No way around it, writing is a business, and we’re the boss. Guess what? Not everyone is cut out being their own boss, let alone a boss of other people. A proper boss keeps their employees happy and in a productive setting. In my experience, managers drive their employees into the ground so that they can quit instead of being fired. Was that too dark? Long story short, be a good boss and know how to schedule yourself without harming yourself.
How to Write a Novel with Feminist Characters
It’s very cool to see more female protagonists out in the world. There’s still room for improvement for representation, as the article focuses on, but these are encouraging steps to see.
Should You Self-Publish? 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Taking the Plunge
The publishing industry is working for the author more today than ever before. This means more choices that the author has control over. It also means more weight on authors’ shoulders to choose the right career path, which is never easy.
I don’t recommend self-publishing for everyone. I self-published my first book, and my current slate of work is to be self-published, but it’s not for everyone. Some people just don’t want it. Nothing about the work is appealing. It is for me, I love it. I genuinely enjoy self-publishing because it offers what I want. Some people will want to work with small independent presses, some want to agent hunt to have a partner, some want a contract with a big imprint. And they’re all fine choices.
If you want an agent to be there for you, I’d never direct you over to KDP Select, Smashwords or Draft2Digital. I’ll share some articles on query writing and what writing conventions to go to. If you want to indie publish, I’ll share some of those articles and resources. That makes sense, because at the end of the day it’s a personal decision.
Is Kindle Unlimited Devaluing Books? The Dark Side of Exclusivity
I like Mark Coker, I do. Smashwords is an author-friendly site that is constantly growing and offering new features to help authors sell books. Every year they share their data on trends within the industry that are invaluable. This article I don’t entirely agree with, but that’s because I don’t see as much doom and gloom with Kindle Unlimited as others. Not that there’s none there, just not so much.
25 Must-Read Tips on Plotting from Top Authors and Editors
You’re going to be on this link for awhile. Not only is the content solid, but there are a ton of links to sources of those quotes. Not only that, there’s an Opportunity Alert for short story contests. Some of these have ended, and the rest are ending soon. Hurry and see if you have something eligible!
Things Indie Writers Learned in 2014
and
What Traditional Publishing Learned in 2014
Two articles for the price of one, because I believe both share important information writers need to know today. There’s some tactics I don’t agree with in Things Indie Writers Learned in 2014, but if I didn’t recommend the raw information present, I’d be do you (and me) a great disservice. Truly an article that should be looked over more than once. What Traditional Publishing Learned in 2014 is going to relate to what the landscape may be for the immediate and long-term future.
How to “Writer”
You know what I respect from this article? Brevity. It doesn’t waste my time with personal (and detached) recollections from the author’s experiences. It gets right to the good stuff in a handy list order.
Lots of articles on how to be a writer this month, huh? The reason is I want to motivate you, the hypothetical you, into writing more. I want to show that writing is a big welcoming meadow where you’re able to find your own way through. It can also be a harsh linear path hanging perilously off a mountain. Whatever works for you.
Showing vs. Telling
I had a previous article in Of Note that “clicked” the use of present tense. Something about it explained what it was in a simple direct way. This article answers all questions on showing vs telling in such a way no questions linger.
Constructing Proper Paragraphs
Beginning of a new year, which means it’s back to basics. Always good to brush up on the foundations. I remember paragraphs and “how to start writing” scared me. It was a big scary world, and authors must have had classes and degrees to do what they did. I grew up, thankfully, and started scribbles of my own. Not half bad, not half bad at all.