by Lauren Sapala If you’re an artist or a writer—or both—then you know what I’m talking about when I say “inner critic.” It’s not just a way of describing a tendency toward self-judgment. For us, the inner critic is a loud, nasty, disgusting creature who invades our thoughts, whips us mercilessly, and sometimes decides… Read More 3 Simple Ways to Win the Argument With Your Inner Critic
by Meg Dowell Do you feel guilty when you don’t write? I think all of us do, to a point. But that can only make things worse. Here’s how to keep from letting guilt ruin your progress … and how to let it drive you forward.
by Samantha Fenton Some authors swear by pre-writing and can’t imagine it any other way. These authors may pre-write and plan for weeks or months before they write the first word of their rough draft, meticulously planning scenes and mapping characters to ensure everything makes sense. Others prefer to sit down and start writing.… Read More The Happenings of a Pre-Write: The Good and the Bad
by Hope Ann There are so many social media sites, but does an author really need to be on all of them? Is one or more of them indispensable to the serious author or do they just clutter and waste time? And the answer is… *draws deep breath* everyone has different views. What a… Read More What Social Media Sites Should an Author Have?
by Jean M. Cogdell Well, maybe. Sometimes just like kids, our characters need an attitude adjustment. A change in attitude at our house could save my kids a world of grief. And me a lot of aggravation. Parents reading this know exactly what I’m talking about. The mood in our house could go from calm… Read More Can an Attitude Adjustment Make Your Story Better?
by Ashleigh Giannoccaro For me over the last five (now six) books my beta team has proved to be one the most valuable resources. Sometimes we need that unbiased opinion to separate us from our ‘book babies’ so we can see the faults. These are often the first eyes on your work and they give… Read More Beta Readers, It’s About the Book – Not You
by Stephanie O’Brien Whether they’re trying to market themselves as educational, to support a viewpoint the writer holds, to enrich their audience, or simply to try to sound deep, many stories attempt to teach their audience a lesson, or to have a “moral of the story”. Some stories succeed brilliantly. But all too often,… Read More The Moral of the Story: The Right Way to Add Education to Your Storytelling
