As we come to the end of the year, I’m reflecting on the writing advice I’ve received. I’m so grateful to those mentors, editors, and writers who have helped me along the way. Where would we writers be without people like that? 1. There is no “right way” to write—soContinue Reading
by Andrea Johnson I wish I had an inspirational story about how I chose to write cozy mysteries. But really, mysteries chose me. I originally started writing romance then quickly got this innovative idea about a series that was part cozy, part legal thriller where the trial stenographer rather thanContinue Reading
Did you know that November is National Manatee Awareness Month? Me either! Until now, of course. And I’m excited to talk about it for a couple of reasons. First, we writers could learn a lot from manatees. I’ve got four important lessons they have to teach us below. Second, manateesContinue Reading
Usually, when we think of writing goals, we think about setting them at the beginning of the year. But here we are nearing the end of the year, and I’m challenging you to set some goals NOW—ones that you can accomplish before the end of the year. There are severalContinue Reading
Few things are as rewarding or as difficult as a career as an independent writer. Whether you work full-time writing, pen novels on the side, or are an aspiring writer hoping to make a name for yourself, you’re likely striking out on your own to build some type of writingContinue Reading
For me, the biggest emotional challenges of being a writer have been self-doubt and frustration. It’s been a long journey – 20 years, to be precise – from when I first began writing The Wayward Spy to its publication. The years were marked with near successes, gutting disappointments, and uncertaintyContinue Reading
If you want to be successful as a writer, you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That’s not easy in today’s world. Americans have become addicted to comfort. There’s a term for it: “comfort addition.” Like any other, this addiction keeps you seeking the next “hit” rather than makingContinue Reading
With Father’s Day coming up soon, I was thinking about the many things I learned from my dad when I was growing up. One of thirteen kids, he quit school early to get a job and help support his family. Later, he enlisted in the Marines and served overseas inContinue Reading
Ekta Garg is the host of the Biblio Breakdown creative writing podcast. Here, she shares some of the top tips she’s given writers on that podcast. by editor Ekta Garg Biblio Breakdown is the brainchild of author Ryan Campbell (who writes as r.r. campbell). It was a semi-regular feature onContinue Reading
Editor Ekta Garg has been editing novels and stories for years, and during that time, she’s noticed some common mistakes writers make. She shares those here to give you a leg up when submitting to contests and publishers. by editor Ekta Garg The first mistake writers make is easily thatContinue Reading
by Ruth Bullivant What does a good book coach do for an author? I hope there aren’t any bad book coaches! There aren’t many of us around yet and if you find one trained by Author Accelerator, they are going to be good. Book Coaches Work with Writers While TheyContinue Reading
by Elizabeth Wheeler Writing after retirement wasn’t something I was thinking about when I left the workplace. After all, I had been writing for decades as a public relations and marketing professional. (My portfolio included newsletters, annual reports, marketing materials, speeches, columns for newspapers, and many more items.) I envisionedContinue Reading