In the previous post of this series, I emphasized limiting details when writing blurbs. But why do that—and how? How does an author narrow down exactly what to mention, and what to exclude? Limit or eliminate place names The most obvious reason for this is to avoid visual clutter. Especially in fantasy or historical fiction,…
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Writing Blurbs (Part 1): The Overview
The challenge of writing a blurb for your book is obvious. I mean, how do we tell the story without telling the whole story? That’s why it took us a whole book in the first place, amiright? I don’t think there’s any perfect formula. I suspect there are also some genre-specific tips out there for…
For the Writer Who Isn’t Writing
I took more than two years off writing around the time I met my husband. As writers, we have busy seasons. Sometimes, we have to shuffle priorities. It doesn’t mean our writing is any less important than it’s always been—but sometimes, something else is just more time-sensitive. Like planning a wedding. Like setting up a…
Best Thanksgiving Books For Kids
There’s nothing like a seasonal story to lift our spirits and get us in the mood to celebrate! Whether you’re in the mood for silly fun or a serious exploration of this holiday’s roots and meaning, this must-read list of children’s Thanksgiving books has you covered. Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Marks This warmhearted celebration…
How to write a killer fight scene
If your dream is to write a book so action-packed your reader can’t stop flipping pages, you’re in the right place. My stepdad is a professional martial artist. He’s taught Aikido, the art of Japanese sword, and even trained FBI agents. I grew up with racks full of ancient weapons on the walls, some I…
Top 5 Things Every Author Newsletter Needs
We already talked about what you should STOP doing in an author newsletter. Now let’s focus on what authors can do to meet their marketing goals. When it comes to an author newsletter, there are many ways to approach it. Some authors usethe newsletter to share fun and interesting research that’s going into their books….
Author Newsletters: 5 Things to STOP Doing
Author newsletters are fantastic networking tools for selling your books, sharing your writing journey, or showing agents and publishers that you are worth the investment. But not all author newsletters are created equally, and there are several mishaps that can quickly tank your subscriber count if you’re not careful. When it comes to creating author…
The Writer Who Moms
It feels like the two halves of me are constantly trying to rip chunks out of the other—chunks of time, chunks of attention, chunks of affection. I try to put each in their assigned place, but the mom has to plan dinner while the writer can’t stop thinking about choreographing the next fight.
0 Queries, 1 Pitch: Full Manuscript Request
The literary agent requested my full manuscript. Not only that, but she requested the synopsis of the sequel AND the synopsis for a completely unrelated title, a project I hadn’t intended to pitch but mentioned as a sidenote. Not only that, but this was my FIRST EVER exchange with a literary agent. Listen, okay? I’m…
Writing with ADHD and creative solutions to staying focused
Writing with ADHD can seem a bit frustrating and time-consuming. But don’t worry! There are tips and solutions to this problem to get that creativity flowing.