Advice for Writing, Editing, Reading, and Life.
New posts on Mondays (for non-fiction) or Fridays (for fiction)
The Paradox of Platform
If you already have a built in fan-base from another venture, such as internet videos or a television show, your book will be a much easier sell than someone with no web presence, regardless of how good or bad either book actually is. As a person with virtually no platform, I know how that sounds—envious and a little bitter. To some extent it probably is, I confess, but it’s also just the reality of producing art for profit.
Five Characteristics of a Great Writing Group
Like it or not, you will never be all you can be as a writer until you open yourself up to outside feedback. Every writer needs an editor, every editor needs a reader, and every reader needs a writer. A critique group is a wonderful way to begin widening the circle of people who see and respond to your work, but I don’t recommend just thoughtlessly messaging people in hopes of finding a group. So this week, I want to discuss some things to look for in a critique group.
Nothing New Under the Sun: What To Do When Your Idea Isn’t Completely Original
Much of western fiction is some re-imagining of the Monomyth, and even when it’s not, all ideas are inspired by something that already exists. So, what should you do when you inevitably find out that the idea you’ve been nurturing… well, the Simpsons already did it?
Why Write? Because I Love Exploration
For better or worse, there’s not a whole lot left on earth that hasn’t been explored. You have the depths of the ocean and the farthest reaching recesses of cave systems. Everything else has pretty much been found and mapped.
Writing opens a loophole.
Why Write? Because I Love to Read
I love reading.
I write in hopes that somehow I’ll leave a lasting impression on someone else. I write because I firmly believe there cannot be too many books. I write because no one knows better what I love about books than I do. I write because the idea of living in a world where there’s less to read than there could be is tragic.
Why Write? An Overview of Motivation
Why write? Why bother with this blog? Why post anything at all?
The short answer is because I can.
Guidelines for Writing in Verse: One Editor's Hierarchical Preferences
Like with any form of writing, there is no right or wrong way to write in verse, but this post is designed to help you think about the elements that often go into written verse. For the sake of organization, I’ve arranged them in the order I think they benefit written verse most.
Random Tips to Write With More Confidence and Authority
When I lost my job and my book deal along with it, it was a huge blow to my confidence, and it greatly exacerbated my case of imposter syndrome. Part of the reason I began this blog in the first place was to share what I do know about writing, however little it may be, and give other writers and editors the tools they need to stop feeling like a fraud.
Five Questions to Guide Your Worldbuilding Process
Not all fiction is set in a fantastical world, distant planet, or alternate timeline, but all fiction requires some level of worldbuilding. Even a novel written to be a realistic drama set in a real, modern-day city needs internal consistency to ensure the parts that are fiction don’t clash with the parts that are not.
The Gift that Keeps on Taking: 2021 Year-End Review
This post was originally planned to be a simple recap of the books I’ve read this year and some brief spoiler-free reviews… well, it’s morphed into something more comprehensive; it exposes more of me than this blog was ever intended to, but my hope is that you, dear reader, will find it more worthwhile and helpful as a result.
Building a Brand: The Difficult Simplicity of Defining Your Audience
Your audience is not how many people are reading your content. Your audience, at its most basic level, is who your content is for. Knowing this shapes what and how you write—what information has to be communicated, what can be assumed, and what can be otherwise ignored.
Building a Brand: What is “Voice”?
Imagine the voice of your best friend. Imagine the voice of your mother. You wouldn’t have to see their faces to distinguish them; as long as you can hear them speaking, you’ll know who they are because you are so familiar with what they sound like. In some ways, voice in writing is similar to this; obviously, it’s not an actual, audible voice, but it does identify you as a writer.
Building a Brand: What is a “Brand”?
Perhaps it is unsurprising that, in modern usage, many people associate “brand” with “logo.” A simple, elegant, effective logo is certainly a part of effective branding, but the word brand goes much further than just a logo. Your brand is possibly the most important part of your organization.
Helping Fledgling Ideas Take Flight: Advice from a Self-Published Author
I cannot begin to tell you how many times I’ve spoken with someone who excitedly shared a book idea. When I eagerly inquire what they’ve done with this idea, too often they say, “nothing.” They haven’t written it down, or if they have, they haven’t taken steps to find out how to publish.
This saddens me, so here is some advice for aspiring authors
How to Receive Feedback Well
Writing with the intent to distribute is a beautiful paradox; it’s at once intensely personal and intimate, and highly collaborative and public. Asking for feedback can be terrifying, but it’s also very often thrilling and always necessary.
How to Give Feedback Well
Every bit of feedback you provide should be helpful above all else. When you work with another writer, you’re a collaborator, not a competitor. The more good writing that makes it into the world, the better off we all are.
Five Qualities Writers Should Strive to Exhibit
Some traits are pretty universally useful in basically any career context. However, every career path will require certain characteristics more than others, or require them to manifest in different ways. Here are five traits that I think are of particular importance for writers.