Articles by A Guest Author

How to Engage Your Readers By Editing for Who, What, Where, When Why, & How

By Wendy S. Delmater As a writer you want your readers fully immersed in your world, as seen through the eyes of a character that they fully identify with. The last, the very last thing you want to do is break the suspension of disbelief.  In this final entry in a series of articles, I’ve…
Issue Three Hundred Thirty Eight Special Feature

Three Unusual Ways to Market Your Books

By Phil Bowie If you’ve exhausted all the usual ways to promote your books—having a nice-looking website, presenting an energetic social media presence, taking part in blog tours, seeking reviews, giving talks to civic and writers’ groups, doing traditional bookstore signings, and so on, here are three easy low- or no-cost unusual promotions that have…
Issue Three Hundred Thirty Six Special Feature

Three Reasons To Kill Your Darlings

By Ben Graff As writers, we have a natural tendency to like and feel protective toward our work. What appears to flow on the page when it is finally read by others, is actually the result of many desk hours, false starts and significant re-drafting. Still, perhaps for all the care we already take, there…
Issue Three Hundred Thirty Four Special Feature

What To Do About Imposter Syndrome

By Wendy S. Delmater Is there anything a writer can do about “Imposter Syndrome,” that feeling that you are just faking it and you’re not really who everyone in the writing community thinks you are? Yes. Let me use myself as an example. Back when in 2005, I started running Abyss & Apex, I used…
Issue Three Hundred Thirty Three Special Feature Uncategorized

A Professional Editor’s Perspective on Novelettes and Novellas

Wendy S. Delmater You may be one of a number of authors who finds themselves writing at the novella or novelette length. What is a novella or a novelette? Here are the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America’s definition of what constitutes a short story, novelette, novella or novel. It is based on the…
Issue Three Hundred Twenty Nine Special Feature

What Not to Do: Who, What, Or Why?

Wendy S. Delmater As a writer you want your readers fully immersed in your world, as seen through the eyes of a character that they fully identify with. The very last thing you want to do is break the reader’s trance state.  This is the first in a series of articles where I’ll use the…
Issue Three Hundred Twenty Nine Special Feature

Genre: A Novel’s Flavor

By Modupeh Duncan Writing a novel comes with many challenges: finding time to write on a busy schedule, developing a consistent and intriguing plot, navigating character threads, creating well-rounded, realistic characters, etc. But something that most people do not spend enough time thinking about is genre. Selecting a genre seems almost intuitive; however, there is…
Issue Three Hundred Thirty Five Special Feature

Three Reasons To Work With An Editor On Your Book

Ben Graff For any writer, knowing how to make your book the best it can possibly be, is not an easy question. For the new author it is even more acute. What you have written matters. You have lived with the story for so long in your head. All those desk hours later something real…
Issue Three Hundred Twenty Five Special Feature

Five Literary Journals that Publish Social Justice Writing

By Uma Menon The following is a list of five literary journals and magazines that encourage and publish submissions of social justice writing. Glass: A Journal of Poetry Glass: A Journal of Poetry includes a special feature, Poets Resist, dedicated to resistance poems on current events. They are looking for work that engages with political…
Issue Three Hundred Twenty Four Special Feature

How to Reach International Readers With Your Books

by K.A. Wiggins The US is (still) the largest English-language book market, but the gap is rapidly shrinking. China’s publishing industry is taking off. India’s millions of English-speakers spend twice as much time reading as Americans. Italy and Germany have strong translation markets. Whether independent or traditionally published, authors who overlook the value of connecting…
Issue Three Hundred Twenty Four Special Feature

Inside an Independent Bookstore: What Writers Should Know

By David Perez I’m a writer and published author working at Op. Cit., a locally owned, independent bookstore in Taos, New Mexico. Formerly called Moby Dickens, the shop has been in business for thirty years. From my decade of employment there, I’d like to offer a few insights. First, the sheer volume of books published…
Issue Three Hundred Twenty Three Special Feature

Keeping a Writing Career On Track With Query Tracker

Karen McGeorge Sanders Need an agent? Can’t remember which agents or publishers were queried for which project? Query Tracker may be the solution.   Query Tracker (QT) is an online query tracking system that allows users to find agents and publishers in English speaking countries, list those they are querying, and track responses. It was…
Issue Three Hundred Twenty Two Special Feature

How to Engage Your Readers By Editing for Who, What, Where, When Why, & How

— Wendy S. Delmater This is the second article in a series, the first can be read here. As a writer you want your readers fully immersed in your world, as seen through the eyes of a character that they fully identify with. The last, the very last thing you want to do is break…
Issue Three Hundred Thirty Seven Special Feature

How to Create a Fan Club for Your Writing on Facebook

By Kia Carrington-Russell I remember starting out as a young author, utterly naïve to the hard work ahead of me and the different ways to connect with readers on a personal level. In my opinion, having a supportive group was a massively influential part of my development as an author. When creating a Facebook Group…
Issue Three Hundred Twenty One Special Feature

Knowing When to Rewrite

By Richie Billings I had a sickening moment not long ago. While thinking how best to put the pieces of a story together, I realized none of it worked. It was like trying to place triangles into oblongs.  Before nausea came panic, and when at last they both settled, I realized I had a decision…
Issue Three Hundred Twenty Special Feature

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