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
Tag: Indie authors
Using Body Language in Your Novel, Part Three—Arms, Shoulders, & Posture
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
Writing Advice & Discussion—Happy 4th of July!
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 Your Novel, Part One—Facial Expressions
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
Using the Five Senses in Fiction, Part Two: Smell, Touch, & Taste
"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
Using the Five Senses in Fiction, Part One: Sight & Sound
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
Deleting the Best Part of You
“Every dream, every possibility, and every journey –real or imagined - begins with two words, “what if…” You know, I’m only here so we could talk. So pull up a chair and sit down because we have much to discuss. “What?” you ask. Well, everything really. Hopes, dreams, the things we want, those we can’t… Continue reading Deleting the Best Part of You
10 Questions to Ask Before Signing with a Small Press Publisher (Part Two)
The future of traditional publishing may lie in the hands of small press publishers. Their ability to be creative, adaptive, and flexible offers many advantages over the larger houses but as we discussed in Part One of this article, selecting a small press publisher requires some homework. For an author, nothing is worse than seemingly… Continue reading 10 Questions to Ask Before Signing with a Small Press Publisher (Part Two)
Is Barnes and Noble Changing the Self-Publishing Game?
What is it? Self-published authors will soon have the opportunity to see their books on the shelves of Barnes and Noble. Why is it game-changing? This decision, not only opens doors for indie authors everywhere, but it's also the first move to offer real competition to Amazon. How is one Amazon bookstore to compete against… Continue reading Is Barnes and Noble Changing the Self-Publishing Game?
Writers After Dark 