TakingDictation

How to Make Your Writing Sound More Conversational

If writers want to do anything, it's to connect with and intimately engage their readers. They want to give people the gifts of escapism, inspiration, or education and make them feel deep things. So, why...
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Are You Forgetting Your Storytelling?

You have expertise. You put it in a listicle format so it's easy for people to digest. Nobody reads. Why? Tony Tran on Unsplash Because you're probably treating your bullet points or sections like encyclopedia entries. You...

Why Writers and Other Creatives Need to Be Careful When Told to “Add Value”

When you hear "add value," you probably know it's meant to encourage the idea of good, attractive service. But for writers and other creatives, the whole idea might need some danger flares. This video gives...

Why You Need a Writer AND an Editor

Editing. Writing. Same thing, right? Nooooooo! If you're considering having someone help you put together a book, you will need to hire BOTH a writer AND an editor. As this video explains, the skills they...

Is Allowing Your Book to Be Adapted for Film Worth It?

A while back, I was all about the Outlander series, which is based on the books by Diana Gabaldon. The episodes felt paced well, had good intrigue and suspense, and appealed to my period-loving heart....

The Key Element That Makes a Great First Line

Whether you're writing the next 1984 or conjuring a regency proposal a la Bridgerton, a great opening will make or break your fiction book.  But how do you really hook a reader? Ekaterina79 from Getty Images Signature...
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Want to Connect Through Your Writing? Offer Some Opinion

Do you want people to care what you think? Does it matter that people ask what your opinion is before they act? Do you go on social media with at least one of your goals...

The Anatomy of a Book Proposal

Unless you plan to self-publish your non-fiction (which is a perfectly valid path), getting your book to readers requires building a book proposal. This is a document that gives an agent or publisher detailed information...

3 Tips for Writing on the Go

I've freelanced from home for years. But I CANNOT stay in my abode every. Single. Day. I end up like Peter from Office Space, leaving for lunch at 9:30 a.m. I follow these 3 basic...

Why the Math on Social Media Doesn’t Add Up for Writers

I've been at this social media game for *cough* a while now, trying to use different platforms to share my writing and market myself. It can be beneficial if you're strategic about it. But if you're wondering why it...