Writing a great story might be your goal, but you should also consider what will annoy your readers. Unfortunately, when writing a first draft, you’ll have likely done all of these things. But that’s okay, that’s what editing is for! #1 : Excess Word Count This will be the absolutely most annoying thing you can … More 3 Reader Turn Offs You Can Avoid

Depending on your perspective, one or both of the candidates are the villain. But do you understand what makes a true villain? I watched the debate last night, and I felt Hillary made an excellent point when the last question was proposed. She admitted that this was not a normal election. I could relate when she … More 2nd Presidential Debate: Who’s the Villain?

Multiple pen names are useful for famous authors, not so much the indie-writer. Pen names can be useful when used appropriately and for the right reasons. As an established author with a powerful publishing house and paid publicists, pen names can be a powerful marketing tool. Readers will always know what they’re getting. Let’s think of Nora … More Should You Use Multiple Pen Names?

Today’s post is focusing on cover letters, specifically for submissions intended for literature magazines. I want to emphasize that while editors do not put much weight on a cover letter, a poorly written one WILL make it more difficult for your story to be accepted. To demonstrate, here’s the cover letter I submitted for a … More 3 Tips on Writing a Cover Letter to a Literature Magazine

One of the most important factors in a novel, especially fiction, is that facts are correct. If they aren’t, there must be logical reasoning for why the author chose to deviate from realistic expectations. Take Superman as an example. There’s an explanation available for why he’s able to bounce bullets off his chest and laser criminals … More WIP Research – 5 Facts of Schizophrenia