August 8, 2018
Hope’s Hacks (some ways to break up that writer’s block) *About the column: Hope Bolinger provides biweekly tips to help you through that writer’s block slump. As a person who has suffered from severe depression and anxiety for eight years, she knows first-hand what it’s like to not want to roll out of bed and face a blank screen and blinking cursor. Here are some […]
July 25, 2018
Hope’s Hacks *About the column: Hope Bolinger provides biweekly tips to help you through that writer’s block slump. As a person who has suffered from severe depression and anxiety for eight years, she knows first-hand what it’s like to not want to roll out of bed and face a blank screen and blinking cursor. Here are some ways she’s learned to beat that writer’s block.* […]
July 19, 2018
Do you want to write 30K-40K+ words in a weekend? Do you want to write faster? You can. Become a binge writer. Binge writing is an impassioned writing session during an elongated time period. It can last from five hours to fifty hours. A binge writing session is uninterrupted—apart from limited sleep. Many writers spend years attempting to finish their stories, but they never do. […]
June 19, 2018
Do you want to make $100,000+/year writing books? If so, these are two podcasts you need to start listening to today. Podcasts provide a wealth of free information, news, and strategies for helping you achieve all of your writing goals. But, most people don’t listen to podcasts, or at the very least, they aren’t listening to the right podcasts. The “right” podcasts will teach you […]
May 19, 2018
In 1983 Play It Again Sports launched in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and within five years the store burst on the national scene through franchising opportunities. The stores used sporting equipment resale concept found quick success as many customers looked to cash-in on low prices. Many sports require equipment that has a lifetime much longer than the average participants age or developmental phase which creates an ever-growing […]
April 19, 2018
The publishing industry doesn’t give any free passes. Ever opportunity, conversation, meeting, email, and phone call has a price. Nothing is free for anyone. What is the price? Time. Time is the most valuable currency that a writer, publisher, editor, or agent has to give. Those emails, phone calls, etc. also have a finite price tag. Someone is on the clock somewhere, but those dollars […]
March 19, 2018
Every writer struggle with spell checking their own writing. It’s just how our minds work. Thankfully, technology allows us to have different options on spell checking our work. Some of those options are contained within word-processing software such as Microsoft Word, Scrivener, and many others. I’ve included in this post three tech tools for authors that will help you spellcheck your work. PRO WRITING […]
February 13, 2018
As an agent, I often come across authors and industry professionals who have no idea what BookBub is. BookBub is currently the single best promotion opportunity for any eBook and it is highly sought after by authors and publishers in the “know”. So, what is BookBub? BookBub is a free opt-in daily email that sends free and discounted eBook deals to your inbox. It notifies […]
January 19, 2018
Last year, I wrote a series of short stories. I wanted to self-publish them in order to build my newsletter mailing list, but I needed to find unbiased Beta readers who could give me “real” feedback. I didn’t want to ask my friends and family, for fear they would give me the standard pat on the back or false approval. I wanted raw feedback. […]
December 14, 2017
Do you wish you could beat writing deadlines, the smart way? Well, now you can! If you have ever struggled to beat deadlines, or struggled to hold yourself accountable to deadlines that you set yourself, be relieved. Modern research has provided some powerful insight to human psyche. M.I.T. the Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently completed a study. In the study they tested whether or not […]
September 14, 2017
A master novelist paints his story with dynamic two-dimensional characters. The characters are woven into the story like puzzle pieces. Each is important to the final picture, but standing alone they bring no significant revelation to the final image. Two-dimensional characters are flat. They lack depth, are partially developed, and often are stereotypically inclined. But stories need two-dimensional characters. They bring the story to life, […]
August 14, 2017
Different body parts experience the sensation of touch in unique ways. Fingertips have heightened levels of sensitivity, but the tip of an elbow is desensitized. Depending on how you touch on object with certain body parts the feeling or experience will be different and should be described relative to the sensation. A few weeks ago I went camping in Northern Michigan. As I hung my […]
July 19, 2017
Now that we’ve taken a deeper look at two of the senses, sound and sight. Let’s take a more in depth look at one of the hardest senses to describe in some settings—taste. All great authors write using the five senses, and the best know how to incorporate just a touch of taste to highlight an emotion, experience, or mood, or to fill out a […]
June 15, 2017
I don’t know about you, but every time I smell cinnamon rolls in the oven, I am transported back to 1980’s. My thoughts drift to waking up on Sunday morning to the sweet smell of breakfast baking in the kitchen. My stomach growls. My mouth salivates, and I can almost hear my mother rustling the dishes. What a great memory from my childhood. Smell has […]