Failing is a harsh word and failure in general is something that most people fear. And yet, failure happens to everyone in some shape or form. You might find that there is actually power in failure. Perhaps we need to rethink our relationship with failure and look at it for what it really is…an opportunity to reevaluate and change Read More
University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast Review
University of Southern Maine's Stonecoast Review is gearing up for its fifth issue, which will be published in the Summer of 2016. Founded in 2013 by students and alumni of USM’s Stonecoast Creative Writing MFA program, the journal is gaining readership and popularity with more submissions to the latest issue than any previously. Read More
A Social Shift in Writing
Clive Thompson wrote in Wired Magazine about how our language has changed due to electronics. He calls it a social shift in writing as smart phones and dictation apps automatically make our writing more casual. Furthermore, voice dictation software is becoming more widely used and also contributes to this casual prose phenomenon. A recent study analyzed how Read More
The Naughty List
Want to get on your readers’ good side? Then take note of two rules to avoid in your writing. It’s what I like to refer to as the naughty list and if a word appears on it, then it has no place in your quality fiction. Avoid “ly” words - adverbs Try to avoid adverbs. Just because they exist doesn’t mean you should use them. These are lazy words that steer Read More
Best Books on Writing
As a literary manager I have to make sure a project is as good as it can be before I send it off to agents and producers. This means that I work one-on-one with the screenwriter or novelist to get it in top-notch condition. The expectation is that they would have done their job first by learning everything they need to know about their craft. But what if Read More
Writing Season
Long, lazy days spent going to the beach or sitting poolside don’t have to be in direct opposition to productive writing days. In fact, some people get their best writing done when they get out of their office and into the great outdoors. Here’s why you should consider summer to be the ideal writing season. Inspiration Surrounds You It’s a matter of Read More
Character is More than Eye Color
How many times have you read a description of a leading character that pretty much starts and stops with their physical beauty? I’ve got news...character is more than eye color. Sure, if you’re a romance writer it’s important to give readers a bit of brain candy. Who doesn’t like to read about rippling muscles and the arms that reach out to hold his love? Read More
What Do You Want to Be?
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a common question asked to children. I think it’s something we should ask ourselves from time to time. Creative people often have second careers. Why? Because we just can’t help ourselves from letting the creative juices flow. And, if you can make a living from it, all the better. But what if you’re not Read More
Get Out of the Writing Rut
We do so many things habitually. If your daily habit is going for a brisk walk or some other form of exercise, that’s a positive. But, if your daily writing has gotten stale and yet you still go about it in the same manner, that’s not so good. Here are a few writing prompts for how to get out of the writing rut. Try Something Different. Perhaps Read More
Editor vs Beta Reader
Editor vs Beta Reader...which one is better? For indie authors on a budget, it’s an important question. No doubt, a beta reader can save you money that you would spend on an editor, but a savvy writer knows that there’s a big difference between the two and your role in monitoring each one. If you are relying on beta readers to review your books prior to Read More
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