Opinions

Authors, Please Ditch Your Interview Talking Points. Here’s Why

At some point, as a writer, you'll start giving interviews -- people will want to talk to you about your book, writing process, what inspires you, and what your general life is like. This progression...

Why I Started Using Substack (and Still Share It with Caution)

Over the past few months, I've made the decision to start using Substack. There were two big reasons for this. First, as I've noted in previous posts, I've lost a lot of the algorithmic visibility...

Top 10 Ethical Ways to Use AI as a Writer

For months now, the battle has raged -- should writers use ChatGPT and other AI tools? It really all depends on what you ask the tool to do. I am -- and likely forever will...

Why Writers Should Use (Some) Big Words

You've heard the variations on the theme: Don't choose a $20 word when a $0.10 one will do. Keep everything to a 4th-grade reading level. Concise and simple writing is better. Those mantras have some...

On Sensitivity and Trigger Warnings in Writing

As most writers do, I've been sharing my work at different conferences I've been finding online. I do this not only to technically improve, but also to understand the impressions I am giving to readers....

The Biggest Mistake I’ve Ever Made in Writing

I've been writing now for more than two decades. Mistakes? I've made 'em plenty. But out of everything, there's nothing I regret more than not personally networking to a greater degree. Watch/Subscribe Why I went...

The Best “Extra” Thing to Study as a Writer

If you get to know me a little, you quickly learn that most of my free time (if I have five minutes) is spent within psychology. This is both informal (e.g., YouTube videos from licensed...

About Your Reader Count…

Writers, we need to talk about your reader count. We all want to measure that. It's a lot like social media, where lots of followers implies you're resonating with people. But it's also a perception...

Writing, Play, and Finding Genius

It's a nice vision -- the writer, sitting confidently in front of their laptop or notebook in some hole-in-the-wall coffee shop or home office, sips a sippy-sip beverage and, eyes closed, listens to their muse....

Why You Should Consider Writing Your Book Blurb Early

Your book blurb — the material you typically use on your back cover or as part of your Amazon product description — plays a HUGE role in whether people actually buy your book. It summarizes...