Saturday, December 31, 2022

Log Lines

 A log line is a one sentence pitch for your story.

https://authorkristenlamb.com/2021/09/log-line-entire-story-one-sentence/

Friday, December 30, 2022

Movement and Deep POV

 How do use movement to enhance a story's deep point of view?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2021/05/4-ways-movement-effects-deep-pov/

Thursday, December 29, 2022

Writing Descriptions

 Make sure your descriptions serve your story.

https://authorkristenlamb.com/2021/08/description-writing-good-bad-stop/

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Middle Grade Novels

 How to write middle grade novels that kids will love.

https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/6-golden-rules-of-writing-middle-grade

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Fictional Characters and Copyright

 Are fictional characters protected under copyright law?

https://www.janefriedman.com/are-fictional-characters-protected-under-copyright-law/

Monday, December 26, 2022

Co-Writing

 What's involved in successfully co-authoring a novel?

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1016917725611909564/2895976682870586075

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Author Websites

Why is it important for an author to have a website?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2021/07/5-reasons-why-authors-need-a-website/ 

Saturday, December 24, 2022

Choosing Ideas for a Novel

 How do you decide what to write about in your novel?

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2013/10/how-to-choose-idea-for-novel

Friday, December 23, 2022

Novel Revisions

 Here are three hints to help when revising your novel.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/12/3-easy-tips-to-help-you-revise-your-novel/

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Trimming Word Counts

 Here are some tips for trimming the word count in your manuscript.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/trim-books-word-count/

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Revising Book Galleys

 Here are some tips for when it comes time to revise your book galley.

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1016917725611909564/992218750834797108

Monday, December 19, 2022

Personal Experiences and Writing

 Do you need to have experienced something personally in order to write about it?

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/do-you-need-personal-experience-to-write-about-something/

Sunday, December 18, 2022

Structural Timing

 Often called the beats in your story, the structural timing reflects the pacing of your story.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/your-storys-structural-timing/

Saturday, December 17, 2022

Revise and Resubmit

 Does receiving a revise and resubmit always leads to an offer of representation or a contract?

https://marianariosramirez.com/my-experience-with-rr/

Friday, December 16, 2022

Marketing Online and Offline

How can your online and offline marketing efforts have a synergistic effect? 

https://www.janefriedman.com/closing-the-influence-gap/

Thursday, December 15, 2022

Action-Reaction

 Whether you call it cause and effect, stimulus and response, or action and reaction, your character needs to respond to the push of the story.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/12/3-action-reaction-misfires-that-flatten-your-writing/

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Queries

 Here are some tips for submitting to literary agents.

https://www.writermag.com/get-published/the-publishing-industry/submitting-to-literary-agents/

Monday, December 12, 2022

Character Voice

 Every character should have a unique voice, and it shouldn't be the authors.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2021/07/5-steps-to-creating-a-unique-character-voice/

Sunday, December 11, 2022

Marketing Strategies

 The first marketing strategy is to start early--before your book comes out.

http://www.24carrotwriting.com/-blog/josh-funk-shares-powerhouse-marketing-strategies

Saturday, December 10, 2022

Pitching

 Here are some tips for pitching your book, whether virtually or in person.

https://nelsonagency.com/2021/06/ten-tips-for-virtual-or-in-person-pitching/

Friday, December 9, 2022

Introverted Authors

 As an author you're often in public situations, which may be difficult if you're an introvert.

https://annerallen.com/2021/06/introverted-authors-overcoming-fears/ 

Thursday, December 8, 2022

Chapter Structure

 A chapter break is a signal to the reader to pause.

https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog/chapter-structure

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Scenes

 Here are four essential elements for starting a scene.

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2021/05/dont-start-a-scene-without-these-four-essential-elements

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Monday, December 5, 2022

Sunday, December 4, 2022

Publishing Terms

 Here's a list of about 150 publishing terms and jargon.

https://www.underdown.org/cigglossary.htm

Saturday, December 3, 2022

Emotions

 Here are some tips for writing emotionally affecting fiction.

https://www.janefriedman.com/the-alchemy-of-emotion-6-key-strategies-for-emotionally-affecting-fiction/

Friday, December 2, 2022

Middle Grade Novels

 What makes a novel middle grade and what are some common themes?

https://www.jennybowman.com/how-to-write-a-middle-grade-novel/

Thursday, December 1, 2022

Anecdotal Writing

 Anecdotal writing is a series of "this happened" then "that happened" without any cause and effect.

https://darlingaxe.com/blogs/news/anecdotal-writing

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Style Sheets

 What is a style sheet and why should you have one?

https://annerallen.com/2021/05/style-sheet-style-guide-writing-style/

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Monday, November 28, 2022

Acquisitions

 What is an acquisitions meeting and who attends?

https://www.kaileipewbooks.com/post/the-submission-experience-part-4-acquisitions

Sunday, November 27, 2022

Historical Fiction

 In historical fiction, it's important to remember that the story comes first.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/11/historical-fiction-the-story-comes-first/

Saturday, November 26, 2022

Point of View

 Which points of view are commonly used in writing for different ages of children and young adults?

https://nicholasrossis.me/2014/10/13/point-of-view-in-writing-for-children-guest-post-by-diane-robinson/

Friday, November 25, 2022

Prologues

 What's the difference between an interesting, necessary prologue and one which no one wants to read?

https://www.janefriedman.com/why-prologues-get-a-bad-rap/

Thursday, November 24, 2022

Keeping a Series Fresh

Keep your series fresh with kid-friendly conflicts and changing genres.

https://writersrumpus.com/2022/11/08/keeping-a-series-fresh-with-kid-friendly-conflicts-and-changing-genres/

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Head Hopping

 What is "head hopping," and why can this be a problem in your story.

https://www.janefriedman.com/how-big-of-a-problem-is-head-hopping/

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Giving Critiques

 Here are some hints for giving helpful critiques.

https://annerallen.com/2022/11/critiquing-101/

Monday, November 21, 2022

World Building

 How world building can sometimes interfere with good writing.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/11/worldbuilding-the-enemy-of-good-writing/

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Continuing Your Book Promotion

 Here are ways to continue promoting your book long after the initial launch.

https://buildbookbuzz.com/5-ways-to-promote-your-book-long-after-the-launch/

Saturday, November 19, 2022

"Telling" in Your Story

 Here are seven ways to find "telling" in your writing.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/11/7-ways-to-find-telling-in-your-writing/

Friday, November 18, 2022

Reasons for Rejection

 There are many reasons your manuscript might be rejected, and only a few of them have to do with the quality of the writing.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/11/13-reasons-why-your-submission-could-have-been-rejected/

Thursday, November 17, 2022

Author Collaborations

 Collaborating with another author can be both fun and fruitful.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/11/find-creative-gold-with-author-collaborations/

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Is Your Book Any Good?

 How can you tell if your book is any good or not?

https://writerunboxed.com/2022/10/11/is-your-book-any-good/

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

TV and Film Adaptations

 What is the process for getting your book adapted for TV or film?

https://www.janefriedman.com/a-primer-on-tv-film-adaptation-for-writers-where-the-rules-change-often/


Monday, November 14, 2022

Sunday, November 13, 2022

Developmental Editors

 What is a developmental editor and why do you need one?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/11/think-you-dont-need-a-developmental-editor-oh-yes-you-do/

Saturday, November 12, 2022

First Paragraph

 The first paragraphy of your book may be your only change to grab your reader's attention.

https://www.janefriedman.com/write-your-first-paragraph/

Friday, November 11, 2022

Co-Authoring

 What you should know about co-authoring a book.

https://www.janefriedman.com/what-you-should-know-about-writing-a-co-authored-book/

Thursday, November 10, 2022

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

School Visits

 Here are some tips to engage kids during your school visits.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/10/how-to-engage-kids-the-abcs-of-author-talks-at-schools/

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Booktok

How authors use TikTok to connect with their audience and increase sales of their books.

https://annerallen.com/2022/10/tiktok-works-for-all-genres/ 

Monday, November 7, 2022

Researching Literary Agents

 How do you know which literary agents might be a good match for you and your book?

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2017/06/how-to-research-literary-agent

Sunday, November 6, 2022

Similar Books

When you're looking for an agent, how similar is too similar to a book they already represent?

http://literaticat.blogspot.com/2014/10/how-similar-is-too-similar-in-great.html

Saturday, November 5, 2022

First Pages

 Here are five micro-edits that will help hook your reader on your first pages.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/10/five-micro-edits-to-hook-readers-on-your-first-page/

Friday, November 4, 2022

Thursday, November 3, 2022

World Building

 Avoid these three pitfalls when building the world for your book.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/10/the-top-three-world-building-pitfalls-and-how-to-avoid-them/

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

What is a Bestseller?

 The algorithm fora book making a best selling list has changed through the years.

https://www.publicbooks.org/what-counts-as-a-bestseller/

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Story Climax

 Here are some suggestions for writing a successful story climax.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/10/ingredients-for-a-successful-story-climax/

Monday, October 31, 2022

Tropes and Archetypes

 When does a trope or archetype become a cliche?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/10/10-ways-to-start-your-story/

Sunday, October 30, 2022

Openings

 There are many different options to starting your story.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/10/10-ways-to-start-your-story/

Saturday, October 29, 2022

Storybeats

Storybeats or milestones are like a skeleton for your story.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/10/the-skeleton-of-your-story/ 

Friday, October 28, 2022

Work for Hire

 Are you interested in IP work and book packaging?

https://writersblockpartyblog.com/2021/06/08/introduction-to-writing-ip-book-packaging/

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Rhetorical Questions

 Can rhetorical questions help you dive deeper into your character's emotions?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/09/why-rhetorical-questions-help-you-go-deeper-with-emotions/

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Internal Conflict

 There are many techniques to show a character's internal conflict.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/09/how-to-reveal-a-characters-internal-conflict/

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Fantasy Picture Books

 How can you write a fantasy picture book that feels fresh?

https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog/fantasy-picture-books

Monday, October 24, 2022

Themes and Symbols

 How can you use symbols to help show your book's themes?

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/10/themes-and-symbols-go-together-like-peas-and-carrots/

Sunday, October 23, 2022

Opening Chapter

 What should you accomplish in your opening chapter?

https://annerallen.com/2022/10/write-great-opening-chapter/

Saturday, October 22, 2022

Many Characters

 How do you and your readers keep track if your book has a large cast of characters.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/large-casts-of-characters/

University Presses

 Sometimes the best publisher for your book is a university press.

https://www.janefriedman.com/submit-your-work-to-a-university-press/

Friday, October 21, 2022

Thursday, October 20, 2022

Plot Fails

 Here are some reasons that your plot isn't working.

https://www.janefriedman.com/why-plots-fail/


Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Scene Titles

Giving titles to your scene makes it easier to write your novel.

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2021/05/how-scene-titles-make-it-easier-to.html

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Getting an Offer of Representation

 Here are some mistakes to avoid in the excitement of receiving an offer of representation from an agent.

https://bookendsliterary.com/10-mistakes-authors-make-when-receiving-an-offer-of-representation/

Monday, October 17, 2022

First Chapters

 Here are seven key elements to include in your first chapter.

https://writersedit.com/fiction-writing/7-key-elements-include-first-chapter/

Sunday, October 16, 2022

Children's vs. Adult Books

 Just because the main character in a book is a child, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a book for children.

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2021/05/the-difference-between-childrens-and-adult-books

Friday, October 14, 2022

Funny Picture Books

 What's funny in a picture book often depends on the age of the target audience.

https://www.wordsandpics.org/2021/01/picture-book-focus-writing-funny.html

Thursday, October 13, 2022

Proactive Protagonists

 By keeping your protagonist proactive, you'll keep the plot of your story moving.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2021/05/5-ways-to-keep-your-protagonist-proactive-and-your-plot-moving/

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Present or Past Tense

 There are various things to consider when choosing whether to write in the present or the past tense.

http://howtoplanwriteanddevelopabook.blogspot.com/2021/04/pros-and-cons-of-using-present-or-past.html

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Backstory

 The more complicated your story or amount of world building needed, the more backstory you'll have to included.

https://nelsonagency.com/2021/04/the-making-of-meaningful-backstory-part-ii/

Monday, October 10, 2022

Social Media for Writers

 How can being on social media help you as a writer?

https://groggorg.blogspot.com/2021/04/how-social-media-can-benefit-writers.html

Sunday, October 9, 2022

Powerful Scenes

 What do you need to put in your scenes to make them more powerful?

https://www.janefriedman.com/3-key-tactics-for-crafting-powerful-scenes/

Saturday, October 8, 2022

Subtext

 What is subtext and what is it's purpose?

https://www.janefriedman.com/the-art-and-purpose-of-subtext/

Friday, October 7, 2022

Minor Characters

 How do you write your minor characters to make them matter to your story?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/09/writing-minor-characters-that-matter/

Thursday, October 6, 2022

Word Count Issues

 Here are some tips and tricks to either increase or decrease your word count if it's too low or too high.

https://morganhazelwood.com/2020/05/07/tips-and-tricks-to-fix-word-count-issues/

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Deep Point of View

 Is it always better to use a deep point of view?

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/09/point-of-view-is-deeper-always-better/

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Emotional Scenes

 How to write emotional scenes that don't sound like purple prose.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-write-emotional-scenes-without-making-them-cringey/

Monday, October 3, 2022

Point of View Character

Follow these two suggestions to stay focused on your point of view character.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/09/not-just-another-post-on-pov/

Sunday, October 2, 2022

Fluff Words

 Here are some words you can cut to tighten up your manuscript.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/09/fix-fluff-words-fillers-for-writers-to-avoid-part-2/

Saturday, October 1, 2022

Hybrid Publishing

 The IBPA has guidelines for evaluating hybrid publishers.

https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/hybrid-publisher-criteria-download

Friday, September 30, 2022

Disability in Publishing

Disability in Publishing in an organization focusing on disability/health inclusivity in the publishing industry.

https://disabilityinpublishing.com/about 

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Prologues

 To prologue or not--that is the question.

https://authorkristenlamb.com/2022/09/seven-deadly-sins-of-prologues/

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Making a Graphic Novel

 Follow the steps it took to create a graphic novel.

https://www.markfearing.com/how-to-make-a-graphic-nove

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Rhyming Picture Books

 Writing in rhyme isn't easy, but here are some tips to help you along the way.

https://taralazar.com/2022/09/07/mouse-calls/

Monday, September 26, 2022

Building Tension

 Build tension in your story by encourage the reader to ask questions.

https://www.janefriedman.com/want-to-build-tension-encourage-the-reader-to-ask-questions/

Sunday, September 25, 2022

Narrative Voice

 The narrative voice is the voice of the storyteller, that is, the author.

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2022/08/what-is-the-narrative-voice

Saturday, September 24, 2022

Types of Self-Editing

 Here's an explanation of the various types of self-editing including checklists.

https://refiction.com/articles/editing-a-book

Friday, September 23, 2022

Getting an Agent

 The most important step in getting in agent is to write a great book.

https://jerichowriters.com/how-to-get-a-literary-agent/

Thursday, September 22, 2022

Funny Stories

 Kids love reading funny stories, and here are some hints about how to write them.

https://allisontait.com/2020/02/writing-for-kids-how-to-write-funny-stories/

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Fluff Words

 Get rid of these fluffy, unnecessary words that slow down your story.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/08/fix-fluff-words-fillers-for-writers-to-avoid/

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Author Websites

 Here's a step-by-step guide to setting up your author website.

https://sitebeginner.com/

Monday, September 19, 2022

Query Rejections

 Here's what not to do if you don't want your query to be instantly rejected before the agent even gets to your sample pages.

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2022/08/your-query-may-have-ruined-it-for-you.html

Sunday, September 18, 2022

Websites for Picture Book Creators

 Here's a great list of websites of use to picture book authors and illustrators.

http://picturebookden.blogspot.com/2022/08/32-websites-for-picture-books-creators.html

Saturday, September 17, 2022

Synopsis

 Here are some tips for writing a synopsis for your book.

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2022/08/how-to-write-a-synopsis-for-a-novel

Friday, September 16, 2022

Character Goals

 A strong plot requires a strong goal for the character(s).

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/08/why-a-strong-plot-requires-a-significant-goal/

Thursday, September 15, 2022

Resubmitting a Manuscript

 If an agent or editor didn't ask for a revise and resubmit, can you (and should you) still send it again?

http://www.literaryrambles.com/2019/02/mary-kole-guest-post-resubmitting-to.html

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Screen Adaptations

 What's the process of bringing and adapting a book to screen?

https://www.janefriedman.com/how-are-books-adapted-for-the-screen-two-agents-demystify-the-process/

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Chapter Book Series

 Four things to consider before writing a chapter book series.

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/21795/4-things-to-consider-before-you-begin-a-chapter-book-series/

Monday, September 12, 2022

Categories of Children's Books

Here's information about the categories of children's books, from picture book to young adult.

https://www.annettewhipple.com/2022/08/writing-books-for-kids-and-teens.html

Sunday, September 11, 2022

Revise and Resubmit

 What does it mean if you receive a revise and resubmit from an agent or editor, and should you do it?

http://www.literaryrambles.com/2022/08/getting-revise-submit-requests-from.html

Saturday, September 10, 2022

Writing Myths

 Don't derail your writing career by falling for these writing myths.

https://www.janefriedman.com/dont-fall-for-these-5-myths-that-can-set-back-your-writing-and-make-you-miserable%ef%bf%bc/

Friday, September 9, 2022

Marketing and Promotion

 What's the difference between marketing and promotion, and how does the author fit into either of these?

https://picturebookbuilders.com/2022/07/my-thoughts-about-two-confusing-words-marketing-and-promotion/

Thursday, September 8, 2022

Character Thoughts

 There are many different ways to show what your character is thinking.

https://kidlit.com/writing-character-thoughts/

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Research for Fiction

 How deeply do you need to research if you're writing fiction?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/08/research-is-murder-how-far-fiction-authors-go-for-facts/

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Great Endings

 Here are five must-haves to give your book a great ending.

https://diymfa.com/writing/five-must-haves-a-great-ending

Monday, September 5, 2022

First Drafts

 Watch out for these traps if you try and rush your first draft.

https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/writing-mistakes-writers-make-rushing-the-drafting-process

Sunday, September 4, 2022

Saturday, September 3, 2022

Query Rejections

 Maybe your query was rejected because you didn't do a good enough job of selling your book.

https://bookendsliterary.com/your-query-was-rejected-because-it-didnt-sell-the-book/

Friday, September 2, 2022

Suspense and Tension

Suspense and tension work together to increase the impact of your story.

https://www.janefriedman.com/how-suspense-and-tension-work-together-to-amp-up-story-impact/ 

Thursday, September 1, 2022

Writing tics

 Whether they're overused words, phrases, dialogue, or gestures, we all have personal tics that slip into our writing.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/what-i-love-lucy-can-teach-you-about/

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Chapter Books

 A children's chapter book is not just a book that has chapters in it.

https://marykole.com/how-to-write-a-childrens-chapter-book

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Humorous Picture Books

 What are the elements that make a picture book funny?

https://lje1.wordpress.com/2015/08/27/writing-humorous-picture-books/

Monday, August 29, 2022

Sunday, August 28, 2022

Series Arcs

 Does your series require an overall arc or can each book be stand alone?

https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog/series-arc

Saturday, August 27, 2022

Specifics in Scenes

 Good scenes require specifics and not generalities.

https://www.janefriedman.com/scene-prep-and-scene-sequences/

Friday, August 26, 2022

Plots

 Create a compelling plot by using the what-but-therefore method.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/07/create-a-compelling-plot-with-what-but-therefore/

Thursday, August 25, 2022

Online Pitch Contests

 There are many online pitch contests, and it's often hard to know how to make the best use of them.

http://www.literaryrambles.com/2022/07/navigating-online-pitch-contests-by.html

Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Rejections

 Having your manuscript rejected is always hard, but persistence is the name of the game in publishing.

https://debbieohi.com/2022/06/rejection-advice/

Tuesday, August 23, 2022

Descriptions

 How can you write descriptions so your readers have a clear vision of the characters and where they are?

https://blog.reedsy.com/how-to-end-a-story/

Monday, August 22, 2022

Ending Your Story

 Here are some tips on how to end your story that will leave your readers satisfied.

https://blog.reedsy.com/how-to-end-a-story/

Sunday, August 21, 2022

Moving From Scene to Scene

 How do you get your reader from one scene to the next?

https://www.janefriedman.com/moving-between-scenes-with-summary-and-spacers/

Saturday, August 20, 2022

Types of Mysteries

 There are many different types of mysteries and they all have many components.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/07/its-a-mystery-to-me/

Friday, August 19, 2022

Revision Checklist

 Here's a handy-dandy checklist for revising your novel.

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2022/06/revision-checklist

Thursday, August 18, 2022

World Building

 Whether you're writing fantasy or a contemporary novel set in the present time, you still need to build a world for your readers.

https://authorkristenlamb.com/2022/07/world-building-captivate-readers-never-let-go/

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Scenes that Matter

 Make sure that every scene in your book carries its weight.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/07/diamonds-in-the-rough-draft/

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Copywrite Claims Board

 There a new way to dispute a copywrite infringement--the copywrite claims board.

https://writerbeware.blog/2022/06/17/the-copyright-claims-board-a-new-option-for-copyright-disputes/


Monday, August 15, 2022

Research Tips

 If you're writing historical fiction (or nonfiction!), you need to do a lot of research.

https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/5-research-tips-for-writing-historical-fiction

Sunday, August 14, 2022

Saturday, August 13, 2022

Building Scenes

 Don't just build scenes around the information your want to impart to your readers.

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2022/07/dont-build-scenes-around-the-information-you-think-you-need-to-impart

Friday, August 12, 2022

Portfolios

 If you're an illustrator or an author/illustrator, you'll need a portfolio of your work.

https://literaticat.tumblr.com/post/678290959790915584/does-an-author-illustrator-portfolio-need-to

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Junior Agents and Editors

 Agents and editors just starting out are often looking for manuscripts and will soon be senior people.

https://bookendsliterary.com/why-we-need-to-support-junior-editors-and-agents/

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Wordiness in Picture Books

 Here are some tips to eliminate excessive words in your picture book (or novels, for that matter).

https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog/wordiness-in-picture-books

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Checkov's Gun

 If you introducce an item (Checkov's gun) or a person early in your book, that item or person must be important before the book ends.

https://blog.reedsy.com/chekhovs-gun/

Monday, August 8, 2022

Publishing Timeline

 Why does it take so long to publish a book?

https://countercraft.substack.com/p/why-does-it-take-so-long-to-publish

Sunday, August 7, 2022

On and Off the Page

 How do you decide what events to put on the page in scenes and what to have off the page as narration?

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2022/07/what-happens-on-and-off-the-page-in-your-novel

Saturday, August 6, 2022

Boosting Writing Productivity

 One way to increase your writing output is to change where you're writing.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/07/how-a-new-location-boosted-my-productivity-and-could-boost-yours-too/

Friday, August 5, 2022

Lifelike Characters

 Here are some ideas about how to avoid filling your novel with cardboard characters.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-avoid-cardboard-characters-and-plot-contrivances-while-youre-at-it/

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Chapter Books

 Children's chapter books are not just books that have chapters.

https://taralazar.com/2022/06/10/judy-bradbury/

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

What is Voice

 Authors often hear they should have a unique voice, but what does that mean?

https://www.thebookdesigner.com/voice-in-writing/

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Middle Grade Mysteries

Middle grade books are popular with kids, and they especially love mysteries.

http://smack-dab-in-the-middle.blogspot.com/2022/07/crafting-middle-grade-mysteries-melanie.html 

Monday, August 1, 2022

Picture Book Titles

 Here are some tips to choosing a great title for your picture book.

https://nakisanooraee.com/pb-book-title/

Sunday, July 31, 2022

Novels in Verse

 Here are three tips for writing a novel in verse.

https://yvonneventresca.com/blog/three-tips-for-writing-a-novel-in-verse-by-lisa-fipps

Saturday, July 30, 2022

Biography Subjects

 Should you reach out to the subject (or family members) of your biography and, if so, how do you go about doing that?

https://bethandersonwriter.com/2021/04/16/behind-the-scenes-best-practices-for-reaching-out-or-not-to-biography-subjects-by-emma-bland-smith/

Friday, July 29, 2022

Social Media Assistants

 It takes a lot of time to keep up with social media, so should you consider hiring an assistant to help?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2021/03/working-with-a-social-media-assistant/

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Sequence of Scenes

 It's important to think about the order of your scenes.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/5-questions-about-scene-sequences/

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Picture Book Arc

 Here's an example of how to lay out your traditional story arc for your picture book.

http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/01/plot-and-story-arc.html

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Mentorships

 What can you do to increase you chances of being accepted as a mentor?

https://www.janefriedman.com/mentorship-programs-for-writers/

Monday, July 25, 2022

Guest Blogging

 How can you market your books through writing posts for other peoples' blogs?

https://www.janefriedman.com/sometimes-better-than-blogging-guest-blogging/

Sunday, July 24, 2022

Book Editors

 When (and if) should you hire a freelance book editor?

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2021/03/when-to-hire-a-freelance-book-editor

Saturday, July 23, 2022

Friday, July 22, 2022

First Lines

 Here are seven tips for writing first lines that will make your readers want to read more.

https://proofed.com/writing-tips/7-top-tips-for-nailing-the-first-line-of-your-novel/

Thursday, July 21, 2022

Middle Grade Novels

 There are three key components that makes a novel a middle grade.

https://lernerbooks.blog/2018/04/3-key-components-middle-grade-novels.html

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Endings

 How do you find your way to the end of your manuscript?

https://www.janefriedman.com/finding-your-way-to-the-end/

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Writing From Your Own Life

 There are several pitfalls when using your own life and experiences as the basis of a fiction manuscript.

https://www.janefriedman.com/3-common-pitfalls-when-writing-from-your-own-life/

Monday, July 18, 2022

Ghostwriting

 What's involved in ghostwriting and how to you get the work?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/07/opening-the-top-secret-client-vault/

Sunday, July 17, 2022

Flashbacks

 What's the best way to use a flashback to give information about your characters and past events?

https://killzoneblog.com/2022/06/the-fundamentals-of-flashbacks.html

Saturday, July 16, 2022

Chapter Book Series

 How do you turn a general idea into a solid chapter book series?

https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/how-to-turn-an-idea-into-a-chapter-book-series

Friday, July 15, 2022

Novel Revision

 Here's a link to a novel revision checklist with links to more detailed information.

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2022/06/revision-checklist

Thursday, July 14, 2022

Avoid Stereotyping People of Color

 There are many ways to avoid stereotyping people of color when describing them or their actions.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/06/avoiding-stereotypes-in-fiction-people-of-color/

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

Levels of Scenes

 Scenes have two levels-both large and small structure.

https://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/articles/writing-the-perfect-scene/

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Picture Book Pagination

 Should you submit your picture book with the pages indicated or not?

https://debbieohi.com/2022/06/pagination/

Monday, July 11, 2022

Last Page

 The last page of your novel, not just the first, is also important.

https://annerallen.com/2022/06/last-page-of-your-novel/


Sunday, July 10, 2022

Compelling Scenes

 How to use MRUs (motivation reaction units) to write great scenes.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/06/create-compelling-scenes-with-the-mru/

Saturday, July 9, 2022

Synopses

 Many authors cringe at the idea of writing a synopsis, but here are some hints to make it a little easier.

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2022/06/how-to-write-a-synopsis-for-a-novel

Friday, July 8, 2022

Narrative Perspective

 Sometimes it takes several tries to figure out which character is the best on to tell your story.

http://howtoplanwriteanddevelopabook.blogspot.com/2022/04/narrative-perspectives-which-will-serve.html

Thursday, July 7, 2022

Comp Titles

 If you're asked to provide a comp(arative) title, here are some suggestions on how to find them.

https://ravenliterary.com/what-are-comp-titles-how-to/

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Chapter Books

 Chapter books are a specific category, not just books with chapters.

https://taralazar.com/2022/06/10/judy-bradbury/

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Blurbs

 Here are some places to find people to write the perfect blurb for your book.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/06/top-7-places-to-find-people-to-write-great-blurbs/

Monday, July 4, 2022

Picture Book Titles

 Here are some examples of picture book titles that didn't work.

https://katiedavis.com/blog/uncategorized/what-is-a-good-title-for-a-picture-book/

Sunday, July 3, 2022

Planning Your Novel

 Here are seven tips to plan your novel.

https://annerallen.com/2022/06/7-essential-tips-plan-your-novel/

Saturday, July 2, 2022

Gender-Neutral Pronouns

 If your character's pronouns aren't he or she, it's no big deal to use their preferred pronouns.

https://cmosshoptalk.com/2021/04/20/gender-neutral-pronouns-in-creative-writing/


Friday, July 1, 2022

Royalties on Net

 How does it work if your royalties are based on net instead of the retail price (gross)?

http://publishlawyer.com/the-net-revenue-royalty-clause/

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Second Novels

 You'd think once you have one book published it would be easy to write a second one, but that's not always the case.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/the-challenge-of-writing-the-sophomore-novel/

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

First Lines

 Nailing those first lines in your manuscript is tough, but that's what will draw in your readers.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/06/write-a-compelling-first-line/

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Sequels

 How do you go about writing a sequel and should you do so?

https://picturebookbuilders.com/2022/06/615285/

Monday, June 27, 2022

Avoiding LGBTQ+ Stereotypes

 You need to people your world with the great diversity of people in the real world, but make sure you don't use they LGBTQ+ stereotypes in doing so.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/06/avoiding-stereotypes-in-fiction-lgbtq-characters/

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Stage Directions

 We don't need to know your character walked to the door, reached for the knob, twisted it, opened the door, and walked through it, when you can just say the character left the room.

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2022/06/avoid-aimless-stage-direction

Saturday, June 25, 2022

Character Voice

 We all know each character should have a distinctive voice, but how do you do that?

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/06/3-ways-to-infuse-character-voice/

Friday, June 24, 2022

Describing Eyes

 When does it further your story to describe eyes--their shape, color, and most importantly, movement?

https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog/describing-eyes-in-writing?rq=describing%20eyes

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Exposition

 Sometimes you need to break the "show, don't tell" rule by using exposition to keep your story moving along.

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2022/05/how-to-utilize-exposition-and-context-in-a-novel

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Requesting a Blurb

 How do you request a blurb for your book and whom should you ask?

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/05/the-ins-and-outs-of-blurb-requests/

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Prologues

When should you have or not have a prologue for your story?

https://zoemmccarthy.com/writing/__trashed


Monday, June 20, 2022

Picture Book Agents

 Here's a list of agents who represent picture book authors (usually in addition to other categories).

https://frolickingthroughcyberspace.blogspot.com/p/monster-list-of-picture-book-agents.html

Sunday, June 19, 2022

Publishing Auctions

 What does it mean if your book goes to auction, and what are the different types?

https://katemckean.substack.com/p/how-auctions-work?s=r

Saturday, June 18, 2022

Timelines

 Setting up a timeline of events can be a helpful tool while doing your research.

https://www.nonfiction-ninjas.com/blog/timelines-as-research-tools

Friday, June 17, 2022

Plot vs. Story

 What's the difference between plot and story, and why do you need both?

https://www.janefriedman.com/the-vital-difference-between-plot-and-storyand-why-you-need-both/

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Writing Picture Books

 Here are twenty tips if you're writing a picture book.

https://www.leeandlow.com/writers-illustrators/articles/twenty-tips-for-writing-picture-books

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Author Visits

 Kids look forward to author visits, so here are some tips to make yours the best it can be.

http://picturebookden.blogspot.com/2022/05/five-tips-for-amazing-author-visit-by.html

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Large Cast of Characters

Sometimes your story needs a large number of characters, so you need a way to help your readers differentiate between them.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/large-casts-of-characters/ 

Monday, June 13, 2022

Blurbs

 What to remember, do, avoid, and expect when asking people to endorse (blurb) your book.

Remember, Do, Avoid, and Expect

Sunday, June 12, 2022

Author Bios

 You will often be asked to provide an author bio, so you should have ones of different length and focus available.

https://annerallen.com/2021/01/6-online-bios-every-author-needs/

Saturday, June 11, 2022

Character Flaws

 All characters are flawed in some way, and here are some tips on how to show that.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/05/writing-memorable-character-flaws/

Friday, June 10, 2022

Overused Words

 We all have those words that we us over and over again in our manuscripts, so here's a list to help you find them.

https://larawillard.com/2015/11/17/words-to-delete/#wordlist

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Flashbacks

 Ask yourself these four questions before deciding to write a flashback.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/05/4-questions-to-ask-when-writing-flashbacks/

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Character Descriptions

 How do you let your readers know more about your characters without using cliches like looking in a mirror?

https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/11-secrets-to-writing-effective-character-description

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Narrative Pacing

 Here are seven steps to help you master the pacing of your story.

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-master-narrative-pacing#7-tips-for-mastering-pacing-in-your-writing

Monday, June 6, 2022

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Virtual Book Tours

Here's how to have a book tour without leaving your house.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2021/03/virtual-book-tours-the-basics/ 

Saturday, June 4, 2022

Story Endings

 Here are six types of ways to end your story plus seven tips to crafting the perfect ending.

https://blog.reedsy.com/how-to-end-a-story/

Friday, June 3, 2022

Eight-Point Arc

 One way to think about the structure of your novel is through an eight-point arc.

https://thediscerningwriter.wordpress.com/2016/04/27/writing-for-prose-the-eight-point-arc/comment-page-1/

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Middle Grade Novels

 One of the most important tips for writing a middle grade novel is to think like children of that age.

https://nybookeditors.com/2019/11/how-to-write-a-middle-grade-novel/

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Synopsis

 A powerful synopsis is one of the things that will help sell your novel.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/05/how-to-create-a-powerful-synopsis-to-sell-your-novel/

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Agency Contracts

 Here are the basics of what should be included in your agency contract.

https://literaticat.tumblr.com/post/673219976510963712/when-you-receive-a-contract-for-representation

Monday, May 30, 2022

Handling Time

You can handle time in your manuscript through basic chronological order, flashback, and backstory.

https://writerunboxed.com/2022/04/20/its-about-time-backstory-flashback-and-chronology/

Sunday, May 29, 2022

Negative Feedback

How do you turn that seemingly negative feedback into a positive change for your manuscript?

https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog/negative-feedback 

Saturday, May 28, 2022

Mysteries

 Here are ten tips for writing mysteries for kids.

https://charmaineclancy.com/writingmysteriesforkids/

Friday, May 27, 2022

Character Secrets

 Reveal your characters deepest secrets to make your reader want to learn more about them.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/04/whats-your-character-hiding/

Three-Act Structure

 You've probably heard of the three-act structure for a book, but how do you implement it?

https://www.dailywritingtips.com/three-act-structure/

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Story Ideas

 Here are some creative ways to brainstorm story ideas for your next book.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/04/creative-ways-to-brainstorm-story-ideas/

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Song Lyrics

 What are the rules about quoting song lyrics in your work and, if you choose to do so, how much will it cost you?

https://annerallen.com/2022/05/can-a-writer-quote-song-lyrics/

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Novel Synopsis

What are some of the common pitfalls when writing that important synopsis of your novel?

https://www.janefriedman.com/how-to-write-a-novel-synopsis/

Monday, May 23, 2022

Characters and Crisis

 How can you use crisis to let your readers better understand your characters?

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/05/using-crisis-to-reveal-character/

Sunday, May 22, 2022

Being a Podcast Guest

 How do you get asked to be on podcasts and, more importantly, what can you do to be a good podcast guest?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/05/share-your-work-on-podcasts-and-get-asked-back/

Saturday, May 21, 2022

Copyright and Fair Use

 What are the rules involved in quoting other people's work in your novel?

https://www.dukeupress.edu/getmedia/3363cb6e-04b6-43ec-b004-1c89e747512d/Copyright_FairUse_ObtainingPermissions#

Friday, May 20, 2022

Character Interviews

 Here are ten questions to ask your characters to get a better handle on their personalities.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/04/ten-questions-to-ask-your-characters/

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Outlining to Fix Manuscript Problems

 Even if you're a pantser and wrote without an outline, when it comes time to revise, an outline will help fix your manuscript problems.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/04/six-ways-to-fix-manuscript-problems-with-an-outline/

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Scenes

 Here are some tips to writing the perfect scene, including my favorite--leave out boring stuff.

https://jerryjenkins.com/8-steps-writing-perfect-scene-every-time/

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Publicity vs. Marketing

 Your book needs both publicity and marketing, and this article tells you the difference between them.

https://authornews.penguinrandomhouse.com/understanding-the-differences-between-your-publicity-and-marketing-teams/

Monday, May 16, 2022

Social Media Executor

 What happens to all your social media accounts if you pass away?

https://annerallen.com/2022/04/social-media-executor-2/

Sunday, May 15, 2022

Literary Techniques

 Picture books are the perfect place to use all those literary techniques you learned about in school.

https://nakisanooraee.com/pb-literary-techniques/

Saturday, May 14, 2022

Unlikeable Characters

 Even your unlikeable characters must have some redeeming features.

https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/8-tips-to-make-an-unlikable-character-likable

Friday, May 13, 2022

Infodumping

 Be careful that you're not infodumping without even realizing it.

https://writerunboxed.com/2022/03/23/are-you-an-accidental-info-dumper/ 

Thursday, May 12, 2022

Dialogue

 Here are some ways to build tension into your characters' dialogue.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/03/9-tension-building-elements-for-character-dialogue/

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Successful Openings

 It's important to catch your readers' attention right from the opening of your book.

https://www.janefriedman.com/the-secret-ingredient-of-successful-openings/

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Writing Jokes

 Here are some tips on how to add jokes to your manuscript.

https://mythcreants.com/blog/how-to-write-jokes/

Monday, May 9, 2022

Personalizing Queries

 Here are tips on how to personalize your query using the least amount of time.

http://blog.liviablackburne.com/2021/12/how-to-personalize-query-in-10-minutes.html

Sunday, May 8, 2022

An Agent's Day

 An agent does so much more work than reading queries and editing manuscripts.

https://bookendsliterary.com/an-agents-job-besides-reading-and-editing/

Saturday, May 7, 2022

Comp Titles

 Here's what you need to know about including comparative titles in your query.

http://www.literaryrambles.com/2022/04/using-comparative-titles-in-your-query.html

Friday, May 6, 2022

Rhythmic Writing

 Even if you're not writing in rhyme, your words should still have a rhythm to them.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/04/what-is-rhythmic-writing/

Thursday, May 5, 2022

Scenes

 How many scenes do you need for novel and what should you include in them?

https://kidlit.com/tag/dramatic-arc/

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Copyediting Corrections

 Here are ten popular corrections copy editors have to make on manuscripts.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/04/10-common-corrections/

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Publishing Dictionary

 Like any business, publishing can have its own language, including acronyms.

https://bookendsliterary.com/the-sixth-edition-of-the-publishing-dictionary/

Monday, May 2, 2022

University Presses

 Sometimes a university is the perfect home for your manuscript.

https://www.janefriedman.com/why-you-should-consider-a-university-press-for-your-book/

Sunday, May 1, 2022

Secondary Characters

 Just because a character is secondary, that doesn't mean your description should be any less vivid.

https://annerallen.com/2022/04/5-tips-secondary-characters/

Saturday, April 30, 2022

New Agents

 What are the pros and cons of signing with someone new to being a literary agent?

https://writersinthestorm.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/should-you-pitch-and-sign-with-a-new-literary-agent-the-pros-and-cons/

Friday, April 29, 2022

Opening Pages

Setting, character age, and character description are important to include in the opening of your book.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/03/jenny-hansen/

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Author Website

 Why is it important to have an author website?

https://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2022/03/why-you-need-author-website.html

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Generic Reactions

 It's important to have your character react to events, but avoid using overused words and actions.

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2020/03/avoid-these-generic-reactions

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Research

 Whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction, you'll usually end up having to research some fact to make your story more believable.

https://annerallen.com/2022/03/reference-research-resources/

Monday, April 25, 2022

Humor

 What can you add to your manuscript to make it funny for a child reader?

https://www.scld.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/SWC_Adding-Humor-to-Chlidren%E2%80%99s-Stories.pdf

Sunday, April 24, 2022

Marketing Tips

 It's great that your book is published, but now you need to find readers for it.

https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/10-tips-for-marketing-your-childrens-book

Blurbs

 Do blurbs actually help sell books?

https://countercraft.substack.com/p/do-blurbs-actually-work?s=r

Saturday, April 23, 2022

Multiple Points of View

 When writing through multiple points of view, you have to make sure to keep their voices distinct.

https://nailyournovel.wordpress.com/2022/02/13/seven-voices-how-to-write-a-novel-in-multiple-points-of-view/

Friday, April 22, 2022

Verse novels

 Writing in verse is not just adding line breaks to your manuscript in prose.

https://www.diverseverse.com/blog/https/wwwdiverseversecom/subramaniam-larocca-interview

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Publishing in Multiple Genres

 How do you keep your ideas, writing, and marketing efforts straight when you're working in multiple genre's. 

http://www.magicalwords.net/specialgueststars/i-dont-know-how-she-does-it-princess-aletheas-top-ten-list-of-things-to-remember-when-publishing-in-multiple-genres/

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Flashbacks

 Instead of doing infodumps, weave flashbacks into your story.

https://www.janefriedman.com/weaving-flashbacks-seamlessly-into-story/

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Historical Interests

 How do you mine information from your historical obsession to make it a good story/
https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/02/spinning-a-yarn-out-of-history-how-to-craft-a-plot-from-your-historical-obsession/

Monday, April 18, 2022

Author Voice

 We all know that your author voice is important to your writing, but how do you find it?

http://www.literaryrambles.com/2022/03/top-three-tips-to-finding-your-author.html

Sunday, April 17, 2022

Chapter Books

Chapter books help young readers transition from picture books to middle grade books.

https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/2022/03/writing-chapter-books-susan-muaddi-darraj-talks-about-the-joy-of-writing-chapter-books/

Saturday, April 16, 2022

Finding Comp Titles

Here are some tips to find comp(arative) titles for your story.

https://www.janefriedman.com/how-to-find-compelling-comps-for-your-book/

Friday, April 15, 2022

Picture Book Characters

 How do you create memorable picture book characters that you're audience will want to read about over and over again?

http://picturebookden.blogspot.com/2022/03/creating-memorable-picture-book.html

Thursday, April 14, 2022

Multiple Points of View

It can be tricky keeping your characters' distinct when writing from multiple points of view.

https://nailyournovel.wordpress.com/2022/02/13/seven-voices-how-to-write-a-novel-in-multiple-points-of-view/


Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Kidlit Sales

 Good news--the sale of children's books is rising.

https://www.licenseglobal.com/entertainment/kid-lit-report

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Imagery

 Imagery is a great tool for your writer's toolbox.

https://groggorg.blogspot.com/2022/03/guest-post-power-of-imagery-by-beth.html

Monday, April 11, 2022

Social Media Platforms

 What are the different social media platforms and which are best for you and your writing?

https://www.janefriedman.com/which-social-media-platform-is-the-best/

Sunday, April 10, 2022

Present or Past

 Which tense is the best one to use in telling your story?

https://writersrumpus.com/2022/03/15/past-or-present-learn-which-tense-is-best-for-your-narration/

Saturday, April 9, 2022

Writer's CV

 A writer's CV is different than one you'd use for a non-writing job or contest application.

https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/writing-and-authors/getting-published/the-writers-cv

Friday, April 8, 2022

Guest Posting

 Writing a post for someone else's blog is a good way to expand the audience for your book.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/03/tips-for-landing-a-guest-posting-gig/

Thursday, April 7, 2022

Character Descriptions

 Describing your characters, and not just the physical appearances, can help bring them to life.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/02/dig-deep-to-create-nuanced-characters/

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Gamify Your Nonfiction Book

 One way to structure your nonfiction book is to make it a game for the reader.

https://www.nffest.com/2022/02/gamification-cool-way-to-do-nonfiction.html

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Comp Titles

 Avoid these pitfalls when using comp(arative) titles to your book.

https://nelsonagency.com/2022/03/zeroing-in-on-comps-part-ii/

Monday, April 4, 2022

Synopses

 Here are some simple tips to writing your synopsis.

https://www.janefriedman.com/the-value-of-percolation/

Sunday, April 3, 2022

Letting Manuscripts Rest

 There are many advantages to letting your writing percolate.

https://www.janefriedman.com/the-value-of-percolation/

Saturday, April 2, 2022

Computer Crashes

 Here are some steps to recover your lost data, but most importantly, set up a backup system for your files.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/03/a-modern-writing-horror-story/

Friday, April 1, 2022

Children's Dialogue

 Remember that when writing dialogue for children, they don't speak the same way adults do.

https://www.janefriedman.com/childrens-dialogue-they-dont-talk-like-adults/

Thursday, March 31, 2022

Present Tense

 What are appropriate times to use present tense in your writing?

https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog/present-tense-writing

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Commas

 Are you confused about when, and when not, to use a comma?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/03/to-comma-or-not-to-comma-part-3/

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

From Early Readers to Chapter Books

 What's the difference between early readers and chapter books, and how do you write them?

https://kidlit.com/early-reader-chapter-book-market/

Monday, March 28, 2022

Book Sales

 Since books can be returned to distributors, what counts as a book sale?

https://katemckean.substack.com/p/when-is-a-book-sale-a-sale?s=w

Sunday, March 27, 2022

Saturday, March 26, 2022

Sensitivity Readers

 What is a sensitivity reader, and do you need one for your manuscript?

https://annerallen.com/2022/03/need-a-sensitivity-reader/

Friday, March 25, 2022

Independent Editors

 Here are some best practices for working with an independent editor before your manuscript is acquired.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/03/now-that-youve-hired-an-editor-best-practices-for-working-with-an-independent-editor/

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Contacting Experts

 During the course of your research, whether for fiction or nonfiction, you might have to contact experts.

https://www.nffest.com/2022/02/research-with-confidence-contacting.html

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Loglines

 Writing a logline can help you see the big picture of your story.

https://bethandersonwriter.com/2021/08/27/mining-for-heart-logline-as-lifeline-for-whole-whale-by-karen-yin/

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Query Letters

 Here's an example of a query letter, with an agent's comments, that landedd her an offer of representation.

https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/how-to-write-the-perfect-query-letter

Monday, March 21, 2022

Proofreading

It's not easy proofreading your own work, but these suggestions will help.

https://stevelaube.com/proofreading-tips-tricks/

Sunday, March 20, 2022

Historical Novels

Here are some tips for writing historical novels.

http://booksbywomen.org/my-top-tips-for-writing-historical-novels/ 

Saturday, March 19, 2022

Friday, March 18, 2022

Writing Middle Grade

 Middle grade books are not just shorter versions of young adult ones.

https://writingtipsoasis.com/how-to-write-middle-grade-fiction/

Thursday, March 17, 2022

Reader Pet Peeves

Buzzfeed collected from readers these pet peeves about the books they read.

https://annerallen.com/2021/03/reader-pet-peeves/


Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Essential Edits

 Here are eight edits you must do when you revise your manuscript.

https://diymfa.com/writing/eight-essential-edits

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Creative Nonfiction

 What is creative nonfiction (hint: it's factual) and how do you write it?

https://www.writingforward.com/creative-writing/writing-creative-nonfiction

Monday, March 14, 2022

Scammers

Publishing scammers are everywhere, waiting to pounce on their prey, so make sure you're not it.

https://annerallen.com/2022/02/publishing-scammers-how-to-stay-safe-2/

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Middle Grade Market

 Although you shouldn't write to the market, you certainly need to consider it, and here's information about the middle grade grade.

https://fundsforwriters.com/five-wisdoms-about-the-middle-grade-market/

Saturday, March 12, 2022

Multiple Agent Offers

 It's incredibly exciting to have multiple agents extend offers, but there are many factors to consider in making your choice.

https://nelsonagency.com/2022/02/dance-with-the-right-partner-at-the-publishing-prom/

Friday, March 11, 2022

Series Bible

 If you're writing a series, you need a bible to keep the characters and setting consistent.

https://killzoneblog.com/2022/01/creating-a-series-bible.html

Thursday, March 10, 2022

Writing Magic in Real World Settings

 How do you incorporate magical elements and beings into a real world setting?

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/01/writing-magic-in-a-real-world-setting/

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

SEL - Social Emotional Learning

If you want to include SEL in your book, you need to know these five key competencies.

https://lernerbooks.com/sel

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Cliches

Give those tired cliches an unexpected twist to make them fresh.

http://smack-dab-in-the-middle.blogspot.com/2022/02/twisting-cliches-to-make-them-unique.html


Monday, March 7, 2022

Voice

 Your authorial voice is the most powerful tool in your writer's toolbox.

https://writersrumpus.com/2022/02/22/writers-voice-your-most-powerful-tool/

Sunday, March 6, 2022

Kidlit Categories

http://evalangston.com/2021/08/16/kidlit-genres/Here's a detailed description of the different kidlit categories (even though they call them genres) such as picture book, middle grade, and young adult.


Saturday, March 5, 2022

Comp Titles

 What are comp titles and what should they do?

https://nelsonagency.com/2022/02/zeroing-in-on-comps-part-i/

Friday, March 4, 2022

Full Request

 What happens after you get a request for your full manuscript?

https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog/full-manuscript-request

Thursday, March 3, 2022

New Publishers and Agents - 2021

 Here are some new publishers and agents from 2021.

https://hotsheetpub.com/2021/12/new-publishers-agents-2021/

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Writing About High School

 If you're writing a young adult novel, you'll need to know what current-day high school is like.

https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog/writing-about-high-school

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Sensory Writing - Taste

 How can you incorporate the sense of taste into your writing? 

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/02/using-the-power-of-taste-in-writing/

Monday, February 28, 2022

Specific Details

Giving specific details can help connect the description to your character.

https://www.janefriedman.com/use-telling-details-to-connect-description-to-character/ 

Sunday, February 27, 2022

Clothing

 How can you use clothing to energize your plot and help define your characters?

https://annerallen.com/2022/01/9-ways-clothe-energize-your-plot/

Saturday, February 26, 2022

Finding a Literary Agent

 What are the steps to finding the perfect literary agent for you and your work?

https://www.janefriedman.com/find-literary-agent/

Friday, February 25, 2022

Writing Magic in the Real World

 How do you inject magical elements into an everyday, real-world setting?

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/01/writing-magic-in-a-real-world-setting/

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Literary Techniques in Picture Books

 Picture books are the perfect place to use literary techniques such as metaphor and repetition.

https://nakisanooraee.com/pb-literary-techniques/

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Writing Tips

 Here are six simple writing tips to get you (or keep you) on the right track.

https://nelsonagency.com/2022/01/6-writing-tips-from-my-6-years-in-publishing/

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Branding

 How to you use your brand to capture and keep a possible reader's attention is our busy world?

https://authorkristenlamb.com/2022/01/branding-attention-busy-brains-in-a-busy-world/

Monday, February 21, 2022

Character Skills

 Help your characters stand out from each other by giving them different skills.

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/01/want-your-characters-to-stand-out/

Sunday, February 20, 2022

Who Are Your Readers?

 Do you know who your intended audience is and why that matters?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/01/who-are-your-readers-and-why-does-it-matter/

Saturday, February 19, 2022

"Kill Your Darlings"

 We've all heard the phrase, "kill your darlings," but how do you go about doing that?

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/01/writers-grab-a-knife-how-to-kill-your-darlings/

Friday, February 18, 2022

Doorways into Story

 Do you approach your writing through character, scene, word choice, or by the story itself?

https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/the-four-doorways-into-story-and-how-to-use-them-to-create-a-bestselling-novel

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Revising Scene by Scene

 There are many approaches to revising, but one of them is doing so scene by scene.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/02/stoking-your-storys-fire-three-considerations-for-revising-scene-by-scene/

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Choosing a Title

 What are some tips on choosing a good title (even though it may be later changed)?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/02/tips-to-create-a-bestselling-title/

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Bad Writing Advice

Not all suggestions you receive about your manuscript are good ones. 

https://annerallen.com/2022/02/10-dangerous-critiques/

Monday, February 14, 2022

How to Tell When Appropriate

 Sometimes it's appropriate to tell, not show, and here are some tips on how to do that well.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/02/6-cheats-to-tell-well/

Sunday, February 13, 2022

Research

 How do you know when you've done enough research?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/01/how-much-research-is-enough/

Saturday, February 12, 2022

Synopses

 What do agents look for in a synopsis?

https://bookendsliterary.com/2022/02/01/what-agents-look-for-in-a-synopsis/

Friday, February 11, 2022

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Books for Tweens

 How do you write for that gap between middle grade and young adult books?

https://www.writermag.com/improve-your-writing/writing-for-young-readers/the-in-betweeners-mg-and-ya/


Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Finding a Literary Agent

 The first and most important step in finding a literary agent is to write a great book.

https://jerichowriters.com/how-to-get-a-literary-agent/

Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Sense of Touch

 How can you incorporate your characters' sense of touch into your story?

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/01/how-to-use-touch-in-writing/

Monday, February 7, 2022

Co-authors

 How does it work when you collaborate with another author on a manuscript?

https://www.writermag.com/improve-your-writing/writing-for-young-readers/co-authors-in-kidlit/

Sunday, February 6, 2022

Paying for an Author Visit

 There are many ways to fund having an author visit your school.

https://www.annettewhipple.com/2019/06/how-to-pay-for-author-visit.html

Branding

 How do you create your brand and use it to turn that into sales and loyal readers?

https://authorkristenlamb.com/2022/01/branding-attention-busy-brains-in-a-busy-world/

Saturday, February 5, 2022

Seven Deadly Query Sins

 How to write a query that won't end up in spam or be ignored.

https://annerallen.com/2022/01/7-deadly-query-sins-how-to-write-a-query/

Friday, February 4, 2022

Self-Editing

 Self editing can help take your manuscript to the next level.

https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/01/perfect-to-me-how-self-editing-can-take-your-novel-to-the-next-stage/

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Book Reviews

 Why are book reviews important and how can you find places to get them.

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/2021/12/why-book-reviews-are-important-and.html

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Middle Grade

 Here are some tips on how to write a middle grade novel that kids will clamor to read.

https://www.ignitedinkwriting.com/ignite-your-ink-blog-for-writers/how-to-write-middle-grade-stories-kids-want-to-read/2019

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Revising After Feedback

 Be careful not to overcorrect after receiving a critique on your manuscript.  

https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2022/01/how-to-avoid-overcorrecting-after-receiving-feedback

Monday, January 31, 2022

Compelling Dialogue

 Here are three tips for writing compelling dialogue.

https://nowastedink.com/2022/01/06/three-tips-for-writing-compelling-dialogue-by-rita-m-reali/

Sunday, January 30, 2022

Book Titles

 Choosing a book title has changed in this age of self-published books and online bookstores.

https://annerallen.com/2022/01/choosing-a-book-title-in-the-e-age/

Saturday, January 29, 2022

BookTok

 BookTok is both an organic way to market your book plus a safe haven for young female readers.

https://www.janefriedman.com/booktok-a-safe-haven-for-young-female-readers/

Friday, January 28, 2022

Active Dialogue

If you write active dialogue, you'll need to use fewer dialogue tags.

https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog/how-to-write-active-dialogue 

Thursday, January 27, 2022

Sounds

Here's a list of 106 ways to describe sounds in your book.

https://www.writerswrite.co.za/106-ways-to-describe-sounds/

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Critique Groups

 Being a part of a critique group is great--but not always.

https://annerallen.com/2016/09/critique-groups-6-ways-they-hurt-your-writing/

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Notifying Other Agents of an Offer

 How do you let other agents know that you've received an offer of representation?

https://bookendsliterary.com/2021/12/14/notifying-agents-of-offers/

Monday, January 24, 2022