There’s an old joke that writers don’t need to be able to spell words correctly because that’s what editors are for. Many people are highly skilled at writing and are well-read but can’t spell to save their own lives. If you’re a crappy speller, this post is for you. First, you’re in good company. Lots … Read more
Depending on the type of writing you’re doing, and in what capacity (such as for school, as a professional copywriter or other) you might refer to one of the three main writing style guidelines. Sometimes, you might be required to use one set of guidelines over another. At other times, you might be given a … Read more
Many publications feature collections of writings, such as short stories, essays and poems. Some include author profiles, interviews, critiques or biographies. The colloquial term for this type of publication is ”lit mag,” which is short for ”literary magazine.” You might also hear a lit mag referred to as a ”literary journal.” The first magazine of … Read more
Nobody likes rejection, especially writers. Still, it is highly unlikely that an individual (and again, especially a writer) will go through an entire lifetime without experiencing it, in some form or another. Brendon Burchard, a best-selling author who wrote, ”The Motivation Manifesto,” says that he learned six of his most important lessons about writing and life after … Read more
Some writers are gifted with imaginations that are almost always in overdrive. There is never a shortage of ideas for new characters and plots in their minds. Most writers, however, need some inspiration for stories, once in a while. They need something to ignite the initial spark, which starts that gentle glimmer, like a warm … Read more
If your goal is to eke out a living as a writer, one of the decisions you must make is whether a particular genre will be the central focus of your work. Advanced technology enables a consumer to purchase a book at a click without ever having to leave home. Some folks still enjoy browsing … Read more
Every budding author hopes to have written a manuscript that is worthy of publication. The latter phrase is both ambiguous and subjective. What constitutes ”worth” when publishers are considering a fiction story for the book market. It’s quite possible that one publishing company might reject one of your manuscripts while another one accepts it. However, … Read more
Don’t worry. If you read the title of this post but have no idea who the person is in the title, you are definitely not alone. Many people don’t recognize the name of David Ogilvy, but they are familiar with his work. Ogilvy is considered a marketing pioneer and an advertising guru in his day. … Read more
In a modern world, you can definitely earn a living by writing. Someone like J.K. Rowling or James Patterson is earning tens of millions of dollars from their best-selling novels. To make the New York Times best-selling author list, you have to sell 10,000 copies of your book. If you earn at least a 10% … Read more
Even if a publishing company is printing the books you write, you’ll always be doing a certain amount of marketing on your own, or at least you should be. One of the ways to market a book, as well as your brand as an author, is to create and maintain a blog. Nowadays, there are … Read more