Every story is trying to convey some sort of message. From the outset it is vital for you to determine the message you’d like your readers to take away once they’ve finished your book.
When I wrote, “Escape through the …
Very early in the process of writing a book you must answer an important question about publishing. The question is this: Do I want to self-publish my book or publish it through, what might be called, a traditional type of …
Young aspiring writers often wonder about the value of attending a writer’s conference. The question under consideration is: Should you invest your hard earned money (generally these gatherings are not cheap to attend) to listen to people in the industry …
It is important that early in your preparation process you decide on a genre for your book. In other words, what category or type of book will best help you tell your story/communicate your message? Below is a short list …
When it comes to the question of whether or not you should outline your book in advance, every writer has his or her own opinion on the subject, including me. In discussing the topic of outlining with authors, some highly …
WRITER’S BLOCK–two words that describe a condition best known to writers as “hitting the wall.” Years ago I ran a marathon when I lived in Kansas City. I remember doing very well for about the first nineteen miles. But somewhere …
If you’re going to stay on a self-imposed writing schedule, you need to plan regular times to write. Of course this doesn’t mean you can’t write at other times; on the contrary, it’s important that you write as often as …
I’ve heard all kinds of opinions about the best time for writers to write. Some say early mornings are best because you’re typically well rested and creatively sharp. Others say the afternoon is a good time to write because you’ve …
The answer to this question is far more important than you might realize at first glance. Where you write, in many ways, will influence how and what you write. Allow me to illustrate my point. For a moment, suppose I …
Once you’ve answered the four “what” questions about your project (see post: “Writing a novel begins after you answer these four ‘what’ questions”), you’re off and running. Now you have a general idea of what you’d like to write about …
