Start here with Derek Murphy’s wise words: The number of times I’ve wanted to punch someone for implying that artists ought to starve to create, that our lives and time aren’t worth more than pennies, is a number higher than zero but not a number so high that you…
It’s been said before by far more brilliant people than me, but there is a single key to success in any creative field: DON’T QUIT. The difference between every bestselling author and everyone out there who says they want to be those authors is one person hit that goal already…
I have another secret to share, come here. Closer… closer… STOP! Right there. Look around. Do you see everything around you? This, my friend, is the path to failure. This is where dreams are broken. This is where it all falls apart. We call it life, sometimes adulthood, but what…
I originally published this list in April of 2012. A new friend had found out I’d written a book but at that point the only books I had out were romance. She wanted to be supportive, but didn’t want to read romance. Not every book is for everyone, so here…
… and no one knows what they are. Or so says the infamous quote seen on mugs and hats everywhere people want to make money off of frustrated authors. I’m not saying these are the missing three rules, but they’re my best guess for the time being. 1- Write it…
On one of the writing forums I belong to someone asked how anyone could possibly write with little kids around. What they really wanted to know was: CAN YOU WRITE WITHOUT PUTTING YOUR KIDS IN DAYCARE? Not everyone has a partner, nearby family, or the money needed to create a…
One of the things I’ve noticed while editing for clients and helping with Son Of A Pitch is that many authors are intimidated by the synopsis. This is a standard part of most query packets and something that many authors hate writing. A synopsis is just that: a brief summary…
Remember back in November when we did the free query critique thing? This morning, awesome news was in my in-box! Just wanted to send you a quick thank you. I sent out my first batch of queries this month with the query you critiqued. So far, I’ve gotten 3 full requests…
[View the story “Writing The Disabled” on Storify]
January 1, 2017, marked my two-year anniversary in Alaska. I spent 2016 learning to drive on ice (and not die), dodging moose (without dying), and chasing whales (while avoiding death). There was a bit of a theme in 2016. I only had one book published in 2016, DECOHERENCE, but there…