Ready, Aim, Fire: Just Write Already! — Quick Writing Tip
If there is one thing that authors and bloggers are good at, it’s planning. Well, unless you’re a pantser, anyway. And even if you do write your novels by the seat of your pants, there’s a pretty good chance that you have other works planned out … in your mind if not...
Should You Write Like You Talk?
One issue that divides writing experts is whether authors should strive to "write like you talk" or adopt a more formal and rigid approach to our prose. Strong arguments can be -- and are -- made on both sides of the line, but what's best for you? The answer will...
Daily Writing Prompt #5
You wake up from a nap and reach for your cell phone to find that you've been tagged in a Facebook photo. It's a picture of you while were asleep in your living room chair a few minutes ago, and you live alone.
What Is an Author’s Voice?
In brief, an author's voice is the unique combination of literary elements that makes his stories "feel" different from everyone else's. Components of writing that help define voice are syntax, character development dialogue, word choice, dialect, punctuation,...
Should I Use Profanities in My Writing?
Hell, yes, you should use profanities in your writing! Well, maybe. Some would contend that swearing cheapens your prose and turns off your audience. Others will tell you that expletives are part of normal, real speech and can spice up your writing. The truth is, word...
10 Hidden Blocks of Writing Time to Boost Your Word Count Every Week
Trying to write a book or finish any other kind of writing project while working a full-time job is tough. You might be able to schedule an hour or two here and there to write, but life tends to encroach on even the best-laid plans. The good news is that there are...
Daily Writing Prompt #4
You're taking your son and his friends trick-or-treating in the next town. You and the four costumed boys pile into your car and head out. Halfway there, you look in the rearview mirror and find that you now have five passengers.
11 Simple Steps to Back Up Your WordPress Author Website
A website is one of the most valuable assets an author can own. Having your own domain running a WordPress instance that you control means you can speak with your audience and sell books no matter what may happen in the wider web world. So, when Amazon goes out of...
What Should Every Aspiring Writer Know About Writing?
First off, I don't really believe in the notion of the "aspiring writer." However, according to various sources, some 200 million Americans want to write a book at any given time. Considering that most of those folks will never actually put pen to paper, I guess you...
Does Every Story Need a Moral?
We read books and stories for a variety of reasons, but one thing is true about all of them -- they change us. That is, you're never exactly the same person after you read a story as you were before you read it. But does that mean every tale needs to have a moral?...