10 Essentials for Successful Writing
In this webinar, I share some key elements I’ve learned over the years that will help writers or aspiring understand the big picture. In the future, I’ll be going into a lot more detail on all of these things. Download a free 2-page pdf that will help you remember the 10 Essentials Note: These […]
Continue readingBefore you send that story or book… MS Word manuscript formatting 101
Before you send a manuscript to an editor, an agent, or the person who does your layout, there are some things you can do to make sure that everything is as it should be. Many new writers and even some more experienced ones aren’t aware of things like hidden characters, using one space between sentences […]
Continue readingUsing MS Word Comments and Track Changes for Editing
While editing pieces for the Hot Apple Cider books, I discovered that a lot of people either have never used MS Word Track Changes, or only have a vague idea of how it works. While I definitely don’t know everything about it myself, I think I do know enough to help someone else get started. […]
Continue readingFunnel Publishing
A short time ago, I had a free ebook on Kindle. “They Can’t take That Away From Me,” It’s a short story, under my alter ego’s name (J. A. Menzies), and it’s not quite like anything else I’ve written. Closer to thriller than mystery. I thought I’d use this as a jumping-off place to talk […]
Continue readingPublishing and the ugly baby syndrome
We’ve all been there. The proud parents show off their new baby and your first impression is that it’s really quite ugly. Like me, you’ve probably stuttered a little before forcing out something like, “My! Isn’t that a baby?” Unfortunately, I’ve had a similar experience when some proud authors have shown me their new “babies”—their […]
Continue readingWhy you can learn from me
In this webinar, I share some of the high and low points of my long journey to become a writer as well as an editor, publisher, and speaker. It actually began when I was a toddler and started making up stories. My first published item was a letter to the editor I wrote when I […]
Continue readingOrganizing to write
Every writer needs a place to keep his or her ideas, and a place to write. In this video, I share a few tips I’ve learned about organizing to write over the years. Download a free 3-page pdf that will help you figure out what to do with your space. Here’s another blog I wrote […]
Continue readingWhere are you? The importance of setting in first person POV stories
Don’t let your readers get lost! A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that many writers sort of assume that the reader knows who is telling the story, especially if it’s telling a true story. If you haven’t read that post, you might want to read it first. As I said then, assuming your readers […]
Continue readingWhen you want to tell your story
A friend of a friend contacted me recently wanting to know how to turn her life story into a book. Since I realized there might be other people with the same question, I decided to post my reply here. In general, there are 4 options: 1. You write out your story so that you can […]
Continue readingWho are you? Writing from the first person point-of-view
Assuming the reader knows who you are is one of the most common mistakes I see both in personal stories and fiction. When using the first person point of view, many writers just start telling the story, assuming that the reader knows who “I” is. I mean, the writer knows who “I” is, so why […]
Continue readingHow to make your stories better – whether they’re true or fiction
At a recent conference, where I was taking pitches and doing critiques, I was reminded of some of the most common problems of new and even not-so-new writers. I ended up getting a copy of this book from the bookstore and recommending it to a number of people. Some of them are writing fiction. Some […]
Continue reading4 key things I believe all new writers need to know
I’ve been writing since I was tiny. And over the years, I’ve probably made every mistake possible. Okay, maybe not every mistake. But a whole lot of them! Plus I have a medal in English, and I taught English in a high school. So I know a little bit about good writing and grammar and […]
Continue readingHow to create realistic characters
Yesterday, on my personal website, I posted a character sketch of my “hero” Glen Sauten, the protagonist of my first published book, The Best of Friends. If you’re writing fiction, you might want to check it out. The truth is, I broke two key writing rules when I wrote the book, and yet it still […]
Continue reading10 writing tools I can’t live without
Honestly, if all we had to write with were notepads and typewriters, I’d be the most frustrated writer alive. I love technology and all the things it helps me do! So here are the 10 tools I’d have great difficulty living without. 1. Multiple computer screens I’ve only had two screens for a couple of […]
Continue readingChoose writing goals for the year
Yesterday, on my main website/blog, I posted my writing goals for 2014, along with some details on how I plan to achieve them. While the post was about me and my goals, I also added some information that I think might be of benefit to other writers. I went beyond goals to break down how […]
Continue readingYou’ve written a book: now what? The 8 steps I advise
Most of the time when new writers tell me they’ve written a book, what they actually mean is that they’ve completed a first draft of a book. And my advice is, “Don’t rush off to find a publisher for a first draft.” So, if you’re in that boat, what would I suggest you do? 1. […]
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