» A Guest Author

Hiring and Firing Actors for My Novels

By Mark Marderosian When beginning my first draft, I can hear the characters relating their adventure to me and I type away furiously with no qualms about typos or spelling. After the initial draft is when the fun work begins. I picture for the first time that I’m now hiring actors to play the roles…

Issue Three Hundred Eighty One Special Feature

Writing Effective Dialogue: 5 Things to Keep in Mind

By Annmarie McQueen Dialogue is an incredibly important part of storytelling, and yet one of the things many writers struggle with the most. Having characters interact with each other is a key way for information to be revealed, plots to be moved along and things to happen. Dialogue is something you need to get right…

Issue Three Hundred Seventy Nine Special Feature

Crafting a Strong Bio

by Sherry Shahan Writing an effective bio was a recent topic in the Authors Guild community—in particular, when filling out that little box for an online submission. Different types of publications have different length requirements, but are generally in the 50 to 100 word range. All agreed that bios should be written in the third…

Issue Three Hundred Seventy Eight

What to Say to Bad Writing

by Janice R. Torres I was recently asked by a good friend of mine to take a look at their writing and let them know what I thought. I had never read any of their work before, having met them through a freelancer’s meet and greet, but I wanted to be supportive. So, I agreed…

Issue Three Hundred Seventy Seven Special Feature

6 Ways to Increase Your Confidence as a Writer

By Chikodi Olasode A writer’s journey is all about ups and downs, and how you weather the downs can make a real difference. Most writers at some stage doubt themselves or their ability to write. Here, I share some tips that might boost your confidence. 1. AffirmationI’ve seen writers cringe when asked what their occupation…

Issue Three Hundred Seventy Six Special Feature

Free Resources for Pitching to Agents and Publishers

By Stefanie August Since the advent of Internet technology that allows us to research agents and publishers to pitch our work to, there have been tools writers can use. I will address how to use free resources for doing just that, in the competitive world of writing! As an independent author of various genres I…

Issue Three Hundred Seventy Five Uncategorized

The Bio as Self-Advertisement

By Michael J. Moore In a seemingly endless pool of literature, where it can be difficult for even the most talented authors to distinguish themselves, publicity must be sought, and acquired without authors having to pay for it. You can do this by learning to view your bio (usually a 50-100 word description of yourself…

Issue Three Hundred Seventy Four Special Feature Uncategorized

8 Lessons From Legendary Authors That Will Improve Your Writing

By Chikodi Adeola Olasode Are you an aspiring author who’s wondering if it’s the right path? Perhaps you’re one of those struggling with the craft, not sure if being an author is really worth all the stress. Well, here are eight quotes from eight legendary authors that could make you sit up and fasten your…

Issue Three Hundred Seventy Three Special Feature

Writer’s Block: Over a Dozen Solutions to a Non-Problem

By Ken Finley I was sitting in the audience of a writer’s panel at WorldCon in San Antonio when the subject of writer’s block came up. Gail Carrigher was the first to speak, saying there was no such thing. Not one writer on that panel disagreed with her. Several chimed in to express their usual…

Special Issue

5 Marketing Strategies for Your Self-Published Book Launch

By Annmarie McQueen So you’ve edited your novel to perfection and you’re ready to self-publish it on Amazon and show it off to the world. You’ve decided on a launch date, but now what? Setting up a pre-launch marketing campaign is one of the biggest things determining the success of your book launch, and yet…

Issue Three Hundred Seventy Two Special Feature

Submission to Journals as a Form of Promotion

By Cait Moore These days there are a multitude of promotional tactics that authors can use to garner attention for their books. Words like blogging, book tours and personal appearances fall from the mouths of my author friends daily. I agree. They are useful and indeed a necessary part of promotion. However, the lawyer in…

Issue Three Hundred Seventy One Special Feature

9 Ways to Break Through Writer’s Block

By Chikodi Adeola Olasode When you hit writer’s block, you’ll sit for hours in frustration, fiddling with your pen, and no ideas will come through. I know how helpless I feel when my creative well hits an inspiration brick. But there are always ways through and around writer’s block to generate new ideas for short…

Issue Three Hundred Seventy Special Feature

Using Social Media to Promote Your Writing

By Heather Andrews Miller Social media can be extremely helpful in promoting your writing. Whether it is Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn or any other platform, potential clients can find you easily. Make your site attractive, utilizing bold and attractive headlines. Have your contact information readily available. Images attract people to your pages, and there are…

Issue Three Hundred Sixty Eight Special Issue

How Reading Out Loud Can Make You a Better Writer

Victoria Otto Franzese Study after study shows that reading aloud to children provides a multitude of benefits, including sharper focus and better comprehension. Many of these same advantages occur when you read your own writing out loud, which is why doing so can be an important tool for editing your work. Researchers who have found…

Issue Three Hundred Sixty Seven Special Feature

Adventures in Publishing: The Small Press Edition

by: Samantha Bryant I didn’t think it would get as bad as it did. In fact, at the outset, I imagined myself the heroine of a fairy tale, the newly crowned princess–or, rather, published author. But fairy tales are seldom as simple as they seem, and “happily ever after” is sometimes quite short lived. When…

Issue Three Hundred Sixty Six Special Feature

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