I read an excellent article by Jerry Jenkins, an author of more than 186 books and a New York Times bestselling novelist, on creating memorable heroes. This is a writer who knows about writing. As every author wants to write relatable and memorable main characters, Jenkins’ article inspired me to write this piece. It’s a…
Author: Karen Cioffi
Karen Cioffi is an award-winning author and children's ghostwriter. She loves to help those who want to be the author of a children's book fulfill their dream. Contact Karen today to get your story started!
Secondary Characters – Are They Important?
Before I get into the importance of secondary characters, let’s go over what they are. A secondary character is any character in the story aside from the protagonist (main character) and the antagonist (villain or force in opposition to the protagonist). Just a side note here, an antagonist doesn’t have to be a character. It…
Be a Successful Writer Even if You Don’t Think You Have Enough Time
I always think about time and how there just isn’t enough of it to do all the things I must. Then, I look at two quotes that put time in perspective: “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur,…
Picture Books – A Different Writing Style
A writing style is the way a writer writes a story. It’s the words used, the sentence structure, the tone used, and even the method used. The children’s picture book writing style is unique for two main reasons: 1. You’re dealing with young children.2. You’re often dealing with parents and teachers who will read the…
Writing Nonfiction – Using Quotes
If you’re a fiction writer, there are a number of elements a writer needs to incorporate to create an engaging and believable story, such as characterization, plot, structure, clarity, and so on. Well, Writing nonfiction also has a set of elements that must be incorporated into the piece to create similar results, such as clarity,…
Raise Your Writing Standards
Contributed by Suzanne Lieurance I watched a video of Tony Robbins on YouTube the other day and he said something that really stuck with me. He said, “If you are unhappy with anything in your life, simply raise your standards in that area.” So what did he mean by that? Well, according to Robbins, we…
Read as a Writer
Every writer has been told to read, read, read. Read as much as you can to improve your writing skills. Well, I read an interesting article at Writer Unboxed that explained why simply reading to improve your writing won’t cut it. According to the author, Julianna Baggott, Faculty Director of Vermont College of Fine Arts…
Traditional Publishing – Keep Submitting
While most of my ghostwriting and rewriting clients self-publish, some go the traditional publishing route. This is definitely commendable, but it does require patience and tenacity. If you have a story you believe in and want to go the traditional route, then dig your heels in, roll up your sleeves, and start submitting. Keep in…
Small Book Publishers Fill the Gap
One of your primary concerns as an author is to get your book published. While self-publishing is a viable option, many authors still strive to be traditionally published. The problem, though, is getting your manuscript past the acquisitions editor of a major publishing house. And, while I always say nothing ventured, nothing gained, getting published…
The Author Website – 5 Top Tips to Optimization
At this point in time, with the internet an integral part of book marketing, EVERYONE knows that if you’re writing a book or already have one written, you must have an author website. (If you fall into this category and don’t have a site up yet, get it started today.) While AI has changed many…