How does it work if your royalties are based on net instead of the retail price (gross)?
Friday, July 1, 2022
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
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?
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
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?
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
Monday, June 6, 2022
Library Purchases
Did you ever wonder how libraries choose which books to add to their collection?
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.
Friday, June 3, 2022
Eight-Point Arc
One way to think about the structure of your novel is through an eight-point arc.
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
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?
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?
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?
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?
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.
Monday, May 16, 2022
Social Media Executor
What happens to all your social media accounts if you pass away?
Sunday, May 15, 2022
Literary Techniques
Picture books are the perfect place to use all those literary techniques you learned about in school.
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
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
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.
Saturday, April 30, 2022
New Agents
What are the pros and cons of signing with someone new to being a literary agent?
Friday, April 29, 2022
Opening Pages
Setting, character age, and character description are important to include in the opening of your book.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
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/
Sunday, April 3, 2022
Letting Manuscripts Rest
There are many advantages to letting your writing percolate.
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
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?
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
Pitching Your Book
You need to tailor your pitch to its audience.
https://authornews.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors-toolkit-how-to-pitch-your-book-to-anyone/
Saturday, March 26, 2022
Sensitivity Readers
What is a sensitivity reader, and do you need one for your manuscript?
Friday, March 25, 2022
Independent Editors
Here are some best practices for working with an independent editor before your manuscript is acquired.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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?
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.
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?
Thursday, February 17, 2022
Revising Scene by Scene
There are many approaches to revising, but one of them is doing so 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.
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
Mentally Ill Characters
There's a need for sensitively written mentally ill characters in children's books.
Thursday, February 10, 2022
Books for Tweens
How do you write for that gap between middle grade and young adult books?
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.
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
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.
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
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
Querying Tips
Those lessons you learned in kindergarten will help you when querying.
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Choosing a Title
Even though your title may change before publication, it's worth choosing a good working title.
https://www.janefriedman.com/choose-the-perfect-title-for-your-book-7-authors-offer-tips/
Deep Point of View
Deep POV allows your readers to get into the head of your characters.
https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/01/embracing-the-mystery-deep-pov/
Saturday, January 22, 2022
Dialogue
How do you write believable dialogue in your novel?
https://www.livewritethrive.com/2022/01/03/the-art-of-masterful-fiction-dialogue/
Friday, January 21, 2022
Children's Book Market - 2022
What do the experts predict will be the big selling types of children's books in 2022?
https://www.janefriedman.com/whats-selling-in-childrens-books-whats-ahead-for-2022/
Thursday, January 20, 2022
In Media Res
In media res, or in the middle of the action, is a good place to start your novel.
https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/01/in-medias-res-a-very-good-place-to-start-your-novel/
Wednesday, January 19, 2022
Social Media
Here's how to get started or extend your existing reach with social media.
https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog/social-media-for-writers
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Being Media Ready
What can you do to be ready for any media requests your might receive?
https://writersinthestormblog.com/2021/12/nine-keys-to-being-media-ready/
Monday, January 17, 2022
Middle Grade Books
How do you write the best middle grade book you possibly can?
Sunday, January 16, 2022
Lessons in Picture Books
Kids want to be entertained, not lectured, by their picture books.
Saturday, January 15, 2022
Commas
Are you confused about when and when not to use commas?
https://writersinthestormblog.com/2021/12/to-comma-or-to-not-to-comma-part-2/
Friday, January 14, 2022
Revise and Resubmit
Here are some techniques on how to handle a revise and resubmit from an agent or editor.
https://www.janefriedman.com/7-steps-for-tackling-a-revise-and-resubmit/
Thursday, January 13, 2022
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Professional Editors
How do you know when your manuscript is ready for a professional editor?
https://writershelpingwriters.net/2021/12/when-are-you-ready-for-professional-editing/
Monday, January 10, 2022
Picture Books in Verse
Writing a picture book in verse is more than just making sure it rhymes.
Sunday, January 9, 2022
Common Writing Mistakes
Watch out for these common mistakes even good writers make.
https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/5-story-mistakes-even-good-writers-make
Saturday, January 8, 2022
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is a great tool, but you don't want to give away too much information.
https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-use-foreshadowing/amp/
Friday, January 7, 2022
Secondary Characters' Emotions
How do you show emotions of the non-viewpoint character?
https://writershelpingwriters.net/2021/11/how-to-show-emotion-for-non-viewpoint-characters/
Thursday, January 6, 2022
Picture Books in Rhyme
If you write in rhyme, make sure you control the verse, and it doesn't control you.
http://picturebookden.blogspot.com/2021/11/do-you-control-verse-or-does-verse.html
Wednesday, January 5, 2022
Picture Books 101
Here are the basics you need to understand if you're writing a picture book.
https://medium.com/@michaelhingston/picture-books-101-from-alison-hughes-9b9eec235b19
Tuesday, January 4, 2022
Character-driven Picture Books
What are the characteristics of a character-driven, as opposed to plot-driven) picture book?
http://wwwpamcalvert.blogspot.com/2013/07/picture-book-university-character.html
Monday, January 3, 2022
Unagented Submissions
Here's a list of companies that currently (always check the guidelines) submissions from unagented writers.
Sunday, January 2, 2022
Fourth Wall
Here are some mentor texts if you want to break the fourth wall (talk directly to the reader) in picture books.
http://romellebroas.blogspot.com/2016/02/mentor-texts-breaking-fourth-wall-in.html
Saturday, January 1, 2022
Believable Characters
How do you create characters who are credible to your readers?
https://nowastedink.com/2021/12/09/creating-credible-characters-by-valerie-holmes/