Interview with Sarah Warburton, First Place Winner of Spring 2010 Flash Fiction Contest,

Sarah Warburton is a writer, wife, the mother of two, and a knitter (not necessarily in that order) living in Sugar Land, TX. After earning an M.A. in Classics from the University of Georgia and another from Brown University, she spent time working in independent bookstores, reading and writing. She’s studied at the University of New Mexico with Sharon Oard Warner and Julie Shigekuni, at the Taos...

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1 comment first place winner, Marcia Peterson, Sarah Warburton, Spring 2010 Flash Fiction Contest

Syndication: An Overlooked Option for Writers

By Jill PertlerSyndication--for many writers, this term signifies a specialized niche for journalists, columnists, and folks named Erma. I'd like to challenge that line of thinking. Self-syndication is a flexible means to sell your work to multiple sources and cash multiple paychecks. If you get creative, there are lots of paths where syndication can take you--without even considering changing your...

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Leave a Comment Jill Pertler, syndicating a newspaper column, syndication, The Do-It-Yourselfer's Guide to Self-Syndication

Help or Hinder--Lots of Description

How much description is too much? She sat in the big blue chair, twirling her long brown tresses around her right pointer finger, and from her chestnut brown eyes she stared listlessly out the green-curtain clad window. Rewrite this to suit your idea of the perfect amount of description. The reader needs to know she has a quirk of twirling her hair, the color of her hair doesn't matter, and staring...

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3 comments Cher'ley Grogg, creative writing, descriptions, Edmund Leighton, games, less is more, Meredith Sue Willis, reword, rework, too little description, too much description

From History Teacher to History Writer - An Interview with Judith Redline Coopey

Pennsylvania native, Judith Redline Coopey, made the switch in from history teacher to full-time historical fiction writer in 2004 and published her first book, Redfield Farm: A Novel of the Underground Railroad in August 2010. “I think characters are vitally important to one’s work,” Coopey says via e-mail. “Ann Redfield, the heroine of Redfield Farm is someone I’d like to know. She’s strong,...

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1 comment author interview, Judith Redline Coopey, Redfield Farm

Friday Speak Out!: The Naysayers, Guest Post by Holli Moncrieff

The Naysayersby Holli MoncrieffDear readers,What's your reaction to the word "can't"? If someone tells you that you can't do something, do you believe him? Or does a stubborn streak kick in from out of nowhere, making you more determined than ever to prove that person wrong?One sad fact of life is that there will always be naysayers in the world. When everyone else is encouraging you to dream big,...

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7 comments doubt, Friday Speak Out, Holli Moncrieff, motivation, naysayers, writing inspiration

The Interview Conundrum

A funny thing happened today during an interview.I'm working on a piece for the local newspaper about an anniversary celebration for an establishment. After getting "yes" and "no" answers to my thought-provoking, open-ended questions, I asked if I could speak with a media liaison. I believe I was introduced to the secretary, but I'm not sure. Our conversation went something like this:Question #1 - How many participants for "x" event?Answer #1 - 52.Question #2 - Any former CEO's attending?Answer...

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Leave a Comment finding an angle, interview, interview gone bad, interview questions, LuAnn Schindler, rephrase questions

The Material’s Out There

By Jill Earl"The material's out there, a calm lake waiting for us to dive in." - Beverly LowryThis quote will become part of my go-to list for inspiration during those “What the heck do I write about?” moments when I’m looking for something---anything---to jumpstart my thinking. It causes me to remember this: The material is out there.One time the material came during the walk I thought I needed...

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Leave a Comment Jill Earl, writing, writing inspiration

The Strength of a Writer's Village

Speaking to a friend the other day, we laughed at our unlikely friendship. We are compatible, but we tend to speak about work a lot. We're both writers, but in separate areas of the field. We both have clients, so we exchange tips about chasing down a check or how to write a proposal. But one area where we diverge is that I'm always hoping to shift my client base that of loyal readers. Book readers of my fiction. It's something she politely listens to, but she has no interest in becoming...

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Leave a Comment Elizabeth King Humphrey, writers' community

Margo Candela, author of Good-bye To All That, launches her blog tour!

& Book Giveaway Comments Contest!Margo Candela's husband owes her six months...preferably on a tropical island sipping margaritas. The deal was: she had three years to write her first novel Underneath It All and find a publisher. She signed the book contract at 2 1/2 years so she still has six months coming to her. She's been musing over a few brochures of Fiji.Of course, Underneath It All...

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34 comments author blog tour, book giveaway contest, chick lit, Good-bye To All That, Margo Candela

Procrastinating? Not Motivated? Get To The Core (Belief) Of The Problem.

For months now I have been trying to finish a short story, actually, I haven’t even started—I have a basic outline. You wouldn’t believe the disturbances that have come between me and that project…from writer’s block to sick parents to a swarm of bees; it would be laughable if it wasn’t so frustrating. For awhile I toyed with the idea that there was a menacing writing-demon wreaking havoc with my project; I finally had to admit to myself that it all came down to self-sabotage by my internal...

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Leave a Comment false beliefs, fear, Get to the core belief of the problem, procrastination, self-judgment, writers tips

Friday Speak Out!: Get in the Game, Guest Post by Julie Anne Lindsey

Get in the Gameby Julie Anne LindseyFor every thoughtful commenter on this board, there are probably more than 50 regular lurkers. I know this because I was one of them. While there is value in lurking, there is also a season for it. Eventually though, the time comes to get out of the shadows and get involved.Initially, lurking allows new writers to learn. We learn about the publishing culture, about...

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6 comments Friday Speak Out, Julie Ann Lindsey, web presence, writer inspiration

A Proactive Approach to Promoting Your Writing

You may have just written the next greatest novel in the world, but if no one has ever heard about it, no one will ever read it. It is a common misconception that once your book is written and published it’s all downhill from there. This is hardly ever true. In fact, for most writers, this is where the hardest work begins. You, as a writer, love to write, feel comfortable spending many hours alone...

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Leave a Comment author promotion, Book Signing, highlights foundation, public speaking, school visits

Write Your Book in Five Days: The Tom Bird Method

Besides being the author of 21 books, best-selling author Tom Bird has devoted himself to delivering the method he designed, which has led to his success, to as many aspiring authors as possible. A combination literary midwife and book whisperer, Tom says that what he shares transforms aspiring writers into published authors. Recently, he has become best known as the architect of his "Write Your...

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Leave a Comment advice for writers, craft of writing, finding a literary agent, Margo L. Dill, Tom Bird Method

Back to School Tips for Students and Writers

School bells began ringing yesterday in this area. In other states, the kiddos will be learning the 3 R's after Labor Day. If you have children or grandchildren at home, you can adapt some back-to-school tips to your routine, too.Read more. Even before school begins, it's good to get students into an established reading routine. Good students are good readers. Good readers make good writers. Apply this to your situation: how much time do you set aside for reading every day? And I'm not...

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2 comments back to school tips, LuAnn Schindler, reading, reading writers, technology, unplug

Who Will Stop You?

By Jill Earl"It isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me." - Ayn RandThe latest rejection letter. A firm ‘no’ on that promising book proposal. The unsupportive spouse and kids. We encounter obstacles to our writing constantly. It’s so tempting to chuck it all and go back to our former writing-free lives, isn’t it?Only problem? Writing’s become a part of you, sunken so deep inside...

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3 comments Jill Earl, writing, writing advice

Technology: The Hiccup in the Road to Being Read

So, admittedly, I'm late posting this entry. It took my laptop a little longer than usual to warm up today.For months, my writing has been steadily building, becoming more and more reliant on technology. I don't know about you, but I've come to rely on technology so much that my writing would be severely hampered without my computers.I'm of the era that, although my college classmates had computers, I didn't see the need until I had my 100-page senior thesis to write. Remind me, how did...

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3 comments daily writing, Elizabeth King Humphrey, technology

Smart Phones and Apps that Aide Writers

There's an app for that. The smart phones do so much more than make calls or connect to the internet.  The smart phone is expanding the laptop (a writer's best tool). There's an abundance of apps to make the writer's life easier and more productive. On The Go-Lightning Fast Service Writers can't always take a laptop with us, but most of them keep their cell phones close by. The speed with...

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1 comment applications, Cherley Groggpublisher, Droid, Smart phone, writing resources