Publishing

Writing Groups—Why Join, Where to Find, and How to Master

by Brian Andrews | Feb 24, 2021 | Life, Publishing

A writing group can be a tremendous boost to your work ethic, can lift your self-confidence, can improve the quality of your work, and challenge you. But it can also have some downsides. Should you join or not?

5 Reasons Why You Should Attend Other Authors’ Events

by Jessica Strawser | Feb 15, 2021 | Publishing

Aspiring to publish a book someday? If you’re not attending other authors’ talks & signings (online & off), you’re missing a golden opportunity. Here’s why.

How to Avoid Legal Trouble When Using Real People in Fiction

by Dana Isaacson | Nov 30, 2020 | Publishing

Editor Dana Isaacson explores the legal issues faced by novelists who include real people among the characters in their story’s fictional universe.

How to Leave Traditional Publishing, Go Indie, and Not Regret It

by Our Special Guest | Sep 30, 2020 | Publishing

by Kurt Dinan When publishers rejected the follow-up to my (award-winning, yo!) 2016 YA prank...

Ask Better Questions & Get Better Answers to Grow Your Craft & Career

by Jessica Strawser | Aug 24, 2020 | Craft, Publishing

Smart writers do their homework—whether that means looking it up or asking an expert. Here’s how to make the most of every opportunity. to grow.

CAREER AUTHORS 11: Andrew Wilson

by Our Special Guest | Aug 19, 2020 | Career Authors 11, Publishing

Journalist, biographer, novelist—Andrew Wilson jumps writing categories to great critical success. Answering the Career Authors 11, he tells us how he does it.

How to Write (or Not Write) about the Pandemic

by Dana Isaacson | Jun 8, 2020 | Craft, Publishing

How will today’s pandemic fit into the plots of tomorrow’s bestselling fiction? Editor Dana Isaacson discusses narrative strategies during the Age of Covid.

Translating Art into a Living Wage: A Poetic Journey

by Our Special Guest | May 6, 2020 | Publishing

Poet Aaron Poochigian describes the lyrical way he translated literary skills into creative but tangible bill-paying.

Career Authors 11: Lis Wiehl

by Hank Phillippi Ryan | Apr 22, 2020 | Career Authors 11, Publishing

If Lis Wiehl were fictional, she’d be a pretty fabulous main character. Harvard Law School graduate, a sought-after legal analyst for network TV, former federal prosecutor, acclaimed thriller writer, legal non-fiction writer, law school professor, and creator of her own genre: legal-historical-psychological-true crime. She answered our Career Authors 11, but maybe there should be a question 12: How does she do it?

Fake It ‘Til You Make It: “How to sell yourself as a Career Author while you’re on the road to becoming one!”

by Our Special Guest | Mar 11, 2020 | Marketing, Publishing

Image is perception and perception is reality, even publishing. So if you want to become an A-list author, maybe it’s time you start doing the things that A-listers do!

“What If…?” The Question That Launched a Thousand Writing Careers

by Brian Andrews | Mar 9, 2020 | Craft, Publishing

“What if…” the two little words that every author should have in their toolbox. These two words have the power to instantly jump-start people’s imagination, and when I say people, I mean literary agents, editors, film producers, and readers! So, if you’re not using “what if…” when you brainstorm, plot, and pitch your work, then you should start. Here are some tips: