Christmas shopping can be tough, especially when you want to give special gifts that make the recipients smile, assuring them that you know them, and you’ve been paying attention. Writers are one of the easiest groups of people to shop for, but for some reason, people are often stumped. They have no idea what a… Read more »
Here’s a little word association exercise: What pops into your head when you here the phrase “Target Market”? If you’re like I used to be, you instantly get some kind of negative image. Mine was a sleazy movie exec fanning himself with money and pouring over a copy of the latest census report. What is… Read more »
Before graduating this spring with my bachelor’s in creative writing, I was faced with a difficult decision: follow my passion or get a job. The unspeakable amount of student loan debt weighing on me ultimately swung my decision towards employment, and I am grateful to have a steady full-time job at the same university where… Read more »
Perhaps you’ve already heard, there’s a new social network in town. Ello launched publicly in August, and the site has caused a ton of buzz with its users-first, no-advertising promises. Which is all well and good, but what does Ello mean for your author platform? Let’s take a closer look. First Things First: What is… Read more »
One of the things I always tell my students is that the writer’s job is to tell the Truth with-a-capital-T. It’s not always about getting the facts straight, because depending on what you write, there’s wiggle room to shape the facts so that the story rings true. That said, it is the writer’s responsibility not… Read more »
At DIY MFA, we believe in the power of people. We believe there’s strength in surrounding yourself with a great team. Creativity thrives when it’s shared, and even if writers work alone, the writing life doesn’t have to be solitary. This is true for any artist, and it’s true for websites as well. As DIY MFA has grown… Read more »
I love writing. Huddling behind my laptop means a beautiful day for me. For those of us in the romance genre though, the Romance Writers of America is where it’s at. The national organization has over 10,000 members with more than 145 local and online chapters. Their national conference has over 2,000 attendees, and as… Read more »
It’s no secret that my success with Catch Me When I Fall began with a Twitter pitch contest; I’ve mentioned it before in interviews and even wrote about the experience for Writer’s Digest. With the number of pitch contests growing—and the rate of success rising—I thought I would share my Twitter pitch and how you… Read more »
-Are you doing NaNoWriMo? -Huh? -You know, NaNo? -Who? -You’re not a WriMo yet?! -Did you just call me a ‘rhino’? It’s not a secret code or a reference to rhinos or even atomic particles. It’s National Novel Writing Month, and the challenge to write 50,000 words in the month of November is about as… Read more »
This is a continuation of a previous article from editor Constance Renfrow about six things you need to know before you submit your novel. Check out Part One right here! Make Your Email Stand Out Okay, so Fifty Shades of Twilight Abbey is free of clichés and that anti-woman monologue, you’re ready to “sware” all… Read more »