So, How Do I Find The Time To Do All This?
It's the most common question I get: How do you find the time to do everything you do? Until now,
8 Writing Techniques to Win You a Pulitzer
Today's guest post is from writer Joe Bunting, who blogs at The Write Practice. We all know there are novels
How Perfect Does Your Manuscript Have to Be?
As part of the 2012 Missouri Writers Guild conference faculty, I did a Q&A for their conference blog that discusses
The Big Mistake of Author Websites and Blogs
One of the easiest ways for an author to get a site up and running is to use Blogger or
How to Confront the Fear of Public Speaking
Today's guest post is by author Deborah Niemann. Last week as my adult daughter was driving me to a TV
What Good Salespeople Know That Writers Should
Today's guest post is by author and business person Joanne Tombrakos. What ultimately spurred my decision to self-publish was a
Writing Advice That Saves You in 5 Years
I just discovered this wonderful article, "Steal This List," by Janis Hubschman (featured in the latest Glimmer Train bulletin). It
Writers Need More Copywriting Training
Today I'm the featured contributor at Writer Unboxed, where I talk about copywriting: The No. 1 Overlooked Skill for Every
3 Reasons to Have a Website If You’re Unpublished
J Garrattley / Flickr When I tell writers it's mandatory they have a website, those who are unpublished will immediately
Platform and Social Media Must Not Be Your Center
Today's post is excerpted from The Writer's Workout: 366 Tips, Tasks, & Techniques From Your Writing Career Coach (Writer's Digest,
How Should You Spend Your Book Marketing Budget?
Author Brad Swift asks the following: I have a number of fiction and nonfiction books now available through Amazon as
A Tugboat Arrived
Today's guest post is by Louisiana writer Darrelyn Saloom. Read more of her posts here. On a brisk, clear morning
10 Phrases to Purge From Your Speech & Writing
The following is excerpted from Word Savvy by Nancy Ragno, recently released by Writer's Digest Books. The following mistakes occur
When to Modify Your Name Due to SEO Concerns
I received the following question from Jan O'Hara: I have a dilemma to sort out about author names. These are the
How to Hire the Right Website Designer
by slackware / Flickr Today's guest post is by Eliana Berlfein, a website designer based in Boulder, Colorado. A website
What Territory Do You Explore With Your Writing?
I love this insight from Laura Oliver on the writing life, in a post called "Territory." She discusses the themes that
Go Fly a Kite
Today's guest post is by the lovely Darrelyn Saloom. Read her previous guest posts, or follow her on Twitter. The
When’s the Right Time to Leave Your Big Six Publisher?
I received the following question from published author Lisa Earle McLeod—who I remember first meeting at a Foothills Writers Guild
Do-It-Yourself vs. Professional Help
Yesterday was my regular contribution to Writer Unboxed. I discussed how some independent authors are putting their work out there with
I Hate Press Releases
This is part rant, part advice. I don't write this post as if my needs were everyone's. But it's frustrating
Why Writers Should Get Over Pop Music
Pop music is the worst thing that could happen to your writing. It's for dates and bad wedding receptions. Turn
My Secret for Battling Procrastination
by Emilie Ogez / Flickr To some, I may appear productive. But like many, I'm a horrible procrastinator. I try
Are You Worried Your Ideas or Work Will Be Stolen?
I recently received the following question from working writer Shannon Traphagen: I have been fervently working on my novel (I
3 Blunders That Can Kill Your Author Platform
Today's guest post is from author Kristen Lamb. The digital age author has more opportunities than any writer in the
The Story Bible: What It Is and Why You Need One
The following is an excerpt from Write-a-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (And Live to Tell About It) by Rochelle
3 Questions Every Creative Person Must Ask
I'm starting to find that the same dilemmas come up again and again when I talk with a group about
The Evolving Model of the Entrepreneurial Novelist
It's pleasure to bring you this insightful Q&A with writer Sean Platt. As his own website states, Sean Platt writes
You Don’t Need a Degree to Find Your Voice
The following excerpt is from Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing by L.L. Barkat. I am opening a
3 Keys to Sustainable & Successful Indie Authorship
Note from Jane: I don't usually run posts that feature or promote a single service or solution. Authors need to
Should You Serialize a Novel on Kindle?
Today's guest post is by Roz Morris. Last month I released my literary novel as four episodes on Kindle: 100,000
Write More Raw Material Than You Need
Last year, when I became a professor at the e-media department at the University of Cincinnati, I started working with
3 Tips for Professional E-Book Covers
Today's guest post is from Biba Pearce at Your Novel Online. An e-book cover has an important job to do. Not
What Is a Story?
The following is excerpted from How to Write Your Best Story by Philip Martin. It may seem to address a
E-Book Marketing 101
In case you missed it, my monthly column at Writer Unboxed was posted yesterday: A Checklist for Marketing Your E-Book.
Using an Agent to Get on Kindle
I've been keeping an eye on John Carpenter and his book project ever since we first started having conversations on
A Hidden Aspect of Creative Life That Underpins Great Work
The following is excerpted from Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt Into Fuel for Brilliance by Jonathan Fields. Uncertainty and fear
Don’t Write a Memoir to Get Revenge
The following is excerpted from The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing & Life by Marion Roach Smith. It
Using Word of Mouth (Not Media Attention) to Sell Books
I've known John Warner since my days as an acquisitions editor at F+W Media. He is among the most decent,
Has Rejection Turned You Into Someone You’re Not?
"Don't allow your wounds to transform you into someone you are not." —Paulo Coelho It doesn't happen often, but every
When Writing Doesn’t Pay the Bills
In celebration of Labor Day, Open Road Media has produced a video that features writers talking about the jobs they
7 Reasons to Tell a Story in 2011
In the latest Glimmer Train bulletin, there's an amazing piece by Melanie Rae Thon, "The Heart Breaks, and Breaks Open:
How to Waste Your Time on Social Media
Last week, I discussed how you can waste your time trying to get published. You can also waste your time
Hello to Visitors From Michael Hyatt’s Blog!
Today, Michael Hyatt is featuring a 12-minute interview with me on his blog. We talk about the following: How important
The Myth of the Lone Creative Genius
Today's post is an excerpt from the recently published Birth Your Book! by Dr. Liz Alexander. Find out more about Liz
I Am Always Sincere, But Never Serious
I am always sincere, but never serious. —Alan Watts When I started my first professional blog, I struggled to give
Stop Being an “Aspiring” Writer
Today's guest post is by Ollin Morales from Courage 2 Create. Find out more about Ollin at the end of
Are You Wasting Your Time Trying to Get Published?
Don't you wish someone could tell you if you're wasting your time trying to be a writer? Or if you're
Grantwriting 101 for Writers
It doesn't occur to most writers that there is "free" money—from government and nonprofit foundations—that is available to support creative
3 Principles for Facebook Fan Pages
Facebook is the No. 1 most popular website in the United States in terms of visits, which means it's more
How Much Has Book Marketing Changed Since 2005?
Amy Stolls is the author of The Ninth Wife, a novel just released from HarperCollins as a paperback original. The