Whether it’s your first time or your hundredth, there is something exhilarating about entering your work into a writing contest. And for those of us who feel the pull toward ink and paper, clicking “submit” can mean a variety of positive things. From expanding your writing repertoire to potential prizes, here are five reasons to… Read more »
Most authors have a presence on Twitter or Facebook, or both. But what about LinkedIn? Does this professionally oriented platform have a place in an author’s social media strategy? As the third leg in the tried-and-true social media trifecta, LinkedIn has a large audience and a stable presence. But this network is often written off… Read more »
While blogging is a prominent web genre, it’s not one that’s known for its standardization. Or so beginning writers seem to think. That’s primarily because writing in different situations takes on its own unique forms and conventions. While there are lots of people selling products and services on their blogs, not all bloggers have this… Read more »
2017 has been an insanely difficult year. From political strife to domestic terrorism, hurricanes and refugees to cyber warfare and nuclear tension, we are exposed to human suffering and fear on a daily, sometimes even hourly, basis. For sanity’s sake, we can limit our social media and news access, but no one can completely turn… Read more »
The most important thing you can do as a writer is to write, and I always try to create more time behind the keyboard. As I cull through my commitments and consider the tradeoffs, I wonder if writers organizations are a distraction or a necessity? What are writers organizations? Writers organizations are membership groups whose… Read more »
It’s September, which means back-to-school time in most parts of the United States. Whether or not you are personally going back to school, or have children who do, the early days of September prompt us into a learning mindset. One of the blessings of living in modern times is the wide availability of educational sources:… Read more »
All of us writers have introverted qualities about us. We wouldn’t pursue this solitary work if we didn’t prefer spending time alone with our laptops. I’ve never heard someone say, “Yay, I can’t wait to network!” But if you pay the money to go to a conference, that’s the number one thing to get out of… Read more »
As an author, your email list is your most valuable platforming asset. Why? Because it’s your most direct line to your biggest fans. With so many platforming tools, your following is actually owned by the application you’re using. Consider: When you’re on Facebook, you have to play by Facebook’s rules. If they change their algorithm… Read more »
Hi, I’m Leanne: an INFJ, Open Introvert/Extrovert, Acts of Service, Upholder, Lark, Marathoner, Finisher, and a 2/6/8 on the Enneagram scale. I’m a personality test junkie: I love taking quizzes and reading books that teach me about myself. In today’s post, I’m going to tell you why these personality frameworks can help you know yourself… Read more »
Seven years ago, when I quit my job as an English professor and began this work of writing full-time, friends who were writers gave me great encouragement and wisdom. They talked to me about writing goals and encouraged me to focus on my practice not the product. The reminded me to keep my eyes on… Read more »
