Episode 139: Be the Gateway — Interview with Dan Blank

Hey there word nerds! Today I am excited to interview Dan Blank, founder of WeGrowMedia and author of the new book Be The Gateway that just came out a few weeks ago. Dan helps writers and creative professionals share their stories and grow their audience. He has worked with hundreds of individuals and some amazing… Read more »

How to Streamline Your Editing Experience

I imagine every editor has, at one point or another, dropped their head into their hands and ululated, “Why didn’t I tell my author this one tiny thing before it became a massive catastrophe?!” So, in an effort to prevent further histrionics, here are some things you, the author, can do to streamline the editing… Read more »

When Your Book Doesn’t Sell

I’ve been planning to write this post for over a year. Except I really thought it would be the “When Your Book DOES Sell” version. But yeah… that didn’t happen. The book my agent signed me for didn’t sell. I found out five months ago. It’s taken me that long to be ready to write this…. Read more »

#5OnFri: Five Obsessions of Highly Effective Writers

In the three years since I started writing, I’ve written six novels, signed book contracts for two of them and published my first one this month. I’m contracted for two more books to be written in the next six months. I have no degrees in writing. I took one literature class in college (which is… Read more »

Publishing My First Book – Part 2

I talked before about the first stages of editing, from pre-round edits, to cover copy, to round one content edits. We attacked details with gusto, but moving into copy edits and final line edits, the details went microscopic. Clarity of  prose, sensitivity of subject matter, echo words, punctuation—we looked at every sentence as through a… Read more »

Publishing Industry Myths and Legends

When I first entered the lofty realm of book publishing as nothing but a meek little editorial intern, I believed all sorts of misconceptions about the industry. Not least the editors’ choice: “So you just read all day, right?” Haha, that hasn’t gotten old! . . . But over the years, I’ve discovered that’s just… Read more »

Publishing My First Book, Part 1

After I signed my book contract, I thought I’d have a few weeks to let things sink in before editing began. I mistakenly thought I’d have a month or more to do nothing but pound out the first draft of book two. Nope. The discussions on editing and the cover began within a week, and… Read more »