Do you use enough nonverbal communication in your writing? Fiction writers know that showing what's happening to their characters rather than talking about it makes for a much more compelling read. Action, dialogue, and detail all contribute to a show-don't-tell--or...
I had been unsuccessfully trying to convince my writing coach client to reach out to some people who might endorse their book. Endorsements--getting a few lines of praise from people with names, affiliations, or credentials that readers will recognize--is a critical...
The first time I remember seeing Chris Griffin, he and a friend were making their way up a snowy path in Bear Valley, California as they headed to the same potluck my friend, Pam Jamison, and I were attending. The tall, mustached redhead held a two-pound package of...
Is researching a book really necessary? If you're writing a nonfiction book, you've identified a thesis that you're making a case for. That's the book's big idea, and every book has one (and only one). Whether you've chosen a self-help angle, a book about finance, a...
To make an effective argument in a nonfiction book or even gear a novel to the audience you're aiming for, you have to know to whom you're appealing (i.e. your reader demographics). That's why attorneys find out as much as they can about the jury members on the cases...
When writing a book to boost your business, you've got a couple of missions. We've talked about the importance of sharing information and stories about yourself that make people want to do business with you. But for that one-two knockout punch that will deliver...
I've written a lot about storytelling and what I call story-showing. I talk about it even more. So I figured that a fun quiz might spotlight the differences between the two along with why one is so much more effective than the other. Ready? Okay, here we go. Do the...
So many writers worry about whether their language sounds good enough. Good enough for what, I'll never know. As a result, they go over and over and over their pages until they've eliminated just about any trace of their own personal voice or style, thereby...
If you're writing a book to help boost your business, you might not immediately think about writing about yourself. I'm betting the idea of opening up and adding a dash or six of vulnerability in those pages is even further from your mind. I have two words for you:...
Hear the word suspense, and you probably think of murder mysteries or thrillers. That makes total sense, since those books revolve around suspense. But suspense doesn't have to be relegated to those genres. You can use it in almost any novel and even in narrative...
