» A Guest Author

How to Write a Bad Guy Readers Will Root For

By Amanda Nicholson Do you struggle to write realistic bad guys in your fiction? Maybe you wonder why TV shows like Dexter are popular, or what You (both a book and successful Netflix series) is getting right, that you try so hard to replicate. If so, the following suggestions might help. Give your bad guy…

Issue Four Hundred Fifty Nine

10 Literary Scholarship, Residency, and Grant Opportunities in March

By NmaHassan Muhammad The following opportunities have different requirements and limitations, so please read the details carefully before submitting. We wish our readers the best of luck! Highlights Foundation New Scholarships Highlights Foundation have put a new, streamlined process in place for scholarship applications and will award more than $75,000 in scholarships in 2022. The…

Issue Four Hundred Fifty Eight

Writing Book Reviews to Promote Your Own Books

By Emily-Jane Hills Orford If you’ve written and published a book, you know the importance of book reviews, both good and bad (yes, bad reviews are important, too). But did you know that writing reviews of books you’ve read and publishing them on various sites is a great way to promote your own book(s)? It…

Issue Four Hundred Fifty Eight Special Feature

Make More Money With an Audiobook

By Amanda Nicholson Making money as a self-published author isn’t always easy, but having your book available in more formats can help introduce readers to your work. One way of doing this is by having your book adapted into an audiobook. If you’re unsure how to do this, or think it might be too costly,…

Issue Four Hundred Fifty Seven Special Feature

Case Study: The Potrero Complex’s Journey to Publication

By Amy L. Bernstein When poet Robert Frost wrote about two roads diverging in a yellow wood, I doubt he had in mind all the writers striving to get happily (and traditionally) published. But my own publishing journey thus far suggests that there are indeed divergent roads a writer can take to reach the same…

Case Studies Issue Four Hundred Fifty Six

Why Famous Authors Use Pen Names – And Why You Should Consider Using One

By Rod Martinez JD Robb, Richard Bachman, Robert Galbraith, Mark Twain. You’ve heard of them; they are renowned names in the literary world – pen names of famous authors. But what causes an author to not want to use his or her real given legal name when writing? Authors have many reasons why they do…

Issue Four Hundred Fifty Six Special Feature

8 Funding Opportunities for Writers this February 2022

by NmaHassan Muhammad Below are a number of funding opportunities for writers that are open to submissions. If a deadline is known, it is included. Whale Rock Workshops’ 2022 Diversity Grant Whale Rock Workshops is working in conjunction with Greatest Stories Never Told (501c3) to offer BIPOC and other under-represented students full tuition coverage to…

Issue Four Hundred Fifty Four

The What, Why, and How of Plotting Your Novel

By Sarina Byron No debate divides a bunch of writers faster than a discussion on whether they plot their written pieces or not. Some writers feel that creating a plot for their story or article is limiting. They feel that spending time on a plot outline stifles their creativity and they do much better when…

Issue Four Hundred Fifty Two

3 Absolute Musts for Every Self-Published Author

By TC Marti Self-published authors often struggle to find a readership. And it’s not uncommon to see them drop out of the industry after they find few readers willing to take a chance on their work. Therefore, they must use strategies to build their audience months, if not a year, before they publish their first…

Issue Four Hundred Fifty Three Special Feature

Opportunities for Fellowships and Scholarships in January 2022

by Hassan Muhammad The following list provides you with excellent opportunities to start the year with a foot through the door. So stop your procrastination – please! – and get your application out – before deadlines arrive. Best of luck with your applications! Also please note that Princeton University Press has a great fellow opportunity…

Issue Four Hundred Fifty One

16 Literary Magazines Seeking Volunteer Readers & Why You’d Want To Participate

By Trish Hopkinson There are a variety of reasons you may want to volunteer as a reader for a literary magazine or journal. The majority of reading and other volunteer responsibilities will be conducted online, so you need not be in the same geographical area. Below are some of those reasons to consider, as well…

Special Issue

The 5 Elements of Plot Outlines

Sarina Byron If you are reading this article, you may have identified a theme and storyline for your book. You could have even made some notes about things you want to include and possibly done some research on the different ways to plot the story. Having gone through this, by now you may appreciate that…

Issue Four Hundred Forty Six

End of Year Funding Opportunities for Writers

by Hassan Muhammad These opportunities include prize awards, scholarships and fellowships. Opportunities are reproduced from the respective websites. 12 x 12 2022 Challenge Scholarships There are six scholarships available for 2022, three Financial Need Scholarships and three Diversity Scholarships. You are welcome to apply for either or both scholarships (although you can only be awarded…

Issue Four Hundred Forty Four

Creating a Successful Author Patreon

By Aliya Hall Outside of book sales and contest prizes, it can be challenging for authors to bring in income for their creative writing skills. Fortunately, there’s a handful of websites where fans can directly pay authors for their creative goods, all while authors grow their reader base. Patreon is one of the best options…

Issue Four Hundred Forty Three

Small Press versus Big House: How Does a Thoughtful, Ambitious Author Decide?

By JoAnneh Nagler I remember the week it happened. I was writing my first book, was two-thirds of the way through it, and I suddenly lost my nerve. Or, more accurately, I got angry—pissed off, actually. I had the suddenly-occurring realization that I could spend all this time writing my beloved book, and it was…

Issue Four Hundred Forty Two

Articles by A Guest Author