Archive for April 2024
Small Press Distribution Is Gone, But You Still Have Options
Small Press Distribution got thousands of books into readers’ hands. Now that they’ve shuttered, we writers can’t quit. I’m sharing this list of indie presses from Electric Literature hoping to lend a hand. Let’s check out these other options and rebuild. This is an opportunity for writers to remember that they do not have to…
Read MoreWhy Every Writer Needs a Good Cavalry
Planning things out to get your writing done? Awesome! *fist bump* But a solid cavalry of supportive people can help ensure that plan actually manifests. Watch/Subscribe:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LWPr8Xv8So I’ve been writing now for almost two decades. I’ve had a lot of things get in the way, including physical limits and a lack of surety about what I…
Read MoreWant to Write in a Niche? Do This to Succeed
For years now, most of my income has been from business writing. That’s my niche, and it’s been good to me in terms of keeping a roof over my head. I’ve learned an incredible amount and think differently in positive ways because of it. I even started a podcast, Faithful on the Clock, that aims…
Read MoreHow to Set Writing Goals
If you don’t already set writing goals, now is the time to start. In this video, I break down how to do it. Watch/Subscribe:https://youtu.be/vBVRLCy_1QI In complete disclosure, in the past, I didn’t make it a priority to set writing goals. I always just played it by ear and got out however many words I could…
Read More4 Bad Writing Habits That Make Drafts Worse
Most writers who want to get better at their craft ask themselves what they can add to their process or strategy. That trend probably comes from our cultural tendency to favor expansion rather than reduction when improvements are necessary. (You don’t see many companies slimming down their product features, do you?) We’re always wondering what…
Read MoreWhy the Use of Comps in Querying Books Needs to End
In a few short weeks, I’m going to begin the querying process on my first Christian self-help nonfiction work. As part of this process, I have to find titles that are comparable to my own. Professionals in the writing industry refer to these titles as “comps.” And my, do I hate them. Why publishers and…
Read MoreThe Value of NOT Paying Someone to Help You Publish
Paying someone to help you launch a book can be a great move — it’s best for some authors. But as I discuss in this video, learning how to launch on your own has long-term benefits, too. Paying someone might be right for you… It might be the case that, once you learn how to…
Read MoreGot Feedback as a Writer? Here’s How to Make Sense of It
Every writer needs feedback to improve. But in this video, I share how to make sense of the data others give you so you know how to revise. Watch/Subscribe:https://youtu.be/5oGS3iM5VGY When I was still pretty green as a writer, I wanted to make adjustments every time anybody sneezed on my manuscripts. I couldn’t help it. I…
Read More5 Places to Write That Aren’t Coffee Shops
The picture is familiar — a writer, furiously typing away at a laptop, sipping a beverage, contentedly pausing here and there to people watch as people come and go from the coffee shop. The first point I’ll make about this stereotype is that it doesn’t represent every writer. Coffee shops are expensive, for starters. Plenty…
Read MoreWant Influence as a Writer? Take Roxane Gay’s Razor Blade Advice
Roxane Gay was talking in her Masterclass series about how, as a writer, it’s OK to be focused and not try to do everything or be everywhere. I felt that. Instead of being a swiss army knife (which admittedly holds benefits), be a razor blade. Slice, slice, everybody. Options seem to make sense given the…
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