The Three Rs: Reading, wRiting, and Roaming

The Benefits of a Retreat

September 16, 2019

Happy autumn, writers!

What a wonderful time to reside in Wisconsin. I believe my home state rivals the Northeast regarding fall color, but then I’m biased. Recently, I spent a week in the Northwoods and the respite provided clarity that I didn’t expect. The tiny cottage where I stayed felt like a step back in time. The decor was mid-Fifties, the cell service was spotty, and while there was a television, I rarely turned it on.

I used the time away as a break from the busy-ness of life. I didn’t even expect to have a mini-vacation; it happened because my husband had to go out of town and he suggested it. Why not?, I thought. I packed a suitcase, a stack of books, and my laptop computer, and a short... Continue Reading

Why You Need an Imprint as an Independently Published Author

September 10, 2019

If you’re going to independently publish your work via one of the many publishing platforms available to authors, I highly recommend that you set up your own publishing imprint. Yes, just like traditional publishers, you will want your work to be published under a company name—other than your own author name—for a number of reasons.

What IS an imprint? An imprint is a trade name that you create for your independent publishing business.

Why you need an imprint name.

Credibility: You don’t want your independently published book to be immediately recognized as such. (The words Independently Published will appear by default—for instance—if you use the free ISBNs from Kindle Direct Publishing.) Even though the stigma of independent publishing has lessened, there’s no... Continue Reading

Where to Find Places to Submit Your Work

September 3, 2019

Many of us toil in private for years before we are ready with both our skill level and emotional fortitude to submit work for publication. But where can we submit our precious pages? Depending on what you write and which audiences you’re trying to reach, the answer to that question differs.

For the scope of this article, I’m focusing (mainly) on publishing houses who will accept un-agented submissions, contests for works of all lengths and types, and literary journals looking for everything from essays to short stories to poetry. None of us have the time to search for these locations one by one. Instead, I advocate signing up for handy newsletters that provide lists of reputable publishers and journals. These are my favorites!!

... Continue Reading

August Writers' Forum 2019

August 26, 2019

FEATURED ARTICLES:

Top U.S. Publishers Sue Audible for Copyright Infringement

More Copyright Infringement on Amazon

FEATURED ARTICLES

Top U.S. Publishers Sue Audible for Copyright Infringement

The story has progressed since last month’s news that publishers were not happy with Audible’s newest feature. Now, publishers are suing to block the new feature called ‘Audible Captions’ that shows on-screen text as a book is narrated. Publishers are angry because the authorization Audible has to produce the audiobook doesn’t extend to the text of the story. We’ll see how this plays out in the coming weeks. The full article is available... Continue Reading

Six Ways to Promote Your Book Award Win!

August 19, 2019

Earlier this year, I wrote “Are Writing Contests Worth the Fees?” – sharing a five-step approach to determine if a contest was legitimate to enter. If you missed that post, you can access it HERE. Or for a more detailed discussion on this subject, you may wish to take my course: Are Writing Contests Worth the Fees? It is a 30-minute video, including how to make the most of a contest win, along with a resource sheet for $25. Click HERE or on the image below to access the full course... Continue Reading

Book Bonanza 2019 is over . . . and I survived!

August 12, 2019

I spent August 8 - 11 at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine near Dallas where more than 150 authors signed books, memorabilia, and other keepsakes for 2200+ enthusiastic fans. The authors also presented great information at panel discussions, which I really appreciated as a writer. This is primarily a charitable event and while final numbers are still being tabulated there will be between $70,000 and $80,000 donated to amazing charities doing great work.

(By the way, the pic above is indoors . . . inside the vast atrium of the Gaylord.)

If you’ve never heard of Book Bonanza, here’s the scoop: 

Book Bonanza is the creation of Author... Continue Reading

June and July 2019 Book Reviews

August 5, 2019

I am nearly to my 60-book reading goal for the entire year! Here are my favorite 17 (yes 17) from the past two months.

    MIDDLE GRADE

 

The Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Purchase HERE.

This is a delightful book narrated by the neighborhood’s 200-year-old oak, an special tree where people leave their wishes tied to its branches. When a young Muslim girl moves in next door to the tree, she writes her own wish that she’d like a friend, but not everyone is welcoming in their new home. The sweet storytelling and cast of characters, which includes many animals, will keep you turning the page to find out if everything turns out... Continue Reading

July Writers' Forum 2019

July 30, 2019

FEATURED ARTICLES:

Why publishers are mad about Audible’s new feature.

“Rules of Writing” from 42 famous authors.

FEATURED ARTICLES

Publishers Are Pissed About Amazon’s Upcoming Audible Captions Feature

As you can see, The Verge doesn’t mince any words in assessing the current issue with Audible adding a caption feature to their audio books. The transcription of each book will allow listeners to read along with the narrator. Audible claims this is an educational feature, but publishers are saying this infringes on the rights of authors and publishers and will impact sales as audiobook buyers will get the text with their Audible purchase. (I probably wouldn't have noticed this conflict, but I’m paying particular attention to anything... Continue Reading

Dialogue Part 2: Practical Tips with Tracey Kathryn

July 23, 2019

Last month, I wrote about how listening and observing combine to improve dialogue-writing skills. Every writer is an analyst. We evaluate situations, people, and events, then use them to inspire our work. Dialogue is a special component of writing, however. Learning to write unique, realistic, plot-enhancing conversation is difficult. This month, I have compiled several links, plus offered insight about why those links are helpful.

As I researched the concept of dialogue writing, I found many sites that offered great tips about composing strong dialogue. The... Continue Reading

The Beginning Writer: How to Get Started

July 9, 2019

Whether you are quietly whispering to yourself, “I am a writer,” or shouting it as loudly as you can, creating a book-length work IS an intimidating process. How do you even begin to do this?

I began writing my first story very quietly. I didn’t tell many people I was attempting to write a book. Who knew if I could finish? Maybe it would be awful when I was done. I couldn’t stand the thought of people asking me how it was going if it wasn’t going well or if I decided to abandon the project completely. Beyond knowing that I wanted to write, I knew nothing about writing. I had to educate myself as I went. (I had to learn things like manuscripts require double spacing, 12-point font, and one-inch margins.) 

I would have loved to have some straightforward guidance on how... Continue Reading

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