Writing advice and tips.
Updated May 2025 Many beginning writers mistakenly believe that the first draft of their book is also their finished book. Nothing could be farther from the truth! Your draft is not even something you want to send to a professional editor—a writing coach, yes, but not a professional editor. After the draft comes self-editing, but…
Making time to write in our busy schedules is common to many writers, even moi. But our obstacles are more than just busyness or the day job. Please welcome guest Jennifer Slattery as she discusses making time to write. Jennifer is a writer and international speaker who’s addressed women’s groups, church groups, Bible studies, and…
Last week I discussed the hero’s story goal in fiction, but if you write nonfiction, especially self-help, you may feel a story goal doesn’t relate to your book. But story goals do relate to nonfiction in a way many people don’t realize. People read nonfiction for various reasons, sometimes for the sheer entertainment, but often…
Earlier this year I looked at 4 important elements in fiction writing. Here’s a quick review: What does the hero want? (This is the story goal.) Who or what is opposing the hero getting what she wants? What will the hero’s life look like if she does (or does not) get what she wants? Who…
In the past couple weeks I’ve received questions from my subscribers about where and how to start to find a publisher for nonfiction. The wonderful thing about nonfiction is that you can query publishers before you have your book completed. But aside from that, the process is the same as when you submit fiction. Whether…
Please welcome bestselling author and blogger Rebecca Livermore to the blog today. 8 Simple and Creative Blog Post Ideas for Fiction Authors As the author of Blogging for Authors, it should come as no surprise that I’m a fan of blogging. I see blogging as a great way for authors to build their platform. However,…
A lot of publishing options for getting your book baby out into the world exist in today’s market. What are those options? How does one learn about all the ins and outs? How does one decide which option is best? Finding the answers can be time-consuming, confusing, and paralyzing. To help you navigate these troublesome…
I’m as guilty as the next writer in that I include redundancies in my draft manuscript. When I’m writing my draft, I focus on getting the story out of my head and into the computer. I look for redundancies when I revise my story. And I revise it more times than I want to count!…