9 Tips to Writing for a Woman’s Heart
© 2013 Janet Chester Bly Creative writing begins with an idea. What follows determines the result. The motivation. Perseverance. Research. Drafts and rewrites. The sweat to make it happen. But…
Five Ways NOT to Attract an Editor’s Attention
© 2013 W. Terry Whalin Will Rogers is credited with saying, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” As an acquisitions editor, I read book…
Humor in Fiction
© 2013 Sandra Balzo When I sat down to write my first Maggy Thorsen coffee mystery, Uncommon Grounds, I didn't intend it to be humorous. Why I didn't realize that having…
Creating a Quality e-Product
© 2013 Susan K. Stewart Publisher’s Weekly reported that e-book sales rose by 117% in 2011 while print sales fell. That trend seems to be leveling off now. So for most…
From Soup to Nuts
© 2013 Tracy Crump One mistake authors make in trying to write for Chicken Soup for the Soul and other anthologies is covering too much ground. Chicken Soup wants short stories, not…
Make Your Story Captivating
© 2013 Frank Ball People who most need to hear our messages aren’t listening because they live in a video world that is more exciting than what they see in…
Think Like a Kid—Write Like a Pro
© 2013 Donna Shepherd What’s your first step in writing a book for children? When I start a new project, I begin by thinking like a kid. Remember asking Mom…
Why I Can’t Write Now
© 2013 Judy Sliger I have cancer. I have recurrent ovarian cancer. I have recurrent ovarian cancer, and I’ve been on chemo over ten months. The chemo—at best—is barely slowing…
The IRS Doesn’t Email and Other Tax Tips for Writers
© 2013 Carol Topp, CPA This is the time of year writers suddenly realize they have to treat their passion as a business. Below are warnings and tips that can…
I Don’t Have to Publish a Book to Be a Writer
© 2012 Pat Brown Holland My mind is fueled with writing ideas, yet sometimes their completion seems to be an impossible dream. During one of these periods, I visited my…