From the monthly archives:

June 2008

Dispel Your Writing Fears

If you suffer from any of the following fears please raise your hand:

I’m not sure how to write what I’m thinking
I am not interesting enough
I do not have the talent that other writer’s have
I don’t know how to start
I’m afraid it will all be a big disappointment
I’ll never write as well as (insert name here)
What [...]

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Blogging 101: Learn From Howard Stern

Blogging

Howard Stern is not afraid to speak his mind. That’s why his show is so successful. It’s why Sirius decided to put him at the helm of their ship. There’s also good reason for his popularity and the controversy that surrounds him.
He’s honest.
So? Why is that so special?
It’s special because he is brutally honest. [...]

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Writers and Websites

Selling Your Work

How is your novel coming? Almost done? Once you’re finished what do you plan to do next while you’re planning your next work? How about creating a site to showcase your work? Robert McCammon, Nick Hornby, Stephen King, and Joseph Nassise all have official websites. In researching I discovered that some of my favorites refuse [...]

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Self Editing For the Masses

Writing Tips

Read this sentence:
“the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?”
If you could read the above sentence then imagine how difficult it is to edit an entire manuscript written in this manner. The sentence above was inspired by a supposed Cambridge University study that the [...]

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Blogging 101: Ben Franklin Could Have Blogged

Blogging

If Ben Franklin were alive today I bet he’d be a blogger. After a long day of lengthy walks, philosophical thoughts, and pleasant discussions with friends and neighbors, he would fire up his Mac (yes – he would use a Mac), and post to a modern day version of Poor Richard’s Alamanac. His posts [...]

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Writers Beware – Avoid Bad Advice

Writing Tips

We’ve all received it. Especially as writers. But how do you spot it? You’ve asked someone to look over your work and now it comes time to hear their thoughts. You want to take their advice, even need it. But what if it’s bad?
Here are some things to look for. And I can honestly say [...]

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Interesting Tidbits: Mind Your P’s and Q’s

Interesting Tidbits

Have you ever heard the expression “Mind your P’s and Q’s”? Common usage of the term is to tell someone to mind their own business or to pay attention to their own business. I never really thought that much of it until I was told that it had to do with old printing presses. It appears [...]

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MindMap Your Novel

Writing Tools

Outlines serve their purpose. But what if your novel has a literal cast of thousands? How do you keep track of them and the places they habit? There’s an answer. Mindmap!
Huh?
There are different software solutions on the market that will allow you to mindmap your novel to your heart’s content. My latest favorite is [...]

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Blogging 101: Don’t Let Fear Kill Creativity

Blogging

Are you as a blogger playing it safe? And by playing it safe I mean do you edit your content or write in a style that filters your thoughts with the fear of offending a reader? If so then you are successfully killing your creativity. Remember this and set yourself free:
You will [...]

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What if Dr. Watson Never Existed?

Characters

At first I wasn’t Dr. Watson’s biggest fan. I didn’t see the need for Sherlock Holmes to have Watson in his life. What need did Watson fulfill both in Sherlock’s life and in those who followed his adventures? Why a sidekick?
Do heroes need sidekicks?
Not always. But a good sidekick does provide a very useful tool. [...]

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