» A Guest Author

Where to Find the Right Story Idea for You

By Emily-Jane Hills Orford The blank screen on your laptop is just as painful to look at as a piece of blank paper sitting on a typewriter. The lack of writing ideas has put you in a slump, as it has done for many other writers throughout writing history. What you need is an idea…

Issue Five Hundred Thirty Six

What to Do When the Ink Runs Dry

By JM Albandoz Have you ever forgotten food in the oven? That’s the perfect recipe to burn anything to a crisp. Cooking and writing are both about taking ingredients (or ideas) and coming up with something delightful – but burning works somewhat differently when writing: you have to think about your craft for too long…

Issue Five Hundred Thirty Five

How to Find and Utilize Hashtags as an Author on TikTok

By Alyshia Hull If you are an author looking to build your brand and connect with potential readers on TikTok, using hashtags can be a great way to boost your visibility and increase your reach. Hashtags categorize your content and make your videos more discoverable to potential readers. But with so many hashtags, how do…

Issue Five Hundred Thirty Four

Don’t Change Your Debut

By Grace Bialecki I was nearly finished with my first novel when I met up with an author acquaintance to ask for advice about getting a literary agent. It was a bitter New York winter night, and I felt icy and invigorated as I slid into the bar. Soon I would send out my manuscript…

Case Studies Issue Five Hundred Thirty Three

It’s Time to Stop Reading and Start Writing

By Ratika Deshpande Let me ask you a question: in the last week or month, how much time have you spent reading about writing? How many articles on how to open your novel? How many articles on the routines of famous writers? How many articles describing the success stories of those who’ve come before you?…

Issue Five Hundred Thirty Two

Locking it Down During Lockdown: Writing and Publishing During the Pandemic

— By A. K. Adler Lockdown was good for me. Suddenly, everyone seemed to be in a fervour of baking banana bread and online workout groups. I’ve always hated baking and exercise, so I took a writing course. Until that point, writing had been a hobby. I’d already written three novels, and self-published them because,…

Issue Five Hundred Thirty One

3 Mistakes That Eventually Led to a Small Press Contract

By Jean Burgess If you are one of those “full steam ahead” types, who are too impatient to learn from your mistakes, then stop reading now. However, if you are willing to learn how, as a novice fiction writer, I made a few major mistakes and still ended up landing a contract with a small…

Issue Five Hundred Thirty

How to Make Your Emotional Scenes Believable and Engaging

By Emily-Jane Hills Orford Are you writing a tear-jerker scene? Or a passionate love scene? How about something humorous? Emotions are a powerful tool to engage readers. You want them laughing, crying and getting involved with the characters. What are some of the techniques you can use to embellish the emotions? From asking the famous…

Issue Five Hundred Thirty Uncategorized

How to Use Reels & Shorts to Grow Your Author Platform

by Syris Valentine Whether you’re pursuing indie or traditional publishing, practically every author needs their own platform to help market their books. The world of author marketing can be overwhelming at times. Even when you’re only concerned with social media, there’s a lot to decide. Do you choose Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or any of…

Issue Five Hundred Twenty Nine Special Feature

Writing Tips that Help Me Sleep: Plus Thoughts From Other Authors

By Tom Vandel I started writing because I couldn’t sleep. I’d lie awake at night thinking of a story (mine was about getting lost in Montana) and my mind would conjure and ponder and wonder what if, what if, on and on, until I realized I had to write the damn thing in order to…

Issue Five Hundred Twenty Eight Special Feature

How to Write Nonfiction Books for Young and Emerging Readers

By Ann Ingalls The first word I ever read and made sense of was the word come. I sat alone at my parents’ dining room table. Held my book and it occurred to me that C made a hard sound. M made a soothing sound. That was enough information to read the word. I was gob-smacked!…

Issue Five Hundred Twenty Seven

Dealing With “Backseat Writers”

by Ellen Levitt Have you ever been at the wheel of your car, and one of the passengers starts telling you what to do, griping about your driving, and otherwise trying to do your job? Then you’ve dealt with a backseat driver, and it can be wearisome. Have you ever found yourself in the kitchen…

Issue Five Hundred Twenty Six

Imitating John Steinbeck: A Guide to Keeping a Writing Log

By Ratika Deshpande Every time John Steinbeck sat down to write the next words of his masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath, he first wrote in his journal. This notebook, which was later published as Working Days: The Journals of The Grapes of Wrath gives us a look inside Steinbeck’s mind—his struggles, his inspiration, his self-doubt,…

Issue Five Hundred Twenty Six

The Story Behind “This Is Not My Story”

By Ryan Uytdewilligen In early-2015, I was working outside in the rain when an idea for my first children’s picture book struck me like lightning. It was about a little talking raindrop named Drew Drop who loses his parents when they are absorbed by the sun through the water cycle. It rhymed. It was philosophical….

Issue Five Hundred Twenty Five

Colloquialism in Text

By Ann Ingalls When I moved to Missouri from New York state with my husband and young children, I knew there would be many changes and adjustments. I looked forward to learning about a new part of the country, history, meeting new people, and learning about new customs. What I didn’t expect was the wonderful,…

Issue Five Hundred Twenty Four

Articles by A Guest Author