As a copy editor, I've learned a lot about improving the flow of my own writing as I've tweaked the manuscripts of others. Today I want to share four easy edits you can make yourself that invite the reader deeper into the story and provide the impact you want to have. 1. Eliminate crutch […]

Think for a moment about your work in progress. How should your book be marketed? What kind of reader do you want to attract? Who is your book for? Why, it's for everyone! you exclaim. After all, who wouldn't want to read your fabulous plot, compelling characters, and engaging writing voice? Perhaps a few doltish […]

It’s nothing personal against Coloradans, but I’ve started to sigh heavily when I hear this one word: Denver. For those of you with many friends in the Romance Writers of America, you know what I’m talking about. Next week, thousands of writers will descend on Denver, Colorado for the RWA annual conference — the one […]

In our last Pimp and Promote, I mentioned that I’m working on a joint project right now with my critique partner, award-winning author Christina Delay. What I’m really doing is having so much fun writing right now, it should be illegal. Not that writing isn’t still work — it certainly is — but Christina and […]

I took one acting class in college. In addition to discovering I didn't want to pursue drama, but simply storytelling, I learned some of the challenges of portraying a character's persona to an audience just beyond the stage. One tidbit was my takeaway that you need something to do with your feet, your hands, your […]