—Life Through the Eyes of Storytellers—
There are quite a few statistics about artist and mental disorders. It is for sure not a requirement of the trade, but it is prevalent. Depression being a prominent affliction. Writers especially seem to suffer from it. From Hemingway to Rowling, some of the greatest authors suffered from depression. It is a tricky disorder/disease. Often… Continue reading Depression in an Artist
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
Nightmirrors #3 “Don’t do it! Are you stupid? Get the hell out of there!” As we sit on the sofa or in the theater we oft marvel at the stupidity of horror movie characters. It’s a joyous and self-righteous feeling to be “oh so much smarter” than these soon-to-be dead fools. In fact, if you… Continue reading In a Horror Movie, You’re Not as Smart as You Think
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 . . .
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.
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
Hey, remember earlier this week, when we discussed book reviews? Well, on this episode of The Lighter Side of Writing, SK and I cover the ten things that authors would love to say (but don't) to our worst book critics. So go ahead and grab four minutes of writer's therapy below. https://youtu.be/kISVYsBAUqI
If you’ve reached the point in your writing where you’ve pressed <Publish>, my guess is that you believe that you have just released one of the best books “ever.” Regardless of the genre, yours stands above the masses because it is well-written, smart, insightful, and a host of other accolades that should - if there… Continue reading Why Authors Don’t Really Want Reviews
“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
Sure there is a lot of subjectivity when separating “serious” writers from the rest. Heck, you might even believe “serious” writing is defined by how much time you devote to it or where you’ve published. Those things may count, but in the third installment of The Lighter Side of Writing, we are giving you the definitive… Continue reading 10 Things Every Serious Writer Needs
Fiction writers have a long and rich tradition of being the unofficial historians of social and political conditions. You can learn much about early twentieth-century midwestern America from Faulkner, or the Spanish Civil War from Hemingway, or the social constraints of the Victorian era from Thomas Hardy. These “learnings” are less about dates and events… Continue reading A Writer’s Public Persona and the Philosopher’s Stone
Being a writer means your brain didn’t come with an on/off switch—it came with a dial. We can turn it down, we can turn it up but we can never shut off the creativity. In fact, because our ideas come from all the things around us, we never really stop working. We collect, we sort,… Continue reading 10 Ways Writers Are Always Working
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
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
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 . . .
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!
So, SK and me are just returning from our cruise and motivation has not yet caught up to us. We decided we'd keep it simple and funny today, but we promise to get our sh#%t together sometime this week. SK says, if you don't think this is funny then drink three Pina Coladas and read… Continue reading 10 Signs You’re A Lazy 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
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
We’ve all heard the saying: “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” and of course, I agree that you shouldn’t judge people by their appearances alone. But should this idiom apply to actual books? As a book cover junkie, I usually pick up a book based on the cover, read the synopsis and go from… Continue reading 5 Reasons Book Covers Can Make or Break Authors
There are two types of writers: plot-centric and character-centric. No matter which you are, you still have to portray relatable characters, or else, why should I care as a reader? Laura from Boats Against the Current shares some of her thoughts on creating a great character. Check it out! What makes a character relatable?… Continue reading Making Your Character Relatable
Writing. It's one of the most difficult heartachey types of careers you can pursue. The glamor, fame, and financial richness is lacking, to say the least. But that feeling of fulfilled satisfaction and passion that comes along with the job is absolutely priceless. And a true writer would have it no other way.… Continue reading 3 Things Every Writer Should Stop Doing Immediately
If you're a writer, you've heard this advice several times in your writing career: "show don't tell." But it's not as simple as it sounds, because surely, you can't show everything. No, you need a balance. And our friends over at XterraWeb have made some good points on this subject. Read on: Finding… Continue reading How to Find the Balance Between Showing and Telling
Romance. Horror. Mystery. Suspense. Action. You name the genre, they're all love stories. Well . . . to some extent. In this video, Raymond and I discuss this very topic. A little tipsy, I might add . . . so this conversation is interestingly peculiar. Usually, we disagree just on about everything writing-related. He writes… Continue reading Every Story is a Love Story
If you've ever wondered whether or not having a developmental, substantive, or content editor is beneficial, the answer is yes. Sure, you could get by with beta readers. But only if they do what a content editor or even the right critique partner can do. Choose your preferred name; the benefits are the same. Editor Lynda… Continue reading Why You Should Use a Developmental Editor
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
By Raymond Esposito People always ask writers the wrong question. They want to know “where do you get your ideas?” And we respond with answers that we believe might make some sense to the non-writer. Because we can’t speak the truth of it. Because the truth would reveal the subtle lunacy of our thoughts. Honesty… Continue reading Inspirations
Ever struggle to find the right voice for your manuscript? Sometimes, it's simply because we're writing our stories with the wrong point of view. And switching the perspective could be the answer you're looking for. The question is, what are the different POVs and what do they mean? Well, Harvey Chapman, over at Novel Writing… Continue reading All You Need to Know About POVs
I like rules. Rules exist to keep chaos at bay. Personally, I don't like chaos. But sometimes my naughty side comes out to play, and I find my toes dipped in dangerous waters. Funny enough, the exhilarating change of pace can make way for amazing possibilities. Take writing for example. There seem to be… Continue reading 3 Rules Every Writer Should Break
Come on. You know it's true...we're just saying it for you.
Providing readers with a great emotional experience is often at the top of a writer’s list. Creating unrealistic situations, characters, or scenes is basically failing at story telling. When writing a romance, for example, we want our readers to feel like they’re actually falling in love themselves. And when writing an… Continue reading Men and Women: How We Argue
What is it? The increase of audiobooks popularity has caused an uproar in the book industry. Over the past year, they’ve started outselling print books, and many publishers are in disbelief. Why is it important? While self-published authors are giving traditional publishers a run for their money, the unlikely contender of audiobooks has risen to… Continue reading Are Audiobooks Really Outselling Print Books?
B&N created a nice little stir when they announced their intentions to carry selective self-published authors in their bookstores. Well, as they say, the devil is in the details, so watch as SK and I break down the news, analyze the meaning, and share why we aren’t celebrating the B&N decision but are celebrating its inherent… Continue reading Barnes and Noble Discovers Self-published Authors Sell Books Too
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?
Reader Reviews—manna for the author. Reviews may not pay the bills, but a good one, well that pays back the hours spent in solitude writing your story. Writers are, by the nature of the business, public figures. And with the potential for accolades comes the possibility of criticism. Some criticism is good. It can help… Continue reading Romance v. Horror: Awful Misguided Reviews
What’s the deal? Unethical writers are using “click farms” to increase their earnings through Kindle Unlimited. Why is it important? In addition to robbing real authors of their potential share, these click-farms are getting unsuspecting and uninvolved authors banned from Amazon. Long Story Short The scam is called Prawning. An unethical writer publishes a book… Continue reading Amazon: The Games People Play
Writers After Dark 