• Developing Backstory for Your Novel

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    The backstory is an extremely important step in writing a well-developed story. Developing your protagonist’s history leading up to the story in your novel paints a picture for the reader. The way in which that backstory is used and incorporated into your novel is just as important though. When developing backstory, record it in a separate document from your manuscript. In that space, tell yourself about your protagonist. Who is he? What are his likes/dislikes? Is there an inciting moment led him to the current state of his life that readers will find him in your novel? What are his…

  • Ever find yourself staring at a blank page with eyes bloodshot from exhaustion? Save yourself the stress with this list of 10 Ways to Beat Writer Burnout!

    10 Ways to Beat Writer Burnout

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    In a world where busy is praised and multi-tasking is considered a skill to include on your resume, it makes sense that we would all face burnout every now and again. Working a full-time job, then getting home to pick up the house, make dinner, and take care of other responsibilities would be enough to burn anyone out, but people who dream of writing a book add another layer of tasks and responsibilities to their already full days. Burnout, which is now considered a syndrome by medical providers, goes beyond typical day-to-day stress and can result in a person feeling…

  • Establishing Rapport and Credibility in Nonfiction

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    I often find myself telling authors that they must establish rapport and credibility with their readers before anyone begins reading their book. This is vital for a number of reasons. The most important reason is that as an author, you want potential, on-the-fence readers to keep reading. You want them to recommend your book to others. You want your words to be out there for everyone to read. And you want readers to finish your book feeling satisfied. So, you’re probably thinking, how this is done? Well, when we take away the actual content of the book and we focus…

  • Writing a great author bio is incredibly important, but that doesn't mean it's easy to do. Read along as we navigate ways to write an author bio!

    Writing a Great Author Bio

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    Your manuscript is done. It has been through the rewrite and revision, beta reading, and editing processes. You can see the finish line, and you are so ready to feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with crossing over that invisible line. Then, your dreams come to screeching halt! Your publisher asks you to submit your author bio. For a moment, you consider tossing the whole idea of becoming an author out the window because of one paragraph. I get it—the idea of having to write about yourself and your accomplishments seems hard. Instead, let’s look at author bios as…