Latest posts
Grants for Neurodivergent Individuals
/ 2024-09-20Did you know there are grant opportunities for those with disabilities, including those in the neurodivergent community? One came from my home state, Colorado, through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). After years of struggle as an independent author, a glimmer of hope emerged when I learned about the DVR grant. You... Read More
Saving Your Writing Can Pay Off
/ 2024-09-16I was in my forties when I started a new career in writing, and it took me a little while to realize the importance of saving everything. My first published piece was a 900-word essay for a publication called the Dana Literary Society. I proudly saved the link but deleted... Read More
Looking Forward, Not Behind
/ 2024-09-16When we feel things aren't fair, when we feel someone got a step up that we deserved, when we feel we write better than someone else yet they got published, we stand at a crossroad. At that point, we have a decision to make. To feel we should get what... Read More
Hybrid Writing Groups and What to Do with Them
/ 2024-09-06Formal and informal writing groups have been around for hundreds of years. Hybrid authors clubs are newer, rising in the 2000s and are becoming a staple of how authors connect with professionals and readers today. “Hybrid” writing groups exist IRL (or in real life), but also connect with other communities... Read More
How to Publish
/ 2024-09-06I make a point of walking up to an author's table and talking to them, often buying their book. Having spent many an hour in their shoes, I understand the difficulty of sitting there (they ought to be standing, but that's another article). Invariably, I'll look at the book, and... Read More
Novel Writing and Word Processor Software
/ 2024-08-25Novel writing software and word processors are faster, fancier, and more feature-filled than your old typewriter. However, are they any better than your old word processor for getting jobs done? Here’s a look at various writing software, what they cost, and how they work. Scrivener Scrivener gets rave reviews, and... Read More
Keep or Throw Away?
/ 2024-08-25Many writers are afraid to throw away work. It could be something they can't seem to sell, or it could be the original version of a chapter rewritten. It could be that perfect sentence that someone told you to cut out, that you can't see to let loose of. It... Read More
How Google Scores Authors’ Content
/ 2024-08-18Google crawls, scores, and then ranks all online content. Search results are based on these rankings. Writers can have an advantage by understanding how Google scores their online writing. Here’s how search engines read. What Google Scores Google uses more than 200 ranking factors to score online content for... Read More
Make Your Professional Author Photo Shine
/ 2024-08-09Your author photo is like your handshake. What does it say about you? We often feel uncomfortable with our author photos. However, if you don't have one—or if you use some other alternative—you appear to be hiding. Readers and clients will have a harder time relating to you. I'd go... Read More
What Book Authors Should Know About Adapting Their Material for the Screen
/ 2024-08-02Many storytellers have an unquenchable thirst to share their tales with the widest possible audience, often with agnosticism toward medium or format. This is why so many book authors have tried their hand at screenwriting – Agathie Christie, John Steinbeck, Stephen King and J.K. Rowling to name a few. Toiling... Read More
