• Bringing Book Events into the 21st Century

    Are you ramping up for your summer book launch? Or maybe you’re getting ready for a reading at your local bookstore? Authors have been walking the same line when it comes to these sorts of events since well… basically forever. I’m here to say, that just as the book industry is changing, these events should be too. Let’s bid farewell to the cheesy pens and bookmark giveaways and welcome ourselves, and our marketing material, to the 21st century. Make yourself memorable and you’ll make your book more memorable too. Here are 5 tips to get you started! 1. Branding, Branding,…

  • Finding the Balance Between Working and Writing

    Take a moment and think of your favorite author. Without even knowing who you selected, I can say with 95% confidence that they had to work a full-time job while writing his or her first or first few books. Writing begins as a passion project for almost all of us and learning how to balance it with all of our other responsibilities is one of the most challenging aspects of writing. Think about it. If we had all day to sit around and write—no work or family responsibilities—we’d be able to crank out at least two books a year. In…

  • The Do’s and Don’ts of Dialogue

    From an early age, we’re taught that good description is the key to excellent writing. I’d argue that well-written dialogue is the true key to writing. A description will never move your story forward in the same way dialogue can. It’s not as hard to write dialogue as you might think. Plus, once you’ve mastered it, the rest of your book will fall into place. The pacing will increase and you’ll find yourself clicking away on your keyboard to keep up with your characters’ conversations. The Do’s and Don’ts Do use quotation marks at the beginning and end of a…

  • How Your Health Routine Impacts Your Writing Routine

    Health routines are a trending topic in the wellness world, but did you know that the choices you make surrounding your health can also contribute to your writing routine in positive and negative ways? Just as an unhealthy diet or lack of exercise routine can leave you feeling lethargic and unmotivated, those unhealthy routines can also negatively impact your writing progress as well. If your writing routine has become nonexistent or the work you’ve produced recently seems lackluster, review your health routines and spot opportunities for improvement that can ultimately impact and positively change your writing routine. 8 Poor Health…