This post has been updated for 2024. I’ve both traditionally published and self-published books, and a lot of people ask me, “How much does it cost to self-publish a book?” I’m also asked questions like, “Do I have to hire a cover designer, or can I design it myself?” “Do I really need an editor?” There are a
Category: Writing Matters
Some of you gave me some nice feedback on the rough excerpt I shared at the last WIP Wednesday (and if you shared something as well, thank you! I love seeing your stuff!) That scene is based on a famous ancient story from Greece that I read as a kid, and it always stuck with me. I think some stories
One of my more popular blog posts is my master list of physical descriptions. If you’re writing in third person with multiple points of view, it’s pretty easy to work descriptors in there. However, if you’re working in first person, or third person from the point of view of only one character, giving your reader a mental picture of what
Hey there! I read just two books this month… the second one was fairly dense and I took a lot of notes. Here they are! Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: a Savannah Story, by John Berendt. This novel-like nonfiction book was a huge sensation in the 90s, and I read it now because I have a novella set in
Sometimes I want to make it seem like a character might die — but hey, guess what! She makes it! A lot of fiction writers, especially those who write fantasy, science fiction, thrillers, and Westerns, like to write about surviving almost fatal injuries. Pin or bookmark this post for future reference if you like this kind of plot point! I will
These summer writing prompts are appropriate for all ages… Because I know a lot of teachers are looking forward to the summer…along with a lot of students, and a lot of writers. In my mind, the season inspires a lot of good creative writing topics, and it wasn’t hard to come up with this list! If you’d like creative writing
Last week the creative division at my company had a fantastic symposium. All day, we heard impressive visiting speakers from many fields talk about belief and purpose in one’s work. The event took place at the gorgeous Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. (PS: look how pretty, you should move to Kansas City, everything here is amazing. Here is the outside: