Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published
Quoting the Bible is a frequent occurrence for Christian writers. But do you know your limits on what you can quote, understand how to format your verse(s), and the know the copyright credit you must give?
As I edit writers’ manuscripts, I find errors in all these areas, so let’s dive in and look at each one.
[Read more…] about Quoting the Bible – Doing It Correctly
Updated July 5, 2021
Have you ever been reading a story and suddenly found yourself saying, “Wait a minute, in that last chapter spring was just beginning and now suddenly it’s wintertime?”
I know I have. And it’s like a train crashing through the middle of the story.
Sometimes it’s not that stark, but I notice when things are out of sync even by mere hours. Yes, that can be drawback in my pleasure reading, but in editing, this ability to track the story’s time line is an asset.
Not all stories are this linear, but most are. And whether you are aware of it, you track the story time line as you read. Even movies give us clues as to the passing of time—usually through a night scene that transitions to a day time scene.
[Read more…] about Has Your Story Time Line Jumped the Tracks?
(Updated June 2021).
Jane M. Tucker is the author of the Lottie Braun series, which released as a kindle box set earlier this month. Janes series came about much like my own–unintentionally. The series includes Lottie’s Gift, Lottie’s Hope, and Lottie’s Freedom.
Jane is a lifelong reader and writer who has a deep love for the art of storytelling. And that storytelling carries us along effortlessly in the story of Lottie Braun.
Jane hails from Kansas and blogs weekly at Postcards from the Heartland about her life in the Midwest.
Grab a cup of coffee or your favorite herbal tea and sit back for a marvelous interview as she tells us how she created the oh-so-real and engaging stories of the Lottie Braun series.
[Read more…] about Creating Your Story World
Today’s post is by author Geary Smith. Geary has been writing for children and young adults for over 35 years. His work has been published in such venues as Highlights for Children, Child Life, McGraw-Hill, ProQuest, Kids Imagination Train, and many other publications. He is the current mayor of Mexia, Texas, and President of Region IX of Texas City Councils. He has a B.S. in Psychology from Morehouse College and M.Ed. from Stephen F. Austin University.
“Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.” -Bruce Lee
It was March 23, 2020, when I felt the painful sting of the pandemic stick my soul and spirit. My future plans, trips, conferences, and other social interactions to sharpen my writing skills were all cancelled one after the other.
[Read more…] about The Pandemic’s Menagerie: A Writer’s Adaptation in Chaos
Today’s post is by RJ Thesman. Thesman is the author of 18 books (so far) and 800+ articles and stories. She is a certified life coach with a focus on writing, an editor, and a workshop presenter. Currently, she is finishing another novel, pulling weeds in the garden, and petting the cat during breaks. Connect with RJ on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, then subscribe to her channel Coaching for Writers.
When I first met my fictional protagonist Reverend G, I was certain I would never forget her. Yet as her story evolved into a series, I needed a tool to keep the details credible.
[Read more…] about Creating a Series Bible for Your Fiction Series
Have you finished writing your book but are now wondering how to do the book layout?
With self- and indie-publishing many more people are entering the world of book publishing. And many writers may find writing their book the easiest part of getting their book to the virtual bookshelf.
Today, I’d like to take a look at book layout. It’s not complicated, but can seem that way if you don’t know the process involved. Three parts compose the physical design of your book: the book cover, the book interior, the digital conversion.
[Read more…] about The Ins and Outs of Book Layout
(Updated from a previous post)
Are you writing your first book?
Do you plan to indie-publish or seek an agent and traditional publisher?
Have you started building your author platform? Maybe you’re not sure what an author platform is.
I’ve heard many first-time writers say they want to finish their book first before they think about anything else. But if you do that, you are already behind in getting your book launched.
And often once the book is done, they don’t know what comes next.
If you’re planning on publishing a book, keep reading to discover what it takes to get that book from your head to the virtual bookshelf.
[Read more…] about How to get your book from your head to the virtual bookshelf
I just want to write. I hear that often from writers I work with.
That’s great, and it’s not hard to do at all. Simply sit down at the computer (or with pen and paper) and write.
But be honest with yourself. You want to publish that book. And now we enter the arena of what’s involved in publishing a book.
What you really mean to say is you want to write and let someone else do the work to get your book published and marketed.
[Read more…] about What’s Involved in Publishing a Book?