I write a lot of posts about developing writing skills. I share help with plotting, character development, descriptions, and much, much more. But the best skill you’ll ever learn as a writer is setting boundaries, and it’s something I’m getting much better at lately. This is such an important and difficult topic, and I hope this post helps! First, let’s
Category: Writing Matters
Hey, amazing authors! Today I’m going to talk about how to do front matter in a book. It’s something you need to know If you’re self-publishing for the first time…and even if you’ve self-published many books, this still may give you some new ideas! What is front matter in a book? Basically, it’s everything that goes before Chapter One. The
A few people have asked me to do a list about meet cute tropes. Given my former day job at Hallmark Publishing and my love of making lists for writers, I have to admit I’m the perfect person to do it! But first, let’s talk about the “meet cute” definition. Meet Cute – Meaning The “meet cute” is usually a
“It is too late for me to be an author?” “Have I missed my window?” “Am I too old to be a writer?” I’ve heard questions like these from people in their 70s, their 60s…and even their mid-50s. It used to surprise me. After all, becoming a writer later in life is very common. Take a look at some famous
High Concept… is something that publishers and movie producers are always asking for. What is high concept in film and in fiction? Let’s get into it! High Concept Definition Different people define high concept in different ways, but I think this is the best explanation… A high concept story has a premise that can be clearly conveyed in one compelling
Why do people kill? That’s a question a lot of thriller and mystery writers ask themselves when they’re plotting a new story. I apologize that this is more grim than my usual posts, but writers, we sometimes deal with things like this! This post is kind of a mini murder motive generator for
Some publishers have clear guidelines on novel length. For instance, as an editor in publishing, I generally look for novels of around 75,000 – 90,000 words. Naturally, this can be frustrating to someone who’s written a novel of 50,000 words…or for someone who’s written a novel of 150,000 words or more. That’s why I wanted to write a post to