We should start a Swoon Reads forum. Here’s something I discussed with a writer from the site: How do people do to read your ENTIRE book in minutes, an hour, and rate you and comment you right away? My answer is, they don’t. Here’s how I know this. I uploaded my manuscript at, let’s say, […]
Go Pro! Why You Want a Professional Website or Blog
Do you have a professional website or blog? Although it can be tempting to just opt for the free choice, every writer needs a professional website. Sometimes free is a viable option, and, let’s face it, just plain cool. But you still pay a price when you choose free – even if it doesn’t come […]
How Do I Tell My Story? Choosing the Best Narrative
I’m often asked about narrative: How do I know what tense to use to tell my story? In whose POV (*Point Of View) should I tell it? Should it be in first-person or third person…or second-person? (Wait, is there such a thing as second-person??) Choosing a narrative isn’t as easy as some are maybe led […]
Build the Brand that is YOU with Paul Angone’s “101 Secrets For Your Twenties”
“Truly going after your dream can feel like rappelling into the Grand Canyon – enormous, overwhelming, breathtaking, and a very real feeling that you might fall to your DEATH.” What does it mean to truly go after your dream? For a good chunk of my 20-something life, I tried on new career options like they […]
Writing Myth B-U-S-T-E-D! What You Really Need to Know About Writing
I’m consistently shocked by how many young kids and teens say they can’t write. I write say they can’t write because they can actually write – if given the right tools and motivation. Unfortunately, the right tools and motivation aren’t often given to kids and teens within the school system. Heck, sometimes even in creative […]
Does it Really Matter Where I Market My Novel?
~ The photo featured with this post is by Marina Blaze Photography! Check out more of her photos on Facebook. ~ Since a lot of people know I’m a marketing genius into marketing, I’m often asked the question, “Alright, Smarty Pants, so where would you market my novel?” Okay, minus the “smarty pants”. The point […]
What is Creative Anxiety?
There’s a story I just love, that I heard from the popular TED talk with Sir Ken Robinson. (It’s a very good talk, by the way, if you haven’t seen it; really funny and really moving.) He’s talking about creative kids and the traditional school system, and he goes into a story about a young […]
I Want to Be Published, NOW! Obliterate the “Get Rich Quick” Mentality: Be Brave, Start Small
When I was in high school, I secretly wanted to be a young, published author. I think every teenage writer does. What else can we expect of our young writers when, as a society, we’re constantly throwing the likes of J.K. Rowling’s explosive Harry Potter success story in their faces? I mean, for a couple […]
4 Points: What Can We Learn from Target’s “Love” Commercial About Making Our Own Art?
Characters First or Story First? A Checklist for Creating Dynamite Characters
Any writer knows there’s no right or wrong way to start telling your story. You’ll hear writers talk about outlining versus little-to-no outlining; some prefer to do detailed outlines while some (like me) do their best work when writing on-the-fly. You don’t hear quite as much talk, though, about the order of creating characters and […]
