» A Guest Author

5 Things You Need to Know as an Indie Author

By Dominic Carrillo The more I write and self-publish books, the more often I am asked about how to do it. Instead of offering advice on what to do, I end up feeling like Ralph Nader serving up cautionary tales. Indeed, understanding what not to do might be the best start for emerging indie authors….

Issue Two Hundred Three Special Feature

It’s Okay to Write For Yourself

By Christine M. Estel Like so many women–maybe you, too–I have a plethora of commitments in my life. I have a full-time career, a family and home to care for, friends I enjoy entertaining, and so on. While I barely have room for another morsel on my plate, I recently decided to pursue a long-time…

Issue Two Hundred Two Special Feature

Four Economical Ways to Get Your Work Edited

By Aisha Idris For chefs, a new dish should never be served to a large audience without being taste tested. Similarly, when you write a new piece you will always require someone to read your work and correct it for a smoother reading experience. Editing is essential if you are about to send your work…

Issue Two Hundred Special Feature

The Importance of Beta Readers

By Jana Begovic Both the ancient Roman poet Horace and the Greek philosopher Longinus agreed that the purpose of literature is to instruct and delight the reader. However, once carried away on the wings of inspiration, authors may not always have a specific readership or a genre in mind, and can only hope the products…

Issue One Hundred Ninety Nine Special Feature

Evocative Word Lists for Writing

By Virginia Brasch As a writer, I’ve seen many great lists: descriptive words, adjectives, strong verbs, over used adverbs, clichés to avoid, romantic words, crutch words, and on and on. I also love to scribble in notebooks when my own manuscripts need rethinking, something to keep my hands busy and my mind moving in a…

Issue One Hundred Ninety Eight Special Feature

How to Prepare to Write Your Novel

By Wesley Thomas Whether you are a new writer or a seasoned author, it is crucial to prepare for your novel. But how exactly does an author prepare? Does the mere concept overwhelm you? Do not fear, once upon a time I felt the same way until I developed a list. With time the preparations will change…

Issue One Hundred Ninety Five Special Feature

Eight Free Writing Contests With Cash Prizes

By S. Kalekar This is a list of writing competitions with upcoming deadlines that award cash prizes – for short fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, and for various ages, genres and eligibility criteria. All are free to enter. Bodley Head/Financial Times Essay Prize 2016 The essay should be dynamic, authoritative and lively, and could address any…

issue One Hundred Ninety One Special Feature

Anthologies: How to Boost Your Writing Credentials

By K.N. Johnson “Oh, you’re a writer! Have you published a book?” For some writers, this question is easy to answer. Their Amazon or Goodreads author page confirms their writerly status with a list of traditionally or self-published books. For those still working on a first book, admitting we’re not yet published can feel like…

Issue One Hundred Ninety Six Special Feature

7 Ways To Stay Motivated In Your Writing

By Kelli Fitzpatrick A former student recently emailed me asking how I stay motivated to write. As a full-time teacher, I am under a constant barrage of demands on my attention, but writing is too important to let slip. The following are my best pieces of advice for keeping your eyes on the prize. Create…

Issue One Hundred Ninety Special Feature

10 Tips for Staying Active When Your Work Is Sedentary

Written By Jean Knight Pace For most of my married life, my primary job was to be an at-home mother. I played with my kids and managed our household, working on my writing at night and in the quiet crevices of my days. My first novel, Grey Stone, was written like this. And then, last…

Issue One Hundred Eighty Seven Special Feature

How to Write a Compelling Short Story

Written By Stephanie Norman Have you ever wondered what makes people so impressed by short stories? There is something magical about the ability of an author to capture so much wisdom in so few words. The sentences are magnetic. The reader may spend less than an hour with the story, but the effect will last…

Issue One Hundred Eighty Three Special Feature

4 Ways to Fund Your Self Published Novel

By Elizabeth Wangare Publishing should be the next step after writing your book, but is it? Many manuscripts have found their abode underneath beds and in drawers due to different constraints. Chief of these is lack of funds; whether actual or imaginary. Imaginary because some publishers have basic publishing option for about $78; even with…

Issue One Hundred Eighty Nine Special Feature

Writing Is My Job.

Written by Jen Jones Every writer, at some point in their career, has heard the words, “Writing isn’t a real job.” Only another writer can truly understand the frustration of hearing those words and being made to feel as if your dream is only a waste of time. It can be even worse if someone…

Issue One Hundred Seventy Seven Special Feature

3 Free Writing Residencies

Written By Tilly Horton “Every kind of creative work demands solitude, and being alone, constructively alone, is a prerequisite for every phase of the creative process.” ~ Barbara Powell Stepping out of our daily grind from time to time can help to refresh perspective and reinvigorate creativity, and residencies can be a great way to do…

Issue One Hundred Seventy Five Special Feature

How Walking Helped Me Become A Better Writer

Written By Julie Guirgis Modern studies have shown walking may be one of the most valuable means of achieving states of literary and philosophical enlightenment. Many writers have discovered a deep, intuitive connection between walking, thinking, and writing. When we walk, the heart pumps faster, circulating more blood and oxygen to all the organs, including…

Issue One Hundred Seventy Nine Special Feature

Articles by A Guest Author