April

Most readers might think of titles like “Love Comes Softly,” “The Shack,” or the “Mitford Series,” when the topic is Christian fiction novels. Among the most prolific authors of this genre is C.S. Lewis, whose fantasy series, “The Chronicles of Narnia,” continues to entertain readers today, although it was first published in 1950. This same … Read more

You might have read the title of this post and wondered what it’s doing here on a publishing blog. In fact, writers often grow weary or lose focus throughout the day, especially when working long hours to finish a novel or meet a deadline. Knowing ways to quickly boost energy and alertness can help an … Read more

Avid readers know what they like in a novel. If a reader is new to your writing, the story must be compelling and captivating enough to hold the reader’s attention. Beyond that, it must be good enough to make the reader want to read more of your stories. The last thing you want is for … Read more

Football players maintain rigorous workout and training routines to stay fit and strong and to be at their best every time they step onto the field. All athletes must do their best to stay in shape for their sports. Routines, workouts, diets, and activities affect performance. Authors, too, must “stay in shape” if they hope … Read more

After releasing a huge sigh of relief, then celebrating with family and friends, what comes next? You may have worked for months (or longer) to craft a story and fine-tune your manuscript. Now, your book is being published; surely, your efforts don’t stop there; at least, not if you’re serious about getting the word out.  … Read more

You’ve heard it said that writing a book starts with writing, meaning authors must sit down and start typing, recording or writing (by hand). It’s likely that you’ve also heard tips on how to be consistent with a writing routine and how to avoid writer’s block. There’s something important that must occur before all of that, … Read more

Perhaps you’ve already hit the best-seller list more than once. Maybe not; maybe you’re just now starting your first draft of your first-ever novel. Either way, there are several ideas in this post that authors should keep in mind.  Every writer is unique, although there are rarely any “new” ideas. Everyone borrows from someone. Authors … Read more

A cognitive neuroscientist from the Harvard Graduate School of Education claims that the overall learning process is the same whether you’re reading a hardcopy book or listening to a story. The cognitive specialist says that people often have their own preferences regarding modality or means of experiencing a story. However, preferences and learning processes are … Read more

We’ve all heard stories about “the dreaded writer’s block,” where an author sits in front of a blank screen. Fingers on the keyboard, eyes straight ahead, yet the ideas never come; there are no words on the page. It can be challenging to create new characters and storylines. It’s even worse if a block arises … Read more

Many authors, especially those who write Fantasy or Sci-fi, build stories around people and places that don’t exist in real time. Skillful execution can make characters and settings “feel real” to readers. For example, Lord of the Rings fans become familiar with Middle-earth, although it is a fictitious world.  J.R.R. Tolkien created a fictitious world that is … Read more