Plot twists are an established tool to writing intriguing stories, whether for books, movies, TV, or other. These helpful tools create a more engaging story for the reader. According to Wikipedia, “A plot twist is a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work…
Tag: writing tips
The Cost of a Picture Book
Probably 75 percent of my clients want picture books. Of that 75 percent, about 25 percent go the traditional route. Yep, most don’t have the patience or grit to go the traditional route. But, with the retail price of a traditionally published picture book being on the high side, authors may wonder why they only…
The Secret of Getting Ahead
Probably everyone has heard one adage or another about the first step. Well, that first step certainly applies to your writing too. Having a desire to write a novel or children story is something, but taking the first step to bringing that desire to fruition is impressive. Having an idea for a story is something….
Creating Story Characters? Avoid These Common Mistakes
Guest Post by Linda Wilson Many characters inhabited the early drafts of my WIP: a MG mystery. Like many of my characters’ counterparts—kids—I assigned each character a “friend,” following the example I’d seen so often of kids going around in “packs.” What fun I had! The snappy dialogue! The endless opportunities to showcase what was…
Is Your Busyness Productive?
We’ve all been there . . . being too busy. But, is your busyness constructive? Or, is your busyness, just busyness? If you’re trying to build a writing career, you’ve got to be busy on things that will move your career forward. Do you want to become an author? Well, you’ve got to decide which…
Should You Really Write That Book?
I read an interesting article at The Outline. It starts off by demolishing two diehard myths: 1. Everyone has a book in them. 2. Any story can be turned into a book. We have to keep in mind though that there are two very different publishing models or paths. Let’s go over myth #1. The…
4 Reasons Why Self-Publishing Your Children’s Book May Be Your Best Option
Last week I talked about why you shouldn’t self-publish a young children’s book. I gave 5 reality-check tips. You can check that article out here: Is Self-Publishing a Children’s Book the Way to Go? 4 Realities For this article, let’s go over the reasons taking the self-publishing path for your children’s book may be a…
Is Self-Publishing a Children’s Book the Way to Go? 4 Realities
I self-published a children’s picture book in 2008 when self-publishing wasn’t as popular as it is today. And as a newbie to self-publishing, I made a couple of mistakes. The first of which was that I didn’t hire an illustrator-–I did the illustrations and book cover myself. I can hear the gasps. It’s okay, though….
Make Success a Habit with 3 Doable Steps
We all fall into the “I don’t think I can” hole now and then. It’s interesting how a lot of writers and people in general have negative thoughts throughout the day: – I’m tired. – This is too hard. – I don’t have enough time. – I’m not good enough. – This is overwhelming. –…
Overcome Writer’s Block with Automatic Transcription
Contributed by Descript If you’re a writer — of books, essays, scripts, blog posts, whatever — you’re familiar with the phenomenon: the blank screen, a looming deadline, and a sinking feeling in your gut that pairs poorly with the jug of coffee you drank earlier. If you know that rumble all too well: this post is for you. Maybe…