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Articles for Novelists and Nonfiction Writers
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Writing Your Book: The Craft
"The Finished But Unfinished Book" by Bill Vossler
"Transitions – Don't Be Windy" by Susan Sundwall
"Tired of One Dimensional Characters? Pack your Characters with Psychology's Big Five" by Terry L. Stawar, Ed.D.
"Setting as a Character" by Timothy Hallinan
"How to Start a Novel: The Willingness to be the Best and the Worst" by Albyn Leah Hall
"Crossing Horror: Using Horror in Other Genres" by G. W. Thomas
"Thirteen Tricks to Tease Yourself into Work" by Noelle Sterne
"From The Ghostwriter's Desk: Size Matters" by Scott Nicholson
"And Now for the Sequel… Writing Series Fiction for Children" by Nikki Tate
"Blockbuster Plots by Threes" by Martha Alderson, M.A.
"How Not to Bore Your Readers: Write Better Dialogue!" by Helene Vance
"Is Fiction Going to the Dogs? Novelists Share Tips on Writing About Animals" by Brenda Scott Royce
"Why The Da Vinci Code Works" by Sarah Winn
"A Novel Approach: How to Succeed At NOT Being Published" by Amy Stone
“Five Tips for Avoiding Total Disaster as a Novelist from a Poor, Wretched Fool Who Had to Learn the Hard Way” by Kris Saknussemm
“First Pages” by Kate Pepper
“Axe Those Adverbs” by Shaunna Privratsky
“Four Ways Reality TV Can Improve Your Fiction” by Jennifer Minar
"Not Just a Load of Hearts and Flowers" by Mary Cook
"Why Do I Need an Index?" by Barbara Malpass
"'Soft' Business Writing: A Hard Job" by Marlene Caroselli
"What Point of View?" by Callum Shakespeare
"A Few Keys to Writing Effective Dialogue" by K. Follis Cheatham
"Writing Isn’t Always a Solitary Business… And Sometimes It's Better That Way" by Maryann Miller
"Is a Low-Residency Program for You?" by Erika Dreifus
"How to Create Literary Fiction" by Magdalena Ball
"Thickening the Plot" by Vicki Hinze
"The Endangered Protagonist" by Christina L. Hamlett
"Writing Family Stories" by Dr. Marlene Caroselli
"Call in the Framers; The Event Outline" by M.L. 'Max' Roth
"Hidden Meanings-- Symbols" by Vicki Hinze
"Sleeping With the Enemy: Writing From Your Antagonist’s POV" by Dana Mitchells
"Five Do-able Tips for Remembering and Writing Great Lifestories" by Denis Ledoux
"Conflict: Can't Live With It, Can't Write Without It" by Tina St. John
"Plots That Go Bump in the Night: Defining the Difference Between Mystery and Psychological Suspense" by Christina Hamlett
"Anticipation and Dread" by Kate Gerard
"Hook Your Readers With Tension" by Laura Backes
"Dynamic Dialogue" by Kate Gerard
"How To Write Your Life Story" by Patrika Vaughn
"The 3 Most Important Elements of Fiction Writing" by Magdalena Ball
"How To Compile a Successful Anthology That Sells" by Dorothy Thompson
"Water, Water, Everywhere... Lessons For Beginning Writers" by Sister Lou Ella Hickman, I.W.B.S.
"Who Are You Writing About?" by Deanna J. Jones
"The Magic of Voice" by Marisa D'Vari
"Visualization: The Art of Seeing The Story" by Charlotte Boyett-Compo
"Exposition Vs. Narrative-- Huh?" by Vicki Hinze
"Breathing Life Into Your Characters" by Charlotte Boyett-Compo
"Writing About Controversial Subjects" by Laura Backes
"How Shall I Begin?" by Patrika Vaughn
"Film, Stage, or Novel? Choosing The Right Vehicle to Convey Your Story" by Christina L. Hamlett
"Seven Suggestions For Writing a Novel" by John Ross
"Why Not Write Sensual Romance?" by Lori Foster
"Fishing and Farming: Red Herrings and Planting Clues" by Scott Mortenson
Editing Tips
"Ten Mistakes Writers Don't See (But Can Easily Fix When They Do)" by Pat Holt
"Four Remakes That Can Help You Jazz Up Your Rewrites" by Sister Lou Ella Hickman, I.W.B.S.
"More Advice for Writers-- Forbidden Words" by Aaron Lazar
"Keeping It Simple: Two Steps to Better Writing" by Rebecca Steele
"Editing Made Easy" by Lee Masterson
"Great Books Aren't Written, They're Mutilated and Pieced Back Together in Groundbreaking Intensive Surgery" by S. W. Vaughn
"Comma Usage Made Simple" by Michael LaRocca
"Keyman's FIX-tion: Ten Quick Fixes to Improve Your Fiction NOW" by Garrie Keyman
"Editor's Eye: Mispeled Wurds" by Anastacia Lee
"No Smiling when Your Mouth Is Full of Words!" by Roberta Beach Jacobson
"Verbs with Verve" by Shaunna Privratsky
"How to Get a Good Review on Your Book" by Bobbi Duffy
"How New Writers Can Jump That First Hurdle" by Robynn Clairday
"Eight Ways To Tighten Your Prose" by Michele R. Bardsley
"Who Are You And Why Are You Ruining My Story?" by Christine Urbaniak
"Eliminating Passive Writing" by Laura Backes
"Self-Editing Success" by Carole Moore
"Common Writing Mistakes" by Michael LaRocca
Researching Your Novel
"From Bullets to Books" by Chris Davis
"Deadly Doses" by Mary V. Welk
"Conducting Research to Achieve Realism in Your Fiction" by Margaret I. Williams
"More than Names and Dates: Six Easy Steps for Writing A Legacy" By Denis Ledoux
"The Historical Novelist's Burden of Truth" by Thomas Mallon
"Research: Setting Your Historical Romance" by Tina St. John
"Discover a New Character Within Yourself" by Monica Di Santi
"How To Search Copyright Holdings Online" by Darlene Bishop
On Titles and Character Names
"How the Right Title Sold 300,000 Books When the Wrong Title for the Same Book Sold Only 1500 Copies" by Teddi McDonald
"A Rose By Any Other Name" by Christina L. Hamlett
"A Name's Story" by Alex Shapiro
"A Title for my Novel" by Alex Shapiro
Selling Your Book to a Publisher
"How to Schmooze With Publishers" by Patricia L. Fry
"Presenting to Publishers" by Rachel Carrington
"Ten Surefire Ways to Get Your Book Proposal Rejected" by Patricia L. Fry
"Write A Query Letter That Sells" by Marilyn Henderson
Sample Nonfiction Book Proposal by Jenna Glatzer
"Finding a Book Publisher" by Jenna Glatzer
"Nine Ways to Reach a Bigger Audience Now" by Suzanne Falter-Barns
"Romancing the Editor: You need a great opening line" by Gail Kavanagh
"When Persistence Meets Opportunity" by Christine Louise Hohlbaum
"Make the Perfect Pitch: The Novel Query" by Kelly James-Enger
"Taming the Book Proposal: The Basics" by Jill Nagle
"Get To Know A Publisher BEFORE You Submit" by Lauri Berkenkamp
"10 Steps to Being Published" by Joyce Lavene
Editing and Selling the 'Scientist as Hero' Novel" by Deborah Cannon
"Finding the Appropriate Publisher for Your Work" by Jodi Brandon
"So, Ya Wanna Write a Book?" by Fran Harris
"Ten Common Submission Package Errors" by Rudy Shur
"Publishing Information for Genre Writers" by Jeff Colburn
"Gotta Have a Gimmick?" by Natasha Gapinski
"Don't Gamble" by Vicki Hinze
"Researching the Market" by Laura Backes
"Overcoming the Fear of Writing a Synopsis" by Vicki M. Taylor
"The First One Doesn't Count... Or Does It?" by Christina L. Hamlett
"Ten Steps Toward Finding A Publisher" by Moira Allen
Sample Book Proposal, Brief Outline, and Extended Outline by Michael A. Banks
About Agents
"Writing & Publishing Tips: How to Get a Top Literary Agent & Sign That Coveted Six Figure Deal" by Susan Harrow
"The Art of Hunting and Capturing the Great North American Literary Agent" by Raven West
"Tips from a Slush Pile Find: How One Writer Got an Agent" by Ronlyn Domingue
"Seven Essential Points on Literary Agents" by Jill Nagle
"Why You Need an Agent (Except When You Don't)" by Scott Nicholson
"Agents: Who Needs Them?" by Apryl Duncan
"Burned by an Agent" by Marti Talbott
"Courting an Agent: The Power of First Impressions" by Christina L. Hamlett
"Finding An Agent" by Judith Bowen
"How To Write Great Queries Without Resorting To Threats, Bribery or Coercion" by Wendy Keller
"A Writer's and Agent's Bill of Rights" by Michael Larsen
Creativity and Finding Ideas
"Constructing Creative Identity: Four Steps to Strengthening Your Writing Muscles" by Michele Rosenthal
"Writing: The Stuff of Dreams" by Caroline Misner
"Sparking Writers' Minds Using Abantu" by Sheila Bender
"From Idea to Story" by Megan Crewe
"The Power of Journaling for Writers" by Erica Miner
"Geek Without the Guilt" by Karen Fainges
"Your Creative Life as an Innie" by Mary McCauley-Stiff
"What's Not Good for You May Be Great for Your Writing" by Lon Prater
"Boost Your Creativity with a Smile" by Monica Di Santi
"20 Ways to Keep Your Writing Inspiration and Creativity High" by Catherine Franz
"Baby Steps; Giant Results" by Jennifer Minar
"How Knowing Your Psychological Type Can Help You Write Better" by Sister Lou Ella Hickman, I.W.B.S.
"Fool Your Senses" by Linda Gray
"Today I Witnessed a Story" by Cheryl Wright
"The Value of Writing Prompts" by Uma Girish
"Need Some Inspiration? Try Some RPC: Risk, Passion, and Creativity" by Emily Hanlon
"The Right Writing Rituals" by Susan K. Perry
"Holey 3x5 Cards Empower Creativity And Organization" by Will Mitchell
"Capture Those Ideas Before They Float Away" by Sue Lick
Beating Blocks and Insecurity
"Failure-Tolerant Leadership for Writers and Others" by Jeanne Dininni
"To Write or Not to Write, That is the Question" by Mayra Calvani
"Get a Grip on That Writer's Block" by Roy A. Barnes
"Bust Writer’s Block Forever" by Shaunna Privratsky
"Uncovering Your Strengths" by Lorna Tedder
"Surrender to the Page" by Judy Reeves
"Beating the Block: 10 Sure-Fire Ways to Cure Writer's Block" by Magdalena Ball
"Why We Don't Write Our Books" by Suzanne Falter-Barns
"Toxic Teachers and the Perfect Prose Syndrome: Are You a Victim?" by David Taylor
"En Francais, S'il Vous Plait" by Abigail Steidley
"The Excellent Writer Within" by Michael Levy
"A Block By Any Other Name" by Kristi Holl
"Finding Forrester, Again" by Sister Lou Ella Hickman, I.W.B.S.
"Everyday Courage and the Writer" by Holly Lisle
"The Myth of the Writing Fairy" by Joseph Devon
"Breaking out of Writer's Block" by Apryl Duncan
"Befriending the Internal Editor" by Beth Adele Long
"The Selectively Arrogant Writer" by Jill Nagle
"Is It Worth It?" by Vicki Hinze
"The Professor and Me" by Catherine Lanigan
Setting Goals and Making Time to Write
"How to Write Your Novel and Still Have Time for Sex" by Rob Loughran
"HowMaster: The Writer's Guide to Beautiful Word Crafting" by Linda Gigliotti
"Chris Baty: NaNo and No-Nos" by Elizabeth Bartlett
"How Contests Can Help Your Writing (Whether You Win Them Or Not)" by Erika Dreifus
"How To Avoid Being Trapped" by Nancy Julien Kopp
"The Working Mom's Tricks to Writing a Novel in Your Free (!) Time" by Alina Adams
"A Year of Opportunity" by Uma Girish
"Meet the Deadline Every Time by Breaking Large Projects Into Manageable Steps" by Jodi Brandon
"Working at Writing" by Moushumi Chakrabarty
"How I'm Writing Six Books At One Time" by Sharon Schnupp Kuepfer
"When Writing Becomes Duty" by Uma Girish
"How To Tell Who WON'T Make It In Writing (And How Not To Be That Writer)" by Holly Lisle
"An Article on Procrastination? I'll Write it Tomorrow" by Tommy Donbavand
"Before You Write" by Patrika Vaughn
"Finding Time To Write When You Have No Time To Write!" by Karen Fenech
Writers' Groups, Mentors, and Conferences
"Surefire Signs of a Virtual Violation*And Five Ways to Avoid It" by Lisa Manyon
"Forming a Writers' Group" by Victoria Purdie
"The 2006 Mount Hermon Christian Writers' Conference" by Kathy Ide
"Real Life Critters" by Susan Stephenson
"The Five Phases of Feedback" by Cynthia Morris
"What's Your Novel About?" by Marilyn Henderson
"Critical Thinking" by Brian McCarthy
"Planning a Writers’ Conference" by Nancy Julien Kopp
"Critique: Take it Easy, Give it Nice" by Marius Benta
"What’s So Special About A Writers' Conference?" by Linda Chiara
"Tips for Writers Group Etiquette" by Julie Rogers and June Ford
"Taming the Beast — The Fears and Joys of Being a Member (and a Writer)" by Judy Reeves
"Writers Conferences: Are They All They Should Be?" by Jessica McCurdy-Crooks
"E-mail Critiquing" by LeAnn Campbell
"Five People Every Writer Should Know" by Dawn Allcot
"Workshop Critiques: Four Ways to Convey Constructive Criticism" by Michele R. Bardsley
"How a Writing Mentor Can Help You" by Julie Rayl
"Maximize Your Investment in a Writers' Conference" by Elizabeth Hanes
Self-Publishing
"How to Get Your Self-Published Print-on-Demand Book into Barnes & Noble" by Joel Eisenberg
"10 Tips For Making Money with E-books" by Alyice Edrich
"My Life as a Lulu: Experiences in e-Publishing" by Erika Dreifus
"Publish Your Own Book - A Timeline" by Patricia Fry
"Fate Interferes in Our Plans" (Part V) by Donna D'Amour
"The Runaway Arrives… And We Run Away to Sell, Sell, Sell" (Part IV) by Donna D’Amour
"While You Were Printing..." (Part III of a series) by Donna D'Amour
"The Nitty Gritty... Hands On, Blow-by-Blow Adventure in Self-Publishing " (Part II) by Donna D’Amour
"Taking a Leap… Deciding to Self-Publish" (Part 1) by Donna D’Amour
Self-Publishing: Ask Barbara Florio Graham
"POD: Dream or Disappointment?" by Peter Bowerman
"Tips Your Friendly Printer Doesn't Want You to Know (...and a few he wishes you did!)" by Tom Cornwell
"How to Publish a Self-Help Book Without a PhD" by Suzanne Falter-Barns
"Welcome to the Revolution (a study in modern publishing)" by Clint Gaige
"Will Your Book Sell?" by Patrika Vaughn
"The Accidental Publisher" by Elisabeth Keely Wilson
"Self-Publish Your Own Book And Keep All The Profits" by Marilyn and Tom Ross
Dealing with Rejection
"Rejection: A Writer's Best Friend" by Jude Tulli
"Rejections Can Lead to Major Success" by Melvin Durai
"What Does Adversity Do For You?" by Dave Cole
Pre-Publication Publicity and Marketing
"Tips for Successful Publicity" by Rachel Carrington
"How to Get Great Quotes for the Cover of Your Novel" by Marilyn Henderson
"Harem Girls for Sale" by Anastasia M. Ashman and Jennifer Eaton Gokmen
"Marketing Your Work Online: Choose the Right Website Type" by Lars Clausen
Sample letter to ask for blurbs by Jenna Glatzer
"The Importance of a Pre-publication Marketing Plan" by Jennifer Hollowell
"The Press Kit" by Denise M. Clark
"How To Fatten Your Press Kit When You're A New Author" by Lorna Tedder
Promoting Your Book
"Public Relations and Marketing: Why Writers Need It" by Rose Walker
"Get Quoted in the Media - Part Two: Establish Yourself as an Expert Source" by Damaria Senne
"Get Quoted in the Media - Part One: Strategies to Catch a Journalist's Eye" by Damaria Senne
"Who Would Like To Read?" by Lisa Romeo
"Creating a Media Monster: How Contributors Can Co-Promote Their Small Press Anthology" by D.L. Snell
"Tap Into the Lucrative Library Market" by Patricia Fry
"Get Paid to Promote Your Book!" by Sandra Beckwith
"How to Give an Awesome Author Interview" by Patricia L. Fry
"Novel Ways to Promote Your Novel" by Patricia Fry
"12 Ways to Keep Your Nonfiction Book in the News" by Sandra Beckwith
"The Care and Feeding of Press Releases" by Ami Hendrickson
"Help Me, Help You: How to Get the Most Out of the Author-Publicist Relationship" by Jennifer McAndrew
"Eight Unique Ways to Promote Your Book" by Desiree Day
"Making the Most of Your Website" by Lars Clausen
"Can You Be a Superstar? (Part Two)" by Christine Louise Hohlbaum
"Can You Be a Superstar? (Part One)" by Christine Louise Hohlbaum
"How to Set Up a Teleclass in Five Easy Steps" by Christine Louise Hohlbaum
"Audio for Authors: Sell More Books When Your Readers Can Hear You" by Julie Hood
"Mother Knows Best: Five Things I Learned About Selling My Book from My Mom" by Cherie Burbach
"Tips for a Dramatic Reading" by Nick Pollotta
Free report by Jenna Glatzer: Book Promotion Ain't For Sissies (in .pdf format)
"27 Ways to Sell More Books" by Cathy Stucker, www.IdeaLady.com
"Mixing Business with Pleasure... And Benefit from Book Reading and Signing Events" by Alex Sharpiro
"Top Ten Tips for Author Appearances" by C. Hope Clark
"Top Ten Tips for Writing Your Best Press Release Ever" by Susan Valeri
"How to Self-Syndicate to Create a Buzz for Your Books" by Dorothy Thompson
"In My Humble But Expert Opinion" by Andrea Campbell
"Sell Your Book With Pennies" by Julie Hood
"Book Promotion Tips" by the readers of AbsoluteWrite.com
"The Four Seasons of Publicity - Building an All-Year Publicity Machine" by Bill Stoller
"How To Become Your Own PR Consultant" by Dorothy Thompson
"How to Kick Nervousness in the Shin During Interviews" by Roberta Gale
"Promoting Your Own Book - Get Busy!" by Anika Logan
"Beauty Shop Books" by Pat Fish
"Murder for Charity: Promote Your Book and Do a Good Deed!" by Alina Adams
"Lessons Learned by a First-Time Author on His First Book Tour" by Michael Duranko
"Amazon Bestseller Day Diary" by Random Narrator Who Is Not Jenna Glatzer
"Be Prepared!" by Roberta Gale
"Mastering the Dreaded Synopsis - Condensing Your Novel" by Lee Masterson
"Be the 'Go To' Expert! The Importance of Branding Yourself in a Niche Market" by Julie Donner Andersen
"The 'Do it Yourself' Book Tour" By Aliza Sherman
"PR 101 for Book Authors" by Lyla Foggia
"Book Promotion Basics For The Bold and The Bashful" by Patricia Fry
"How to Get Booked on Oprah" by Susan Harrow
"Top Ten Tips To Success On Amazon.com" by Rusty Fischer
"Don't Just Write Your Books-- Market Them!" by Judy Gruen
"Four Powerful Ways Authors Can Attract More Readers (and Buyers) Faster" by Bob Baker
"How to be a Great Radio Guest!" by Larry James
"Make Your First Book A Winner!" by Peter Bowerman, Part 1 and Part 2
"Becoming a Somebody When You're a Nobody: Spreading the Word About Your Book" by MaryJanice Davidson
"The Publicity Puzzle" by Marika Flatt
"Free Publicity For Your Book" by Patrika Vaughn
"Success With Signature Lines: Your Virtual Business Card" by Rusty Fischer
"Selling Your Writing Over The Internet" by Phil Philcox
"Marketing in Cyberspace" by Patricia J. Bell
"How I Got on The Rosie O'Donnell Show and Sold a Gazillion Books" by Bill Adler, Jr.
Taxes for Authors
"Award-Winning Writers, Photographers, and Artists are Losers Under the Tax Laws" by Julian Block
Contracts and Legal Issues for Authors
"Negotiating Your Book Contract: 20 'Must' Topics to Talk About (Part Two)" by Brenda Warneka, J.D., C.P.A.
"Negotiating Your Book Contract: 20 'Must' Topics to Talk About (Part One)" by Brenda Warneka, J.D., C.P.A.
"Writer Beware!" by Sue Raines
"Author Beware – A book publishing horror story" by Sharon Hill
"Collaboration Agreements in the Publishing Industry" by Lloyd J. Jassin
"Do You Need Permission?" by Daniel Steven
"The Reel Deal: So You Want To Be In Pictures" by Daniel Steven
"All About Trademarks" by Daniel Steven
"Estate Planning for Writers" by Marguerite Manor
"Contract Basics: Read This Before You Sign on the Dotted Line!" By Jodi Brandon
"Got The Contract! Now What?" by Jenna Glatzer
"The Truth Shall Set Your Fee-- Writing Controversial Nonfiction" by W. Adam Mandelbaum, Esq.
"Negotiating a Book or Journalism Contract Over the Phone" by Ken Wachsberger
After-the-Sale Publication Issues
"The End of Your Book is Just the Beginning" by Elizabeth Harrin
"How Do Books Get on the Bookstore Shelves?" by Dee Power
"Sell-Throughs and Other Important Stuff" by Vicki Hinze
"One Book's Journey, Part 1" by Jenna Glatzer
"Confessional and (Finally) Proud of It" by Sue William Silverman
"Checking the Quality of Your Translated Book" by Monica Di Santi
"What The Heck Are Sell Sheets?" by Denise M. Clark
"Nom de Plume... Porquoi?" by Tracy Pomerinke
"How Authors Get Paid" by Laura Backes
"Selling Out Takes a Lot of Bottle" by Bill Fitzhugh
"Publication Date" by Lloyd L. Rich
Inspirational
"Conquer Jealousy-- Wish Other Writers Well" by Noelle Sterne, Ph.D.
"Critical Critiques" by Natalie Lorenzi
"What Do Best-Selling Authors Have in Common? Nine Characteristics That May Surprise You" by Dee Power
"Writers in Prison" by Claire Braz-Valentine
“The Dreaded Daily Word Count” by Chris Stewart
Related Career Fields
"How to Become an Indexer" by Martha M. Bullen and Darcie Sanders
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