There’s a shift in the air this time of year—the first whisper of autumn as the mornings grow crisp, evenings fall sooner, and the leaves begin their fiery transformation. For readers, this season feels like a personal invitation to curl up with a blanket, a steaming cup of tea, and a book that sweeps you…
Unleash your creativity with movies for writers. As an author, I love movies about writers. I connect with the main characters immediately, because I understand the crazy world they live in. Here’s my list of ‘go-to’ movies for any writer: Adaptation — comedy/drama starring Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper American Dreamer — romantic comedy…
9 Tips you can use in your novel. Billy Wilder broke into films as a screenwriter in 1929. After leaving Germany, he emigrated to Paris, then the US. Among Wilder’s most notable films are Some Like It Hot (1959) and The Apartment (1960) (which won him Best Picture and Director Oscars). Use Wilder’s 9 tips…
A step-by-step guide Having trouble writing a description for your novel? It’s not uncommon. I found a great guide from Dave Chesson on the Kindlepreneur Rocket. First Sentence Hook This is the most important sentence of your entire book description. This is where 80% of your focus needs to be. Simple Design Layout Like all…
The first thing that comes to mind, when someone says ‘world-building’, is science fiction and fantasy. A galaxy far, far away or Hogwarts School of Magic. But world-building starts more basic than that, and applies to all genres. World-building is all about details, no matter what the genre is. What world is your book set…
Every genre of writing has its own rules and requirements. Here’s what you need to write a best-selling thriller: My book, The Man In Number 7, shows a young mother on the run after killing her abusive husband. Later, she sees her husband following her. Is it really him? His ghost? Or is she crazy? Read…
April 16, 2023 I paint and take pictures when I’m not writing. Stephen King does jigsaw puzzles, plays guitar, and bowls. I used to bowl, but I threw too many gutter balls. Although it was fun. If you did some research, you could probably find at least a couple solid hobbies that every successful author…
For me, this was the hardest part of writing. Copy writing. I’ve taken courses, read books, and done everything I could to learn to write a better blurb. Here’s what I’ve learned: The purpose of the blurb is to deepen interest and desire in the book. It’s a tagline, something to initially grab a reader’s…
You can find a hundred articles telling you what to read to improve your craft of writing. I certainly have my favorite books that helped me through the process of becoming a professional author. But that’s not what I’m talking about now. Stephen King said, “If you want to be a great writer, you have…