why some stories hit harder than others
Last night I watched Hell or High Water with my husband and son. I liked it, but they loved it – and in our post-movie
Turn 1 review into 5 promo opportunities!
I recently ran out of things to say about my book. I was scraping the bottom of the enthusiasm well and didn’t have the energy
3 ways to get more reviews on your book
When’s the last time you bought something on Amazon? Did you glance at how many reviews the product had? Did you skip over an item
The 10% You Don’t Need
First drafts are too thin in some areas (settings, sensory details, inner narrative, dialogue) and too thick in others. Let’s talk about the other areas
Want more readers? Look outside the U.S.
Most indie authors focus all of their efforts on U.S. sales—and understandably so. The American book market is one of the biggest globally generating over
He said, she said… my best tips on dialogue 🗣️
Writing dialogue is something that a lot of authors struggle with, so I thought I’d share my top tips in hopes that it helps.With dialogue,
What triggers most readers to buy?
What makes a reader pick one book over another? For a lot of readers, there’s a giant arrow that points to a book’s purchase button
6 tips to get unstuck and back to writing
Let’s talk about the roadblock that knocks down even the most seasoned authors… writer’s block. 😱 Sometimes it hits when you’re halfway through a novel.
Are you a “real author”?
I was at a birthday party years ago when someone asked me what I did, and I hesitated for a moment. “I’m an author,” I
3 Types of Writer’s Block
I was on my third novel when I hit writer’s block for the first time. It came with a vengeance, striking three times before I
5 Reasons Your Scene Might Be Broken
Let’s talk about scenes. If a scene that you’re writing feels boring, your instinct might be to blame the writing. It’s not vivid enough. Not
Perfect Writing Schedule?
I’ve come to realize there’s no such thing as the perfect writing schedule. It’s tempting to think there is. Somewhere out there is a magical
Why I go to bed thinking of Freida McFadden
Let’s talk about one of those uncomfortable moments we don’t always admit out loud – when your writing friends hit milestones before you. They… Have
Do Author Blurbs Create Sales?
An author review quote is often perceived as the holy grail of cover candy – second in line to a bestseller label or that coveted Oprah or Reese book club seal. But do author blurbs really matter? And how would you go about getting one?
13 Tips to Writing Full-Time
Being a full-time author is tough. When do you make the dive? Is making the dive the right choice for you? I love writing, but there’s nothing quite as stressful as spinning your wheels and going nowhere fast. There have been years where I failed to make a profit—or a living. I am one of the lucky ones: my husband works full time, and if my job fails to pay the bills, we can make it through.