I’d say separating self from product is the biggest challenge. We put so much time, energy, and love into our books, so we tend to take criticisms of our work personally. I can have hundreds of positive reviews, and if I get one bad one, it’s a little soul crushing.Continue Reading
Do you sometimes feel, when you’re putting words on paper, that there’s someone else in the room? Well it’s Halloween season, so that may have something to do with it, but then again, writers are notorious for feeling sort of…well, haunted. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote the Sherlock HolmesContinue Reading
by Virginia Jensen I first became interested in beadwork because I had moved to a new city and was out of a job. I ended up working part time at Michaels craft store demonstrating products and holding classes in craft work. The beading teacher was unable to continue, so IContinue Reading
Organic eggs have been on the market for awhile, but how can you tell which are the healthiest for you and your family? Eggs are a great source of nutrition for writers. They’re high in protein, low in calories, and unlike previously believed, will not raise your cholesterol levels. ButContinue Reading
If you were to write a story about a writer’s worst nightmare, what would it be like? You’ve probably already imagined it. When you were slaving away on your novel, worried that you’d never find a publisher, you thought of it then: What will happen if this story never seesContinue Reading
by Donna Cook My first idea for this story actually came as I developed the series as a whole. The Beautiful Rivers series is about three siblings who inherited a luxury resort on the California coast when their parents passed away suddenly. (Their cousin, who was practically raised with them,Continue Reading
We like things to be clear. Unfortunately, they seldom are. In writing and in life, there are always gray areas. How should you market your book? It depends on the type of book, your audience, and the marketing tasks you enjoy. How should you structure your writing day? It dependsContinue Reading
by Kate Willett As a writer, you might spend a lot of time sitting at your desk. Whether you’re furiously typing the first draft of your novel or staring blankly at a notebook waiting for inspiration to strike, the slightly hunched-over sitting position you likely find yourself in may takeContinue Reading
Writers are under enough pressure without adding to it. But add to it we do. This book has to be perfect. I have to reach my daily word quota no matter what. I need to write faster and produce more books per year. This book needs to sell well orContinue Reading
by Carol Pratt Bradley I have three published historical novels sitting on my bookshelf, another manuscript completed and another begun, with ideas for several more. Interestingly, I find that at this stage of being a writer, many of the feelings that I had before becoming a published author still exist.Continue Reading
Do your friends regularly post pictures of the delicious meals or desserts they’ve created? Do you look at them and feel your mouth water? Or do you like to watch those cooking shows where they regularly whip up something awesome and then eat it in front of you–after which youContinue Reading
Writer envy. You don’t want to feel it. You’re happy for that other author. You know you are. Yet you can’t help that little twinge that pinches your heart. You want to deny it, but you can’t. And it feels lousy. Envy is an uncomfortable emotion to begin with, andContinue Reading