Barbara Hinske never expected to be able to quit her full-time job as an attorney and pursue a writing career. But her initial novel, Coming to Rosemont, has mushroomed into a bestselling series. “Look what we’ve done—and we’ve had a blast doing it!” reads the...
I recently read a terrific article about the problems writers face and what to do about them. Writer, life coach and therapist Dana Shavin--or the editors at The Writer Magazine--called the piece "15 of the Most Common Causes of Writer’s Block – and How to Cure Them."...
“Is that a Newfie puppy?” asked a woman whom my dogs and I passed on a path that runs along Bend's Deschutes River. I knew she was asking about my zealous girl Sophie. I looked at the woman's full-grown, chestnut-colored Newfoundland and laughed. Whether Sophie is at...
Do you have a great book idea? Fantastic! But now what? How do you turn that book idea into a book? First, get the idea down on paper. And I mean now! If it hits in the middle of the night, force yourself to get up and jot down your idea in enough detail so it makes...
Last month, I went over book categories for younger kids. This time we’re focusing on older readers. Middle Grade Books (Ages 9-12) Now we’re stepping up in terms of story, language and length, with books ranging from 20,000- to 50,000 words. While they may feature a...
As more of my writing clients are finishing their books, I'm finding some shared formatting mistakes in their manuscripts. While I don't recommend worrying about formatting while writing your initial sloppy copy, establishing a few basic formatting parameters before...
"Is my writing any good?" most of my new writing coach clients want to know. I usually dodge the question because that's just not the issue. If their writing needs help, we'll make it stronger. No big deal. The real challenge for each writer, whether they're writing...
Do you cater to your audience when writing? Do you even know who that audience is? Knowing whom we're writing for helps on the creative front. I'm a firmbeliever that you have to satisfy your creative vision, but if you want people to read your book, you also need to...
Conflict, the topic of Part 1 of this two-part series, is just one element in your tackle box when it comes to how to grab your readers’ attention. In another Writer’s Digest article, “10 Ways to Hook Your Reader (and Reel Them in for Good),” author Ann Garvin lists...
Have you figured out how to hook readers in your book's first paragraph and keep them on the line until the ending? If not, that novel or piece of narrative nonfiction you've worked so hard on probably won't come close to living up to those dreams of success you...
