Autocorrect gets blamed for many awkward situations. However, sometimes it is just bad (or rushed) spelling. Time to have a laugh.

Telling someone that you write fiction says nothing about the nature of your story, except that it's made up. You need to be a little more specific than that.

To be a good writer, you should be a good reader, but is reading all those published works really advantageous for your writing?

Judy L. Mohr’s Dancing in the Purple Rain is a gripping dystopian novel that takes place in a frighteningly realistic near future impacted by pandemics, genetic engineering, and climate disasters.

Group dynamics are constantly shifting. If groups are open to new members, the way certain personalities work together needs to be considered. But life experiences can also alter the way members interact. It's rare for any group to remain static. Most of the time, the shifts in dynamics are evolutionary and easily navigated. However, there are times when the shifts are negative, ultimately resulting in a toxic environment. And these toxic shifts are not so easily navigated. Writing groups are not immune to these shifts. But like many groups that are made up of those pursuing similar professions (and even the amateur writing groups can be considered a professional group), how we approach any shifts in group dynamics is a measure of our character. The influence that we have over the positive nature of the shifts will also be a function of our administrative connection to the group. In today's post, I want to explore our options when group dynamics become toxic. We'll consider when you might be in an administrative position, but we'll also look at when you are just an attendee.

Even the harshest of critiques will contain something of value to take on-board. The trick is to find it.

I don't want to belittle the lives of those lost: they do matter. However, for me, 9/11 had a whole different set of memories. I gave birth in September 2001.

The geek in me is getting incredibly excited. I’ve seen the preview for the new Star Trek movie coming out this week and, oh man… I CAN’T WAIT!

YouTube video by BookLIfe

It was a questions I was asked by a client, but I pushed back & ask why they write. "Only you can decide if writing is a waste of your time."

Recently, I saw an image on my social media feed that was trying to sell a set of social media templates for writers (templates supposedly designed to help writers sell books). But when I saw the image (and its caption), I had an instant negative reaction. The marketing tactic involved felt like it was trying to sow fear, insinuating that if you don't post every day, you'll never sell books. The caption: Every day you don't post is another day your perfect reader doesn't know your book. My reaction based on experience: Your perfect reader won't care if you don't post every day. They won't care if you post only once a week. In fact, they won't care if you decide to go social media dark completely. But they will care if you come across as a bot that is only trying to sell them things, ignoring the opportunity for genuine connection. They will care if you are treating them like a transaction.

Explain It to Me · Episode

I understand the rationale for making social media adult only, BUT do you really think that will stop the deplorable online behavior?

Time to take a look at some of the common structural issues that I see when editing for clients, providing insights into why they happen.

It's frustrating when conversations turn towards works that have been published, because it excludes some writers from the conversation—even those who have been writing for years.

There are many ways to overcome the dreaded writer's block. Here is a list of my common "Go To" methods.

During a backwards edit, you read a manuscript from the last sentence backwards to the first. As a consequence you focus entirely on the words.

For years, I have struggled with finding the balance between writing and marketing. If I don't do any marketing (of books or services), I find myself relying almost entirely on word of mouth… and I quickly find myself in a famine season. But if I spend my time focusing on marketing, then no fiction writing gets done… and the only writing that I seem to be able to do is nonfiction. I often feel like I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. And depression sets in because the joy of why I'm doing this gets sucked away in the money woes. But there are a few things that I've recently heard (via podcasts, blogs, and accountability sessions with writing buddies) that have helped me to rationalize these time management woes and helped me to realize that I've never been one to follow the models of others. I need to stop stressing about certain things, accepting that my brain works differently to others, and focus on what really matters to me. It's time to give myself permission to embrace a simplistic style to marketing, leaning more into word of mouth and a long-tail to the marketing game.

There is a difference between a critique from a writing buddy and editorial feedback. And it all comes down to perception and the weighting of that feedback.

Editors want to provide good value, but we need to make a living wage. Many editors develop practices to get through the workload faster. This is my process.

Editors want to provide good value, but we need to make a living wage. Many editors develop practices to get through the workload faster. This is my process.

When do you know you've finished editing? It's a loaded question, but here are some checks to help you know you're ready for the next stage in the publishing.

Being special can make you a target. In a poisoned world, Michaella, a genetically engineered telepath, uncovers a web of lies and implanted memories when her closest friend is killed. Michaella mu…