A lot of you Word Nerds out there have the goal of writing and publishing a book. After you’ve accomplished that goal (and after the mandatory celebration of your awesomeness) you would also probably like someone (other than your mom) to read it, right? Of course, no one is going to read your book if… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of speaking with New York Times and USA Today bestselling author B.J. Daniels! After a career as an award-winning newspaper journalist, B.J. wrote and sold over 37 short stories before she finally wrote her first book, Odd Man Out, which went on to be nominated for… Read more »
Last year, after reading Cal Newport’s Deep Work, I decided to start tracking my time. Specifically, I wanted to start tracking how many hours a day I was spending in what Newport calls a state of “Deep Work,” focused on one important, rather than urgent, task. However, I soon decided to take it a step… Read more »
What makes your writing life productive? Maybe you’re following the advice to “write every day,” and you’re hitting a daily word count, but you’re not sure if it’s your best work. Or you eschew that advice and only write when you feel inspired, and then a great story pours out of you—but you wish you… Read more »
With so many books on the market (upwards of a million published each year), maintaining loyal readers continues to be a priority for authors. We not only need to get them reading our books, we’ve got to keep them reading—to the last page and onto whatever else we’ve written. Discussions abound on exactly what magical… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have Dan Grant on the show! Dan is an author with a background in electrical engineering who has always loved the world of stories and intriguing tales, especially suspense and thrillers that weave science, medicine, or technology into the fabric of the drama. As a licensed… Read more »
It’s award season for crime fiction writers. In this piece, I’m going to discuss the national-level crime fiction awards, their selection process, and why being crowned “winner” may or may not be a big deal for writers and readers. Awards Sponsored by Genre Groups The Edgars The Edgar awards, named in honor of Edgar Allan… Read more »
I always appreciate a great story about family. By that, I don’t mean I specifically search for books on this literary theme. Rather, when I read a book about family that resonates deeply or refreshes my perspective on the theme, I’m often thinking about that book for weeks, months, even years later. Maybe it’s because… Read more »
As an author, the sole act of completing and finishing written work can be a daunting task all on its own. Throw in marketing and outreach and the entire process can become overwhelming. Books require countless hours of ideation and rounds of editing. Crossing the finish line alone is enough cause for congratulations. However, the… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to be hosting Brazilian author Tony Bellotto on the show! As some of you may know, my parents are from Brazil and my first language is actually Portuguese. Though I was raised in the U.S. I consider myself as much Brazilian as American so I am… Read more »
