• 10 Grammar Rules for Every Writer

    Seasoned writers will tell you it’s okay to break grammar rules as long as you know the right way to break them. Lazy writers often quote that same phrase to avoid learning correct grammar in the first place. I’m a firm believer that you must know the rules before you bend them. So, here’s a trusty list of my favorite grammar rules. Keep them at your writing workspace, so you can easily refer back to the list any time you get stuck: 1. Use “All right” not “Alright.” Alright isn’t actually a word even though it turns up in a…

  • Resources For Self-Taught Writers

    Starting to write without any previous writing courses or education under your belt doesn’t have to be a setback. In fact, you’d be surprised to learn just how many successful writers were self-taught. Both Jane Austen and Mark Twain, among many others, largely taught themselves the craft of writing. The difference now is, self-education is much easier to attain than it was for Austen or Twain. This is thanks to the internet and the hundreds of writing books at our fingertips. Here are 5 tried and true resources to use: 1. Bookmark Merriam-Webster Dictionary on your computer By having quick and…

  • Writing A Book That Sells

    A trope is any word used in a figurative sense or a reoccurring theme or device in a work of literature. There’s a book writing strategy that involves picking a trending book genre, studying the tropes of the books currently selling, and then writing a book that fits the tropes discovered. While many writers might be reluctant to embrace this concept, you’ll find when you change your perspective on it, it will be empowering rather than limiting. The Market As an artist, some writers might read “write to market” and feel as though they’re being told to copy instead of…

  • Choosing Stories for Your Memoir: 8 Questions to Ask Yourself

    Memoirs are the easiest to write because you have already lived the material, but they are also the most challenging to write because you have to find the balance between what stories you share and what information needs to be left out. Writing a memoir doesn’t mean you have to include every aspect of your life from birth to your current status in life. Instead, great memoir writers know to pick and choose the best, most important stories to include. Oftentimes, memoir writers focus too much on their personal catharsis and less on the end-user: the reader. In order for…