For this edition of #MondayBlogs, I'm linking to a Huffington Post article that brings up the question of who is monitoring your ebook reads. Imagine a Big Brother of ebooks. The article paints a picture of corporate espionage, but it's not yet confirmed. So what do you think? Here's the link to the article, "Is Adobe's eBook Reader Spying on What You Read More
Is Nice the Ultimate Four Letter Word?
“You pick your friends, not your family.” That phrase is usually spoken after one of our siblings does something like wear your favorite shirt and then spill red wine on it. It’s meant to say, “Hey, that’s your sister...so go on and make nice.” But when authors pursue “niceness” the result may sometimes be...dare I say it...boring. Is nice the ultimate four Read More
The Hollywood Trifecta
When a writer wants to land an agent or that coveted development deal, they typically start out in their quest by writing a screenplay. That’s not a bad idea, but there are thousands of scripts knocking around Hollywood. To stand out, you really need to embark on what I call the Hollywood Trifecta. Naturally, every suggestion I’m about to provide surmises Read More
How to Create a Balanced Life
I find that most of the writers I work with have lives similar to my own. We’re all extremely busy. Maybe it’s because writers have active imaginations and as a result, we thrive on being busy. But in the midst of wearing so many hats, let’s discuss how to create a balanced life. Try this exercise...plot out where you spend your time. This can include Read More
Perfecting the Art of the Interview
Last week I touched on five points that authors should consider when providing an interview. Perfecting the art of the interview and public speaking is a never ending process. You can always improve and with that in mind, here are five more tips. 1. Don’t ramble. Authors are naturally story-tellers, but don’t get so caught up in talking that you start Read More
The Indie Distinction
The term “freelancer” used to be synonymous with a person who shaped their own workplace destiny -- someone who chose what jobs they accepted, set their own hours, and determined their pay. Today, our concept of “indie” is very similar, but with one important difference. The indie distinction is that these creatives forge their own destiny. They don’t simply Read More
25 Ways to Write an Awesome Novel
K.M. Weiland is an author friend who writes historical and speculative fiction as well as helps to mentor other authors. One of her posts, "Top 25 Ways to Write an Awesome Novel," is so awesome in itself that I had to share. So with her permission, I'm re-posting the information here. Make sure to give a shout out to @KMWeiland over at Twitter to say thanks Read More
What Impresses MFA Programs
I believe with all my heart that anyone who wants to write should write. Writing can take on so many forms from novels and screenplays to poetry and even graphic novels. To excel at writing, you need a combination of desire and experience. The desire comes from your heart, but the experience needs to be garnered...perhaps from a MFA program in creative Read More
Amazon vs Libraries?
I love to read. When I was a child I loved going to the library and even today, I love taking my own children there. To me, those visits instill that love of reading that is so important. As you can imagine, I also have a close relationship with my Kindle and don't particularly like leaving home without it. So you can imagine my concern when an article in Read More
#MondayBlogs Giveaway
This week, Evatopia is utilizing the #MondayBlogs feature to giveaway away a promo package that spotlights a creative female author, musician, and artisan. That’s right...not one giveaway, but three! If you’re a creative female indie entrepreneur what are you waiting for? Evatopia will post for you on our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and our Google+ Read More