If writer’s block has got you stuck, stop staring at a blinking cursor and telling yourself to think. Like a toddler who has just learned the word no, your brain will probably just get more stubborn the more insistent you get. It’s time for a new strategy. Use writing prompts to help get your neurons started. If you enter the phrase “writing prompts” into your search engine … [Read more...]
Short Stories & Their Role in the Big Picture
I believe short stories serve a multitude of purposes. They can be, for some, like the training wheels on our bikes. They are a great way to introduce new worlds to readers to test the waters for interest in that area. My short stories came after the novels. It’s been a blast learning the differences in writing techniques needed. In short stories, the author has to be as … [Read more...]
Writer’s Block is A LIE
Let's go through a common event, one that we all have experienced. A police officer has pulled up behind you. Lights flashing, that crunch-crunch-crunch as he stomps his way over the asphalt. Your window is already open 'cause you know the drill, and your butt is clenched so tight an onlooker would think you're three inches taller than you really are. "You know why I … [Read more...]
Blogging Ideas for Authors
There are two main reasons why authors blog: to promote their books or to flex their creative muscles. In fact, many authors blog due to both these reasons. If you are an author looking for blogging ideas, you have to always keep these two main reasons in mind. If your blog promotes your books If you are blogging to promote your existing books, you should blog about common … [Read more...]
Nina Amir – The Author Training Manual
What is your most recent book? Tell us a bit about it. My most recent book is , which was released in March 2014 by Writer’s Digest Books, the same publisher who produced my first book, . It really is the definitive guide to becoming a successful author. The Author Training Manual offers aspiring authors, or even published authors with a new book idea, a process to help … [Read more...]
Becoming Your Own Editor
Writers speculate a lot about what editors really do. Some firmly believe that editors are the final barricade between writers' excellent manuscripts and publication. Others seem to believe that the job of an editor is to clean up after writers and tell them what to do next. To a certain extent, the latter is true. When a manuscript comes along that is so magnificent that no … [Read more...]
Seven Deadly Sins of Fiction Writing
In addition to the five fatal mistakes cited here, several editors had their own pet peeves to share. Here are seven other problems that can speed your story to the rejection pile: Preachiness. "Stories that present an obvious moral, without nuances, subtlety, or complexity, are the first to hit the [reject] pile," says Skylar Burris of Ancient Paths. Cliches. "I did, … [Read more...]
Do You Have a Book in You?
A book enhances credibility and commands higher speaking fees. Business leaders, subject matter experts, humorists, psychologists, and diet gurus are all expected to share their knowledge in book form. High-profile CEOs often write books to pass along their business philosophies and practices, to articulate their personal visions for their companies, or to share the hard-won … [Read more...]
Writer’s Block: How to Avoid it and Overcome it
Anyone who writes knows that sometimes your worst enemy is yourself. Maybe you know what you want to write but you just can't get it onto paper; maybe you don't have any idea what to write but you know you want to write something. Don't panic! This happens to the best of authors. Having writer's block simply means that you care about the quality of work you put on paper, which … [Read more...]
5 Rules Every New Author Should Follow
How to Avoid Common Mistakes and What to Do Instead This article is a follow-up to 5 Mistakes New Authors Often Make. If you are a new author, the whole process of taking your book from planning to promotion may feel like an obstacle course. But it needn’t be, if you follow five basic rules (plus one “bonus” rule to make everything even easier). Rule #1: You must be able … [Read more...]