 14 Comments

Despite our best efforts, artistic jealousy affects us all at times. But how we perceive another’s success is never the whole picture.

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Are You a Mom Writer Thinking of Quitting? Read This First.

February 18, 2025March 16, 2021 by Denise Massar 22 Comments

Mom writers are wired to succeed at writing (and querying) because they can multitask like no other.

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6 Tips for Writing Deep Third-Person Point of View

February 18, 2025March 15, 2021 by Monya Baker 15 Comments

Deep third pulls readers into a character’s world view, but pronoun ambiguities and apparent point-of-view shifts push readers away. These 6 tips keep prose sharp.

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3 Traps That Subvert Our Ability to Accept Feedback

February 18, 2025March 9, 2021 by Lisa Cooper Ellison 11 Comments

Finding the right editor or critique partner is important, but so is being mentally prepared for the feedback you’ll receive.

Blogging Versus Email Newsletter: Which Is Better for Writers?

February 18, 2025March 8, 2021 by Jane Friedman 17 Comments

A free email newsletter is the better strategic choice when it comes to long-term career development. Blogging works better for reaching new readerships.

11 Signs You’re Ready to Self-Publish

February 18, 2025March 2, 2021 by Kim Catanzarite 22 Comments

When do you decide that it’s time to pursue Plan B? Taking stock of these considerations will bring you that much closer to knowing.

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Find the Ending Before You Return to the Beginning

February 18, 2025March 1, 2021 by Sharon Oard Warner 9 Comments

Just as we might be conflict averse, it can be tempting to keep revising a story’s beginning instead of proceeding into the messy middle.

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Backstory and Exposition: 4 Key Tactics

February 18, 2025February 23, 2021 by Susan DeFreitas 15 Comments

There’s a good chance that getting these essential elements right are among the biggest challenges you’ll face with your novel.

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Fix Your Scene Shapes to Quickly Improve Your Manuscript

February 18, 2025February 10, 2021 by Lisa Cooper Ellison 13 Comments

Like story arcs, individual scenes also have shapes. Understanding yours can help you improve the ones that are falling flat.

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Get Reader Reviews Now to Drive Sales Later

February 18, 2025February 9, 2021 by Mike O’Mary 8 Comments

Whether you use giveaways, blog tours or paid ads, generating reader reviews will drive sales and create opportunities for further marketing.

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Building Your Writing Support Triangle

February 18, 2025February 8, 2021 by Jessica Conoley 6 Comments

The key to an author’s emotional wellbeing and continued productivity is creating a support system, and knowing which part to call on when.

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Do Stories Have a Universal Shape?

February 18, 2025February 2, 2021 by J.D. Lasica 13 Comments

The idea of universal story archetypes is not a new one—but its corroboration by an A.I. brings a new dimension to the debate.

The Importance of Finding Your Marketing Sweet Spot

February 18, 2025February 1, 2021 by Ricardo Fayet 7 Comments

There are hundreds of ways to market. The secret isn’t to do them all—it’s to find the few that work for your product and focus on just those.

The One Thing Your Novel Absolutely Must Do

February 18, 2025January 26, 2021 by Susan DeFreitas 11 Comments

There’s only one thing that any novel must do if it’s going to succeed, and that’s arouse the reader’s curiosity.

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Understanding Third-Person Point of View: Omniscient, Limited and Deep

February 18, 2025January 25, 2021 by Tiffany Yates Martin 31 Comments

Third-person POV dominates the current publishing market, so it’s helpful to learn to navigate its many facets.

Embracing a Creative Pivot: Q&A with Darien Hsu Gee

February 18, 2025January 19, 2021 by Jane Friedman 8 Comments

Author Darien Hsu Gee discusses writing and publishing across multiple genres, going back for her MFA at age 50, and having faith in her creative process.

How to Restart Your Unfinished Book

February 18, 2025January 18, 2021 by Allison K Williams 14 Comments

Your calendar will never be suddenly free of urgent distractions. To finish that book on the back burner, you must actively bring it forward.

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The Differences Between Line Editing, Copy Editing, and Proofreading

February 18, 2025January 11, 2021 by Sandra Wendel 12 Comments

New authors are often confused about what level of editing they need. Here’s some insight into the differences.

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Writing With Sharpness: Q&A with Elinor Lipman

February 18, 2025December 29, 2020 by Kristen Tsetsi 2 Comments

The author discusses film adaptation, writing effective humor and natural dialogue, using a light touch with character description, and more.

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