—Life Through the Eyes of Storytellers—
Here we are close to the end of the year, and I don’t know about you, but I’m more than ready to say goodbye to 2020. Despite the hardship this year has brought us, I’ve learned some valuable lessons. For example, I’ve learned not to trust myself when making a lot of cookie dough. No… Continue reading Be Kind to Yourself
Yikes. Yes. I’m going there. I know this is a very touchy subject, so know that this is my opinion and not that of my fellow contributors. Now, to my point. I respect all religion and cultures and like anyone else, I’m saddened by the negative exploitation many people are capable of doing. Cultural elements… Continue reading Cultural Appropriation and Bitterness
As this year has progressed, I’ve had no choice but to open my eyes to the cruelty of human kind. No, I wasn’t naive enough to think it didn’t exist, but somehow it was easier living in a bubble. Ironic that being in quarantine has opened up the world’s widest door, no? Either way, this… Continue reading Hilarious Magic & Writing Contest . . . Because Why Not?
And what happened to me? You probably didn’t notice (what with the world going upside down and all), but I haven’t been around. I had been disheartened for a while with blogging . . . and then 2020 happened and I truly grasped the meaning of being disheartened. It is bananas out there. I don’t… Continue reading What Happened to Blogging?
Nothing is off limits. TV shows, movies, YouTube, recipes, blog? Yep. Do it. Share your own books if you want. Heck, share mine! I won’t say no. In fact, I may take your suggestions even more seriously lol. Here’s the caveat: it may take me a while before I get to it. Because, you know:… Continue reading Tell Me What to Watch (or Read) Next
The kids and my husband have been home since NY went into quarantine. It’s been great knowing they’re all safe and healthy. Especially with a wonderful slave someone who can answer every single question that comes to mind (most answers being “I don’t know” but that seems to be good enough), and get them all… Continue reading #AmWriting . . . but Am I Really?
“Writing, at its best, is a lonely life.” - Ernest Hemingway Have you noticed how other people seem to achieve so much more than you feel you possibly ever could? Okay, that sentence sounds very jumbled, but what I’m asking is this: Have you ever felt like a loser who can’t get anything done?… Continue reading Writing, Productivity, and Solitude
"Of all human activities, creativity comes closest to providing the fulfillment we all hope to get in our lives." – M. Csikszentmihalyi The thought that creativity can bring fulfillment is lovely, isn’t it? And I believe it’s true . . . as strongly as I believe it’s that easy AND that hard. Where does creativity… Continue reading What Makes You a Creative Writer?
I hope you’re ready. Because I’m not . . . I have the flu. And I have no choice but to assume that being sick at this point means I’ll be healthy the rest of the year. That’s how it works, right? Just lie to me. Either way, here’s the thing: regardless of how we’re… Continue reading Say Yes to You in 2020. Are You Ready?
It was Monday morning, October 7th, 2019 when my creative life changed. I remember the date because it was the day before my twin’s birthday—and because of that I was able to hold back the heaviness in my chest for 48 hours before a dark wave of sadness came rushing in. You see, that is… Continue reading The Death of an Adventure
I’ve been thinking about doing NaNoWriMo this year (and last year . . . and the one before that). Get my crap together and all that good stuff . . . and it dawned on me that: As an author, you'd assume I know what I'm doing. I don't! I'm winging it just like the… Continue reading The Kind of #Writer I’m NOT! #NaNoWriMo (+ Free NaNo Survival Kit)
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” ‑ Michael Jordan So, you may not be a professional basketball player… Continue reading Your Blank Page Isn’t a Failure
Have you ever trusted the wrong person? Ate that third slice of pizza you shouldn’t have? Or just simply overcomplicated a thing because it seemed like the right thing to do? Yes? Then you know what I’m talking about. You live and learn, right? And don’t pretend you’ve never been there! Nobody likes a show-off… Continue reading Mistakes I’ve Made
I know it sounds crazy to think writers would sabotage their writing, when our title alone says we’re writers. The conclusion, of course, is that writers write, and it’s a given that we love to write more than anything else in the world. That’s true, sure, but it’s not always true. Writers have to swim… Continue reading Why Do Writers Sabotage Their Writing?
Did you know May is “Get Caught Reading” month? Yeah, me either. I found out because I was trying to make a list of books to help me get back into reading and stumbled upon it. So what is it? Get Caught Reading is supported by hundreds of celebrities, and it’s “a nationwide public service… Continue reading Finding Time to Read
I wrote 500 words a day, every day last week! Do you know what happened? Well, I wrote 3,500+ words! Which, if you’re “into losing weight” you know that’s the same number deficit calories you need to lose one pound. And no, that’s not why you’re here, but you can see where my head is… Continue reading On Writing 500 Words a Day
***This is what my brain comes up with after 6 hours of sleep in the past 5 days. Don’t mind the rhyme, lack of rhyme, or lack of anything that would remotely makes sense. 11:00 p.m. I’m a mess, I confess. In the dark, in the light. My mind is a trap, but no, it… Continue reading An Insomniac’s Convoluted Night — A Writer’s Perspective
Once again, the Internet provides an opportunity for you to feel better about yourself. Enjoy the "creative" use of these . . . words . . . Uh—spellings? 😉 ————— #1 ————— ————— #2 ————— ————— #3 ————— ————— #4 ————— ————— #5 ————— ————— #6 ————— ————— #7 ————— ————— #8 ————— ————— #9… Continue reading 13 Funny #GrammarFails
If you’re like me, you find that wanting to write and actually writing isn’t quite the same. There’s no shortage of ideas, there’s no lack of love or passion, heck, there’s even enough time to write if you truly want it. And yet, the excuses overflow so much that when you finally finish a manuscript, you’re… Continue reading 5 Things I Learned About Writing
Here are some posts from writers selling out the secrets of our lifestyle . . . because sometimes you just need to know you’re not alone. Thank you, Internet Strangers! 😉 ————— #1 ————— ————— #2 ————— ————— #3 ————— ————— #4 ————— ————— #5 ————— ————— #6 —————… Continue reading 15 Hilarious #WritersProblems Moments
New year, new goals, new mottos. Goals and mottos are my go-to! Err . . . ahem . . . what I mean to say is I don't make resolutions. For in the past, most of my resolutions have failed, and I haven't done them in years. I’m also kicking “intentions” to the curb this… Continue reading It’s 2019. Be a Badass!
You see? This is why most writers have an issue with math. One of the things about writing and rules is we know the stuff is gonna change. It changes from day-to-day, country-to-country (even in the same language, I’m looking at you, English!), it’s different according to media platforms, style guides, your mood, etc. But… Continue reading And This is Why Writers Have a Problem With Math!
Everyone is on their own journey. On this journey, there are things we’d like to see along the road, and there are things we need to find. Life happens, and even the most mundane day-to-day task is part of going along the trip. What makes it special, however, is what we choose to do from the… Continue reading The Thing You Most Want—Can You Do It?
Here at Writers After Dark we like to shake things up now and then! We like to go wild exploring our creativity in our writing, blogging, YouTubing, and podcasting . . . and then we need tons of breaks because: LIFE. For Raymond and I, 2018 has been . . . weird. Separately we’ve had… Continue reading Introducing: Author Brandon Ax
In case you haven't noticed, I haven't written any posts here in a long time. Nor have I been working on my books consistently. WHY? Well, it's a combination of a few of things. I felt burnt out, I'd been suffering from a terrible comparison phase, and have been stressed due to pressure from those around… Continue reading Why I Stopped Writing
Hey Guys, Due to loss of power, no Internet, and damages caused by hurricane Irma in Florida, The Writers' Podcast's production has been placed on hold. We expect to be back on our regular schedule next week. Be sure to listen in! In the meantime, I'll try my hand at poetry for you. (You're welcome!)… Continue reading Bad Irma!
Length matters . . . am I right? If you don’t believe me, try reading the 200,000-word autobiography of a snail. Unless that’s the kind of kinky stuff you’re into, you’ll probably rather it was no more than two hundred words . . . no extra zeros allowed. Poor snail. The problem was he… Continue reading How Long Should Your Book Be? — A Word Count Guide for Fiction
As an author, this is basically what I ask my readers when they pick up one of my books. 🙂 Dear Reader, Let’s Go on a Date . . . I saw you looking. I noticed the sweet caress of your eyes—hidden behind fluttering lashes, and accompanied by a shy smile . . .… Continue reading Dear Reader, Let’s Go on a Date . . .
See Part One—Facial Expressions here. See Part Two—Eyes, Pupils, & Eyebrows here. See Part Three—Arms, Shoulders, & Posture here. As we know, developing a deep contrast of layers in our characters is crucial for a vivid reading experience. So in this final installment of Using Body Language in Your Novel, we’re going to continue all… Continue reading Using Body Language in Your Novel, Part Four—Legs, Feet, & Bonus Tips
So here's the dirty truth about being a writer . . . A writer who is a mom that is. Or rather a mom who is a writer. Because no matter how much I try to ignore my 6-year-old twins, it turns out I can't escape them. Not even if I hide in the bathroom to… Continue reading The Dirty Truth About Being A Writer
To pseudonym, or not to pseudonym: that is the question. Personally, I’m not “me” and choosing to go with a pen name was actually a must. Why? Well, read on for that answer. But for most writers, whether to use a pen name or write under their real names could be a complicated decision. Like… Continue reading Pros and Cons of Using a Pen Name
For this third installment of using body language in your novel, we’re going to focus on the upper body and ways to infuse an ordinary story with deep layers of . . . well, upper body language description O_O — I knew this experiment to write a post while tipsy would make things difficult,… Continue reading Using Body Language in Your Novel, Part Three—Arms, Shoulders, & Posture
We figured the Internet might be eerily quiet this week as everyone celebrates the 4th of July, so we’re gonna keep this short. . . . But in case you’re avoiding that intense family member (you know the one), and want to read a couple articles you might have missed . . . well, we’re… Continue reading Writing Advice & Discussion—Happy 4th of July!
Using body language in creative writing is an effective way to develop and improve your story's characters.
You know how my writing process works? Via miracles. Seriously. I'm a pantser so when an idea hits me, I sit down to write, and I wing it. If I start trying to figure out the plot, structure, or the why of things I stress out and confuse myself. Once it’s written, then I… Continue reading My Writing Quirks
by Felicity Annora
Hey guys! I’m back again with my self-help posts, and this time I’m going to tell you you how to become a better writer instantly. I know it sounds like one of those bad “get-rich-quick” gimmicks that you find in commercials- and you’d absolutely right. But this time, the tips and tricks are real and they truly are things that help you improve your writing quickly.
So without further ado, here they are:
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How ’bout you and I get physical today? *Kat blows a kiss* Don’t worry; I’m not trying to be inappropriate with you (any inappropriateness happens naturally, there’s no try here, it’s all “do”—ask Yoda). I’m only trying to share some of my notes on getting physical. Or rather helping you add some layers to your… Continue reading Using Body Language in Your Novel, Part One—Facial Expressions
"I was afraid that by observing objects with my eyes and trying to comprehend them with each of my senses I might blind my soul altogether." —Socrates I say let's blind our readers' souls with our stories! What? Seems legit to me. *shrugs* As an author, your job is to transport your reader into the… Continue reading Using the Five Senses in Fiction, Part Two: Smell, Touch, & Taste
Fantastic information on setting up your author’s media kit!
Today, we continue our discussion of the author’s media kit. If you missed the earlier installments, click the links to catch up.
This post will cover the One Sheet and the Author Biography.
The one sheet (also known as a sell sheet or pitch sheet) is a professional document that contains all the pertinent information of your book. As you probably guessed by the name, it should be no longer than one page.
This is the first, and possibly only, document someone will read after reading your news release. It should be punchy, carefully crafted and edited, and easily scanned so people can obtain pertinent information quickly.
Parts of a One Sheet (Not necessarily in this order—let design dictate composition)
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Good writing is like enjoying a hot cup of chocolate on a snowy morning. It activates all your senses: sight, smell, touch, taste buds, and even sound. I was going to say it’s like sex, but this is a daytime gig, and my mommy reads this, so . . . hot chocolate anyone? 😛 As… Continue reading Using the Five Senses in Fiction, Part One: Sight & Sound
Using colors in your writing is a fantastic way to add symbolism and foreshadowing to your story. They can enrich your scenes by adding deeper meaning, variation, and help with mood amongst other things. Be sure to check out the upcoming post on using the five senses next Monday! This chart is a little gift… Continue reading Color Meanings for Writers
You know how my writing process works? Via miracles. Seriously. I'm a pantser so when an idea hits me, I sit down to write, and I wing it. If I start trying to figure out the plot, structure, or the why of things I stress out and confuse myself. Once it’s written, then I… Continue reading My Writing Quirks
Book publishing has always adapted to an environment shaped by the accelerated pace of technology, and no one has pushed these changes more than Amazon. As such, it is the first port of call for independent authors. If you can write it, you can publish it. Simple as that! So needless to say, Amazon has… Continue reading 10 Ways Amazon Turned Authors into Tinder Dates
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re aware that characters are kind of big deals when it comes to fiction writing. They’re the heart of the story and the main reason our readers gift us with hours of their lives. Let’s face it: without characters, the reading experience wouldn’t really be electrifying. Like,… Continue reading Creating Your Character – A Checklist
Regardless of how long we've been writing, we both feel the same way: if we're not constantly learning, we're just rusting away. So one of our favorite past times is to learn as much as we can about our craft. Evolving as a writer isn't just studying grammar and structure; it's also about becoming an effective… Continue reading Our Favorite Books on Writing
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Now, I don’t want to begin all my blog posts about writing with various self-deprecating jokes about how my advice is just as poor as everyone else’s, but please take anything I say with a heavy dose of salt, because I like all people may be mislead, wrong, or secretly trying to trick you so that I can succeed in writing where others have failed (yeah, nah),
Writing fiction is a daunting task, and part of that daunt is making sense or the myriad of advice out there. I hope this post might offer some help in making sense of it all, I plan on presenting a broad guide for interpreting advice and then a rundown of how to assess the source of advice you may have received.
What gives me the right to dispense such advice? Well I’m no hotshot author, but I am a qualified psychologist (nothing on…
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I like to use parentheses (you know, to share my extra thoughts and stuff). But only in non-formal situations (like blog-writing). In fiction, however, I avoid it like a plague. And I realize that may just be a personal preference, since I feel it would pull my readers out of the world I spent so… Continue reading Parentheses in Fiction: Do They Break the Fourth Wall?
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Writing dialogue is messy. Am I right? It has so many rules, it makes me wish I’d gone with my original plan in life. I’d intended to become an all-in-one supermodel-psychologist/part-time medical researcher. What? I thought I wanted to save people, discover things, and change the world wearing a tiara and killer heels. But the… Continue reading How to Correctly Punctuate Dialogue for Novels
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When you’re stuck with your writing, or just plain bored out of your skull, there’s nothing better than to pursue some motivation. Whether it’s via Netflix, reading, or researching all those cool "how tos" on writing, it all works to get your writerly blood pumping. So we thought we’d share a few of our most… Continue reading Articles on Writing You Don’t Want to Miss (1)
I’m here to help stop the madness. You know the one. The insanity that accompanies the “fun” of writing a book blurb. Attacking is more like it . . . I could stab it upside the head if it had one. But alas. Don’t let my bitterness get to you. In fact, use it to… Continue reading 7 Tips for Writing a Book Blurb
Stay with me! . . . Beyond the screaming crowd and motors roaring, all the driver hears is the continuous pump of his heart. A flash of green catches his eyes, fueling his senses, as he slams on the gas pedal. From zero to a hundred in less than six seconds, he's immersed in the… Continue reading The Mind of a Writer
I often say I suffer from CRD—Chronic Rewriting Disease, a term I made up because it seems at least 50% of my work needs to be rewritten. But that’s my writing process, and I accept it. Sure, I could be like many writers and outline my novel from the start . . . but… Continue reading Why You Should Write Your First Draft Before Outlining Your Novel
Just when you thought Amazon couldn't do more for independent authors, it slaps us with KDP Print. A new Print on Demand service right on your KDP dashboard. The release of KDP Print happened back in September. But why haven't you heard of it? Well, they've kept it under the radar because it's still in… Continue reading Amazon’s Little Secret—A Treat for Independent Authors
Being an author sounds like a pretty awesome deal, right? Pick a simple idea, type here, type there, and act like it all happened by magic. Some of you are probably tempted to embark on this path to becoming a published superstar. And you know what? You can do it. You’ve been writing for… Continue reading How to Keep Your Dialogue in Check
How do writers find time to write? Given the opportunity, we’d allow writing to consume our world. Deadlines, plots, and ideas would overtake us, and we’d live in fantasyland while blissfully ignoring reality. But apparently, that’s frowned upon, so we live the other way around. We end up abandoning our written worlds to attend our… Continue reading Finding a Writing Routine That Works for You
As writers, we’re always told to show and not tell . . . So in the spirit of keeping it light and taking our own advice of laughing more, we’re sharing a few of our top lessons learned this year in a five-minute video. If that’s not showing, I don’t know what is! 😉 https://youtu.be/Nb84PngnMGc… Continue reading Top Lessons Learned in 2016
As an author, this is basically what I ask my readers when they pick up one of my books. 🙂 Dear Reader, Let’s Go on a Date . . . I saw you looking. I noticed the sweet caress of your eyes—hidden behind fluttering lashes, and accompanied by a shy smile . . . My… Continue reading Dear Reader, Let’s Go on a Date . . .
New writers, old timers, bloggers, my mom, your neighbor—anyone, would be thrilled to sell their novel to a prestigious publisher. The sense of pride almost . . . almost . . . makes up for the pressure and anxiety attacks that comes with such contract. It’s lovely, it really is. But thanks to the ever-changing… Continue reading 5 Benefits of Going the Self-Publishing Route
We're back from our little break! I'm sorry you had to go through the pain of missing us—I can only imagine it feels heart wrenching, like when I get no coffee for a whole day. So, truly I'm sorry. And if you didn't notice that we were gone then you're mean! 🙂 That being said… Continue reading Writers on a Cruise — And Some Inspiration!
You can find writing advice on every corner of the Internet. That doesn't mean it's good advice, though. Research on the "process of writing" can be confusing, and it's always changing. Throw in the rate at which information is spread, and it's no wonder the writing tips or suggestions you get from your friends can… Continue reading Free Outlining Worksheets and Editing Checklist for Writers
So here's the dirty truth about being a writer . . . A writer who is a mom that is. Or rather a mom who is a writer. Because no matter how much I try to ignore my 6-year-old twins, it turns out I can't escape them. Not even if I hide in the bathroom to… Continue reading The Dirty Truth About Being A Writer
Personally, I like thinking I can organize every single detail of my writing. I love the idea of outlining. I love the idea of knowing exactly which word to place in front of another. Realistically, I'm a big fail on that. First, because I'm a pantser. Second, because no matter what, writing can be a… Continue reading Writing is Messy
Nothing feels more satisfying than publishing a new book, but what's the best thing I can do right after that big accomplishment? You'll probably say: "write another one." And I am. Well, I sort of am. I'm mostly enjoying the break. Ahem, long break. I'm taking notes and adding to my word count, but I'm… Continue reading 5 (or 6) Things to Do Between Books!
No matter what is happening in a writer’s life, the one thing you can count on is we always have an idea for a story. It may be the tiniest of seeds, but we know we can water it and have it grow into something quite magical. The problem, however, is that we usually have… Continue reading Brainstorming Strategies for Writers
So, you wanna write a novel? That's fantastic. You should! There's a reader out there who cannot wait to read what you have brewing inside that head of yours. Heck, I'm interested in your book. Storytellers are naturally intrigued by the many possibilities that our creative peers have to offer. And because of this, we're… Continue reading 3 Storytelling Mistakes to Avoid
Writers After Dark 