This will be a five part blog! So hang onto your hats. Here is number 1 of the 5 critical mistakes most new writers make: Most writers just...
One thing you have got to realize and take so seriously is that every piece of writing that you let out into the world is going to work for you...
Think of your platform as your launching pad. The place you’re taking off from. Essentially, it’s where you are today in terms of your...
I'm a huge fan of spending time building characters before beginning the plot. 1. Label your main characters' greatest fears...
We are pleased to announce that EDGE! A Leadership Story has been named a finalist for the ...
It's a combination. The reality is that you do need to know people. That's why it takes ten to twenty years to build a successful writing...
This one’s easy. Don’t SELL in your writing. Focus on providing valuable information. The goal of your writing is actually not to sell. ...
Yes, Yes and Yes. The real answer to this question though lies not in just sending out releases. What most press releases lack is a good...
I'll always edit up to three pages at no cost. It is important for the writer to see the style of the editor. We all work differently. I do a line...
In this day and age where everyone is making quick decisions based on what they find on the internet, how you communicate with your potential...
In my experience, titles come from a lot of crappy brainstorming. Write lists of possible titles. Even if 100% of that list is garbage, the act...
The key to generating PR is repetition. The media is very skeptical of what they read and so it takes time to generate buy-in. Buy-in is created...
Locations in your book should be as well defined as characters because, in fact, they are characters. Locations are living and breathing. Like...
If people find your writing offensive that is probably a good thing. If you’re not turning people off, you’re not turning people on. Think of...
Characters are just like people—completely unpredictable! At least they should be. Ask me what I think my wife will do in a given situation, and...
A character’s voice should be found from the inside out, not the outside in. Meaning that characters are created through a writer’s willingness...
Almost ALWAYS! Query letters are standard in the industry. That being said, what is most imperative is that you do your homework when...
I’m not in favor of pen names unless you are moving outside your brand and are afraid of confusing people. We all know what happened to Coke when...
A great question. The answer to that lies in your goals. I typically work with people whose intention is to make a difference in the lives of their...
It is imperative that you have a process for pursuing an agent. The last thing you want to do is go into this blindly. Jeff Kleinman at ...
This past weekend my wife and I were doing a lot of driving through the colored fall countryside of Wisconsin and we ended up listening to ...
In my experience a good novel takes about 12-16 months to write. When I approach the writing process, I do three months of character...
Ideas are a dime a dozen. Execution is king. If you have a great story idea, ask yourself, is it so good that no matter what happens to me over the...
So many call it your voice, but I call it your THEME! Not the theme of your story, the theme of your life. We all have a unique perspective on the...
In my opinion, you should never send a pitch to a publisher if you are expecting them to buy your book and pay you with an advance. Any...
