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# Writers In The Storm

A Blog On Writing

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://writersinthestormblog.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Why Emotional Scenes Still Feel Flat](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/07/why-emotional-scenes-still-feel-flat/) - It's not about how much emotion is in a scene, it's about how it changes across the scene itself. Do your characters change? Susan can help you with them.
- [Write What You Know? OR Not?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/07/write-what-you-know-or-not/) - Should we only write what we know? Then how do we write dragons or fairies? Tari gives us some excellent and funny ideas as to how we can still win.
- [The Real Reason You're Afraid to Publish](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/07/the-real-reason-youre-afraid-to-publish/) - Here's the thing about failure...you know how to handle it. You've been handling it your whole life. Get up, dust off, try again. Success is different.
- [The Beating Heart of Your Story—Structure](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/07/the-beating-heart-of-your-story-structure/) - Your story isn't broken—your structure might be. Learn what story structure really is and how to choose the method(s) that will make readers love your work.
- [When Writer’s Block Becomes Crippling](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/when-writers-block-becomes-crippling/) - For twenty-two years, I avoided one book. The reason surprised even me. Read on to discover why.
- [When Your Characters Begin to Breathe](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/when-your-characters-begin-to-breathe/) - #A book becomes a universe the moment a character draws breath. Learn how to utilize the Seven Forces of a book universe, and let your characters breathe.
- [Found Family Trope: How it helps your writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/found-family-trope-how-it-helps-your-writing/) - What is the concept of found family and how can this trope strengthen your writing? Read on to find out.
- [A Brief Botanical Study of Writer Defense Mechanisms](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/a-brief-botanical-study-of-writer-defense-mechanisms/) - Jenny Hansen details the commonalities between writers and holly bushes. Did you know that there are at least six kinds of "writing holly?"
- [Why "The Story Behind Your Story" is So Important](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/why-the-story-behind-your-story-is-so-important/) - An author’s core story is the emotional truth behind their work. Here's how to use it intentionally, in a way that keeps readers coming back for more.
- [SEO, AEO, and GEO in the Age of AI](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/seo-aeo-and-geo-in-the-age-of-ai/) - SEO isn't dead, but AI search has changed the rules. Learn why bloggers need SEO, AEO, and GEO to stay visible.
- [How to Deal with Imperfect Writing Conditions](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/how-to-deal-with-imperfect-writing-conditions/) - Relying on perfect conditions to write can cause creative paralysis. Read on to learn how to deal with inner perfectionism. There is beauty in imperfection.
- [Launching a Book With Confidence](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/launching-a-book-with-confidence/) - What if book marketing didn’t have to feel overwhelming or salesy? In this post, we cover how to launch a book with confidence and connect authentically with readers, even if promoting your work feels uncomfortable at first.
- [Sinking in the Sand](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/sinking-in-the-sand/) - Staring at a mountain of unread emails? Your inbox is a swamp of quicksand holding your creative focus hostage. Let's find solid ground.
- [Three Ways to Lose a Romance Reader](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/three-ways-to-lose-a-romance-reader/) - Break these romance rules, and readers may never forgive you. Here's what every romance author needs to know.
- [Want a Twist Readers Will Love? Make Your Protagonist Wrong.](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/want-a-twist-readers-will-love-make-your-protagonist-wrong/) - What if the thing your protagonist believes most is completely wrong? That single mistake might be the twist your novel needs.
- [Compromise Is A Four Letter Word](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/04/compromise-is-a-four-letter-word/) - A cautionary tale for writers. Take this personal and painful life lesson I’ve shared with you, and prevent your own heartache.
- [Two Success Factors No One Wants To Talk About](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/05/two-success-factors-no-one-wants-to-talk-about/) - You write a book. Everything is done as best you know how. You have everything covered. Or do you? Jaime Buckley shares what worked for him.
- [The Power of Certainty-A Reality Where Success Is Inevitable](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/07/the-power-of-certainty-a-reality-where-success-is-inevitable/) - Words matter. Words have power. Jaime has a conversation with us on to discover and create a world where success is inevitable.
- [How To Get Attention (without mooning the Police) ](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2024/03/how-to-get-attention-without-mooning-the-police/) - Here are some lessons from one of my favorite people online, Kevin Duncan of SmartBlogger. He's a powerful example of how to get the attention you need.
- [How Substack is Revolutionizing Writing Careers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2024/10/how-substack-is-revolutionizing-writing-careers/) - Jaime Buckley shows us how use Substack with a roar rather than a whisper, complete with actionable steps designed for authors!
- [Trigger Questions: The Worldbuilding Game-Changer](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/trigger-questions-the-worldbuilding-game-changer/) - You ever stare at a blank page like it owes you money? Yeah, me too. That’s why I created something that broke the dam in my brain: Trigger Questions.
- [2026 Is the Year Writers Stop Being Invisible](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/2026-is-the-year-writers-stop-being-invisible/) - Learn why discoverability, the AI Librarian, and leaving a public record of your work will matter more than talent alone.
- [Interiority vs. Visceral Reactions in Deep POV](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/interiority-vs-visceral-reactions-in-deep-pov/) - Your character's heart is racing. Their hands are shaking. But do readers know why? Discover the difference between emotion and emotional immersion.
- [Charting Your Course #3: Self-Publish Online (Part 2)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/charting-your-course-3-self-publish-online-part-2/) - This article describes some of the best methods for making your work available to others, how these methods differ, and why you would choose one over another.
- [When Deep POV Revisions Feel Flat (And What To Fix Instead)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/when-deep-pov-revisions-feel-flat-and-what-to-fix-instead/) - Here are five revision traps to avoid, especially when you're writing in Deep POV. (A Big One: when you’re revising sentences instead of emotional moments.)
- [5 Things Award-Winning Books Have in Common](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/5-things-award-winning-books-have-in-common/) - The books that earn recognition are almost never the ones written with winning in mind. There are 5 key things that set award-winning books apart.
- [The Blueprint that Sells Books](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/06/the-blueprint-that-sells-books/) - Great books don’t sell on writing alone. Covers, categories, keywords, and reader expectations shape discoverability long before readers reach page one.
- [Writing Check-In: How’s 2026 Going?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/writing-check-in-hows-2026-going/) - Liz Talley guides us through a pain-free way to get our 2026 goals back on track. There are examples and a template, so definitely come on in!
- [Why Research is Important when Writing Fiction](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/why-research-is-important-when-writing-fiction/) - No matter which genre of fiction you are writing, getting the facts straight can make a difference between satisfied and disappointed readers.
- [Your Voice Is the Point. Stop Toning It Down](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/your-voice-is-the-point-stop-toning-it-down/) - You don’t need cleaner prose. You need more "you" on the page. Stop sanding down your voice to fit in. Lean into what makes your writing unmistakable.
- [The Ghost in the Machine (Inherited Creative Blocks)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/the-ghost-in-the-machine-inherited-creative-blocks/) - Beyond the Muse and the Editor echo other voices. Are your creative blocks yours, or are they inherited "shoulds"? It’s time to reclaim your fire.
- [Do Characters have a Nervous System?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/do-characters-have-a-nervous-system/) - Characters have a nervous system. They can react to an outside stimulus, if we allow them to follow their human-like emotions to make them come to life.
- [The Author Who Cannot Write (About Themselves)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/the-author-who-cannot-write-about-themselves/) - Let's face it, writing about ourselves is hard. Veteran author shares the five steps that every author can use to write a great author bio for our back covers.
- [Double the Love at WITS: Star Wars Edition](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/double-the-love-at-wits-star-wars-edition/) - Writers in the Storm is throwing open the doors open for some shameless self-promotion opportunities for our readers. Come double the love!
- [Heroine’s Journey vs Interiority: What Writers Need to Know](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/heroines-journey-vs-interiority-what-writers-need-to-know/) - What is the difference between the Heroine's Journey and interiority? Here's a detailed and easy to understand explanation.
- [Doubt is a Writer’s Friend, Not a Foe](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/doubt-is-a-writers-friend-not-a-foe/) - Is doubt stopping you from writing? Good news from your imagination: doubt is a friend, not a foe. Read on...doubt and imagination are a perfect team.
- [Change Your Writing Life Through the Science of Habits](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/change-your-writing-life-through-the-science-of-habits/) - There is a science to habits that writers can leverage. Dr. Diana Stout shares tons of tips to change your life, your writing output, and (yes) your habits.
- [Restarting Old Projects / Continuing a Series After a Hiatus](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/05/restarting-old-projects-continuing-a-series-after-a-hiatus/) - Dusting off old projects is often a difficult task for most authors. Joseph Lallo offers actionable tips about how to make the process easier.
- [The Hero’s Journey & Heroine’s Journey: Stories Need Both](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/the-heros-journey-heroines-journey-stories-need-both/) - In the Hero’s Journey characters confront the world. For the Heroine’s Journey they come to understand themselves. Susan Watts shows us how they work together.
- [Should You Write a Series? How Much is Enough?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/how-much-is-enough-should-you-write-a-series/) - Everyone loves your story. Should you make it into a series? Laurie Schnebly Campbell shares the reasons why it may or may not be a good idea.
- [Fear's Toxic Cousin: THE FATAL FLAW](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/fears-toxic-cousin-the-fatal-flaw/) - A character’s fatal flaw is the primary obstacle they must overcome to reach their goal. Becca Puglisi shares how to identify and use these flaws.
- [How to Create Compelling Hooks for Every Chapter](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/how-to-create-compelling-hooks-for-every-chapter/) - Every chapter opening should pull readers in and every ending should push them forward. Here’s a 13 point checklist to make that happen.
- [I Fell in Love with Writing Micro Prose - You Could, Too](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/i-fell-in-love-with-writing-micro-prose-you-could-too/) - A subgenre of flash, a micro, fiction or nonfiction, is usually 400 words or less. The magic lies in what’s left to interpret. Kelli shares her process.
- [Things that Stop Us in Our Tracks: Are you your worst enemy?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/things-that-stop-us-in-our-tracks-are-you-your-worst-enemy/) - What stops you from writing? How do you open the door on your creativity? Are you your own worst enemy? Ossandra has great ideas on how to work through it all.
- [Want Stronger Writing? Start Writing Less.](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/want-stronger-writing-start-writing-less/) - Every word in your manuscript should earn its place on the page. Janice Hardy shows us how to edit to make a good story great.
- [How to Use Dialogue Tags and Keep the Flow](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/how-to-use-dialogue-tags-and-keep-the-flow/) - Well-written dialogue tags help our understanding of emotion and tone, not ruining the flow. Read on to learn effective uses of tags in dialogue.
- [Charting Your Course #3: Self-Publish Online (Part 1)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/charting-your-course-3-self-publish-online-part-1/) - Continuing with Charting Your Course, Gale Leach takes us on an online self-publishing journey, from working with the final manuscript to preparing for upload.
- [WITS Team Showcase – Ellen Buikema](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/wits-team-showcase-ellen-buikema/) - Meet team member Ellen Buikema and learn her backstory that explains why she writes what she does. How time spent with a grandparent kindled the writing flame.
- [Why Writers Need to Learn How the Publishing Business Works](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/why-writers-need-to-learn-how-the-publishing-business-works/) - Writing a book is only half the battle. Publisher Doug Seibold discusses the necessity of industry literacy for authors intent on building a profitable career.
- [Stop Playing the Tambourine With Your Knee](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/stop-playing-the-tambourine-with-your-knee/) - AI master RJ Redden explains how writers can free themselves from the ugly parts of the business without turning creativity over to a machine.
- [Sensory Anchors for the Messy Middle](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/sensory-anchors-for-the-messy-middle/) - Stop letting decision fatigue erode your creativity. Learn to use sensory anchors to reset your nervous system and keep your creative spark burning steady.
- [How to be Awesome Reading Your Story Aloud](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/04/how-to-be-awesome-reading-your-story-aloud/) - Authors sometimes avoid reading their stories aloud. But a well-read story can attract lifetime fans. Read how you can be awesome reading your story aloud.
- [WITS Team Showcase - Lisa Norman](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/wits-team-showcase-lisa-norman/) - Meet WITS team member Lisa Norman and learn about the three-fold publishing business of empowering authors that fills her days.
- [Focus on Finishing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/focus-on-finishing/) - Finish your novel! Joseph Lallo shows us how to make progress and measure that progress so that you cross the finish line strong.
- [Writing Goals: Going from "Aaagh!" to "A-ha!"](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/writing-goals-going-from-aaagh-to-a-ha/) - Goals and resolutions are so hard to keep. Why? Jenny Hansen offers two ways to look at goals that helps them be far more sustainable.
- [Finish Your Novel One Stroke at a Time](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2017/09/finish-your-novel-one-stroke-at-a-time/) - Kathryn Craft discusses the accumulative nature of effort applies to all disciplines, and how you can finish that book, stroke by stroke.
- [WITS Team Showcase: Sarah Sally Hamer](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/wits-team-showcase-sarah-sally-hamer/) - Meet Sally Hamer. Author. Psychologist. Editor. Builder of Worlds. Teacher of mythic creativity. Giving away 3 Creative Identity Sessions with this post.
- [Awaken Your Creativity](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/awaken-your-creativity/) - Stop fighting writer's block with discipline alone. Sarah Hamer shares writer-centered play and psychological tools to wake up your imagination.
- [WITS Team Showcase - Jenny Hansen](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/wits-team-showcase-jenny-hansen/) - We've got a special post from the heart this weekend, kicking off a new series here at WITS. Plus, we're giving away something useful. We hope you like it!
- [WITS Team Showcase - Jenn Windrow](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/wits-team-showcase-jenn-windrow/) - Meet Jenn Windrow. Author. Developmental Editor. Illustrator. She's the owner of Redline Editing, and is giving away 3 editing sessions with today's post!
- [Confessions from My Writing Hiatus](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/confessions-from-my-writing-hiatus/) - Kris Maze "confesses"about her hiatus from writing and adds tips for revitalizing your writing routine after taking a break.
- [7 Things No One Tells You About Becoming an Author](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/7-things-no-one-tells-you-about-becoming-an-author/) - Writing a book changes you. Explore 7 powerful lessons about identity, healing, imposter syndrome, and marketing your work as a new author.
- [Clap for Tinkerbelle](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/clap-for-tinkerbelle/) - What do story endings, astronomy, and Tinkerbelle have in common? Read the latest post from James R. Preston to find out!
- [How to Fix a Weak Novel Midpoint](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/how-to-fix-a-weak-novel-midpoint/) - Before you cut scenes from Act Two, test whether your midpoint is doing its job.
- [How to Get and Keep Amazon Reviews Without Getting Banned](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/how-to-get-and-keep-amazon-reviews-without-getting-banned/) - Readers rely on signals to make fast purchase decisions. Penny shows us how to gather reviews without triggering the systems that flag and remove them.
- [Play Isn't the Opposite of Discipline](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/play-isnt-the-opposite-of-discipline/) - If you pride yourself on showing up when you do not feel inspired, play can feel like a retreat from seriousness. But play is not the opposite of discipline.
- [A Fiction Side Hustle That Actually Drives Sales](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/fiction-writer-side-hustle/) - Ann teaches us a method to invite readers into our world—for free—and earn money through a side hustle while also getting our links out to readers.
- [How Many Scenes Does It Take to Tell Your Story?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/08/how-many-scenes-does-it-take-to-tell-your-story/) - Sarah (Sally) Hamer examines the question many writers want to know: how many scenes do we actually need to include in our stories?
- [How to Kill a Character](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2024/05/how-to-kill-a-character/) - Sarah (Sally) Hamer offers three questions to ask to help you to decide why or when, or whether it needs to happen at all.
- [The Triangle of Writing Structure](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2024/06/the-triangle-of-writing-structure/) - Even the most patient writers can get glazed eyes by the time they break down the Hero's Journey. Here is an easy 3-part hack from Sarah (Sally) Hamer.
- [Can We Talk? Interviewing Your Characters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2024/07/can-we-talk-interviewing-your-characters/) - Unlock the secrets of creating vivid, relatable characters. Dive into character interviews and discover how to breathe life into your story.
- [Going Beyond Those First 50 Pages](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2024/09/going-beyond-those-first-50-pages/) - What are the skills that take your story past your initial idea? Here are three from Sally Hamer that will make a big difference!
- [Writing to a Theme: Questions to Find Your Story's Heart](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2024/11/writing-to-a-theme-questions-to-find-your-storys-heart/) - Writing a story to theme helps steer the writing in the right direction. Sarah (Sally) Hamer offers questions to help us find the heart of our story.
- [How To Use Traits to Create Character Arcs](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/02/how-to-use-traits-to-create-character-arcs/) - How do you create a compelling character arc? Sarah Hamer breaks this down using a classic movie example. Great questions here!
- [8 Tips for Turning Your Short Story into a Full-Length Novel](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/8-tips-for-turning-your-short-story-into-a-full-length-novel/) - Do you yearn to turn your bite-sized tale into a novel-sized epic story? Here are eight tips to make a little story into a bigger story you're proud of.
- [Staying Sane in the Wild, Wonderful World of Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/staying-sane-in-the-wild-wonderful-world-of-writing/) - Seven things authors can do to feel better about the crazy, sometimes soul-sucking, business of writing. We hope our readers will add to our list!
- [Transforming Negative Traits into Powerful Character Arcs](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/transforming-negative-traits-into-powerful-character-arcs/) - Truly memorable stories feature transformation arcs, taking the imperfect human as a lump of clay and crafting it into a breathtakingly beautiful vase.
- [Setting the Stage with Powerful Description](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/setting-the-stage-with-powerful-description/) - Some writers can get away without setting a scene. But most of us cannot. We MUST make sure to orient the reader. Here's how.
- [The Strategic Author's Guide to Amazon's Kindle Unlimited](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/the-strategic-authors-guide-to-amazons-kindle-unlimited/) - KDP? KU? This post breaks down the fundamental differences between Amazon's Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Direct Publishing, and which is the best for YOU.
- [Book Marketing: Basic Elements Matter More Than You Think](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/book-marketing-basic-elements-matter-more-than-you-think/) - Ads, influencers, & media not working as you hoped? Foundational elements of Book Marketing matter more than you think. Here are the 5 elements you need first.
- [How to Identify & Avoid Author Scams](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/how-to-identify-avoid-author-scams/) - A scammer's flattery can short-circuit your ability to be cautious. This is psychological warfare. Read on to ID scams and avoid the headaches they can bring.
- [The Amazon A11 Algorithm: Fact, Fiction](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/the-amazon-a11-algorithm-fact-fiction/) - A11 is not a publishing algorithm designed to evaluate art, but a retail algorithm to evaluate buying behavior which shapes everything that follows.
- [5 Rules to Keep Writers Sane on Their Creative Journey](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/5-rules-to-keep-writers-sane-on-their-creative-journey/) - Veteran author, James Preston, gives five "rules" to help keep writers sane. . .in finding their backups AND navigating this crazy writing life.
- [Door to Door: Speeding Up Your Delivery](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/door-to-door-speeding-up-your-delivery/) - Writers who struggle to think up ideas will often envy their prolific friends, but those prolific writers will often envy the friends who aren’t distracted.
- [Is Your Subconscious Messing with Your Writing Identity?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/is-your-subconscious-messing-with-your-writing-identity/) - When does negative self-talk shift from a conversation to an identity? How do writers end up sabotaging themselves via their own subconscious? Read on!
- [Character Building for Pantsers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/07/help-for-pantsers-character-building-during-a-discovery-draft/) - Angela Ackerman demonstrates how character building can help Pantsers write better and faster drafts.
- [The Reluctant Spammer’s Field Guide](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/03/the-reluctant-spammers-field-guide/) - In which we review how writers accidentally become spammers and how they can turn permission marketing into genuine connections with their readers.
- [The Hidden Cost of Spam: How Emails Waste Real Resources](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/the-hidden-cost-of-spam-how-emails-waste-real-resources/) - An inbox isn’t just a private space. It’s part of a shared system that millions of people are using at the same time, all day, every day.
- [How to Write Great Taglines in Seven Steps](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/how-to-write-great-taglines-in-seven-steps/) - A well-written tagline will cause a reader to stop while perusing books and say, "Oh! I must read this." Read on for tips to write great taglines.
- [Running Down a Dream](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/running-down-a-dream/) - Sometimes writing isn't about awards and accolades. Sometimes, it's about scraped knees and sore muscles. How do we cope? By putting the tennis shoes back on.
- [Fix Flat Deep POV: 7 Probing Questions for Better Immersion](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/fix-flat-deep-pov-7-probing-questions-for-better-immersion/) - This Deep POV post offers advanced techniques. Deep POV thrives on stress, tension, and internal conflict. It's messy, risky, and opinionated.
- [How to Turn Feedback into Action: Understanding Editorial Letters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/understanding-editorial-letters-how-to-turn-feedback-into-action/) - Feeling stuck after tough feedback? Read the post and learn how to turn an editorial letter into a clear, actionable revision plan.
- [The Playground Effect: Play Turns Readers into Ride-or-Dies](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/the-playground-effect-play-turns-readers-into-ride-or-dies/) - Learn how the playground effect can help your readers go from dragging their feet to sprinting toward engagement. Convert passive readers to ride-or-die fans.
- [Why Tough Choices Create Stronger Stories](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/why-tough-choices-create-stronger-stories/) - We all love strong characters. But how do they get that way? Through tough choices. How do we create tough choices? Janice tells us how in this great blog.
- [Common Questions Writers Are Asked](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/common-questions-writers-are-asked/) - Why do you write? A simple question with a complex answer, that opens doorways into a mysterious and creative life. Are you brave enough to step in?
- [The Dos and Don’ts of Blogging for Writers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/02/the-dos-and-donts-of-blogging-for-writers/) - Blogging lets us connect with people who “get it”—people who love books, storytelling, words, faith, and the messy middle of learning how to live well.
- [What Actually Scares Me About AI](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/what-actually-scares-me-about-ai/) - Without context, AI search may hesitate, hallucinate, or bypass you completely. Without authoritative signals, AI cannot recommend you.
- [The Hidden Constraints in Your Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/the-hidden-constraints-in-your-writing/) - Most writing limits aren’t real. They’re old rules you never stopped to question. Test one today and see what actually happens.
- [Ways to Make The Pitch, A Writer’s Selling Point](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/ways-to-make-the-pitch-a-writers-selling-point/) - Having a well-written, to-the-point pitch is crucial to engage an agent or editor. Have a look at three methods: the query letter, elevator pitch, and Logline.
- [Three Ways to Develop Characters in Fiction](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/three-ways-to-develop-characters-in-fiction/) - Learn three effective character development methods used by fiction writers, from sketching and discovery to improvisation.
- [How to Craft Accurate Fight Scenes - Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/how-to-craft-accurate-fight-scenes-part-2/) - Fight scenes aren’t choreography—they’re chaos. Discover what actually makes readers feel every blow.
- [How to Use Character Tropes Without Writing Cliches](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/how-to-use-character-tropes-without-writing-cliches/) - Tropes are a starting point, not a shortcut. Learn more about using character tropes to create unique characters.
- [The New Rules of Book Publicity](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/the-new-rules-of-book-publicity/) - Book publicity did not die. It changed. Read more on how to navigate the changes as an author.
- [New Year, New Words: Writing Resolutions for 2026](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/new-year-new-words-writing-resolutions-for-2026/) - As we look towards 2026, the WITS team shares their writing resolutions, and we would love to hear yours too.
- [Lighten Your Creative Load: A New Year Invitation](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/lighten-your-creative-load-a-new-year-invitation/) - January is filled with good intentions, lists, and the pressure to start strong. We greet the New Year feeling that this year needs to be bigger than the last.
- [One Word to Guide Your Writing Journey in 2026](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/one-word-to-guide-your-writing-journey-in-2026/) - Many writers start the year with intimidating resolutions. We do things differently, choosing ONE word to guide our writing journey. What's your word?
- [If I Knew Then: Lessons From the Writing Road](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/if-i-knew-then-lessons-from-the-writing-road/) - Six lessons from veteran writer, Rebecca Forster. Do you agree or disagree with them? Feel free to come add your own hard-earned lessons from the Writing Road.
- [Happy Holidays from Writers in the Storm](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/wishing-you-merry-everything/) - The team at Writers in the Storm is saying THANK YOU, and encouraging you to share your favorite holiday tradition. For example, Jenny bakes...
- [Finding the Heart of a Protagonist: Body, Mind, and Soul](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/finding-the-heart-of-a-protagonist-body-mind-and-soul/) - Discover how exploring a protagonist’s body, mind, and soul creates unforgettable characters readers truly connect with
- [Busy Writers: When Does “So Much” Become “Too Much?”](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/busy-writers-when-so-much-becomes-too-much/) - Five grounding strategies to help writers from becoming overwhelmed by the constant juggle between life's priorities and writing priorities.
- [Writer’s Dilemma: What To Write Next](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/what-to-write-next/) - When you reach the end of one project, how do you decide what to write next? Julie Glover gives practical tips on figuring out what idea you should pursue.
- [What Developmental Editing Does for New Authors](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2026/01/what-developmental-editing-does-for-new-authors/) - First-time authors: discover how developmental editing transforms your manuscript and craft. Read more to master your story.
- [Tech Tips - How to Organize Your Novel Drafts](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/tech-tips-how-to-organize-your-novel-drafts/) - Kris Maze shares her favorite tips for keeping manuscript drafts organized from the first draft to publication using this file saving system.
- [Freshen Up Tired Tropes Without Losing What Readers Love](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/freshen-up-tired-tropes-without-losing-what-readers-love/) - Trope trouble starts when "expected" slips into "predictable." Janice Hardy provides 5 solid solutions to liven up your tropes and keep your readers engaged.
- [Naming Your Book: Avoiding Title Mistakes That Kill Sales](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/naming-your-book-avoiding-title-mistakes-that-kill-sales/) - Veteran book marketer, Penny Sansevieri, shares four title mistakes that can kill book sales. Thankfully, she also shares what to do instead.
- [4 Ways to Protect Your Energy While Writing About Trauma](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/4-ways-to-protect-your-energy-while-writing-about-trauma/) - Four trauma-informed tools and self-care practices to protect your energy while writing about trauma. Learn to regulate your nervous system and avoid burnout.
- [How to Use Perception to Create Subtext in Deep POV](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/11/how-to-use-perception-to-create-subtext-in-deep-pov/) - Subtext lives between what’s actually happening vs what the character thinks it means. Lisa Hall-Wilson shares the use of perception to create subtext.
- [8 Cool Non-Writing Ways to Use AI](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/11/8-cool-non-writing-ways-to-use-ai/) - Jenny Hansen shares 8 NON-WRITING ways tools like ChatGPT can help writers (especially those with ADHD) keep their creativity organized and in flow.
- [The Value of Writing Shock and Avoiding Valueless Trauma](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/the-value-of-writing-shock-and-avoiding-valueless-trauma/) - Shock, surprise and unexpected twists and turns, can ramp up a narrative and leave a long-lasting impression. Here's how to craft the unpredictable organically.
- [WITS Bloggers Share Writerly Thanks](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/11/wits-bloggers-share-writerly-thanks/) - Today we're giving thanks for the "writerly" things and people who help us on our writing journey. Join us by sharing your gratitude in the comments!
- [Deck the Draft: Make Your Story Sparkle](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/deck-the-draft-make-your-story-sparkle/) - Learn how decorating a holiday tree is like developmental editing. And how to make your manuscript shine using these tips.
- [Fans: The Good, The Bad & 6 Tips for Preventing "The Ugly"](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/11/fans-the-good-the-bad-plus-6-tips-for-preventing-the-ugly/) - Veteran author, Rebecca Forster, talks about fans (aka enthusiastic readers). She covers The Good, The Bad, and six tips for preventing "The Ugly."
- [Helpful Hacks to Build a Strong Online Brand](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2017/03/build-a-strong-online-brand/) - Jenny Hansen discusses no-stress ways for authors to "build a brand." Also, how to intentionally create the author brand that makes you happy.
- [When We Believe](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/when-we-believe/) - This coming year, I’m choosing to believe: in my work, in my fellow creatives, in the quiet miracles that happen when we show up with joy.
- [The Dance of the Em Dash](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/11/the-dance-of-the-em-dash/) - A playful discussion of AI's influence on writing styles combined with a WITS punctuation party to celebrate the amazing Jenny Hansen's birthday!
- [Charting Your Course #2: Self-Publishing in 2025](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/11/charting-your-course-2-self-publishing-in-2025/) - This article describes some of the best methods for making your work available to others, how these methods differ, and why you would choose one over another.
- [How to Edit Emotion in Romance & Women’s Fiction](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/11/how-to-edit-emotion-in-romance-womens-fiction/) - Learn how to edit with heart. Discover practical developmental editing tips to turn raw feelings into unforgettable storytelling magic.
- [Tips for Overcoming Writerly Self-doubt](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/11/tips-for-overcoming-writerly-self-doubt/) - Self-doubt can stifle the creative process and block the ability to express oneself, causing real problems when writing a story. Read on for help.
- [The Art of Intimacy in Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/11/the-art-of-intimacy-in-writing/) - Intimacy connects relationships of all sorts. The stronger the intimacy between the protagonist and a love interest or villain, the stronger the story.
- [How to Build Suspense into any Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/how-to-build-suspense-into-any-story/) - Learn how to build suspense like a haunted house, layering tension, delaying reveals, and keeping readers hooked. Click to read more.
- [How to Deepen Your Story With Motifs](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/11/how-to-deepen-your-story-with-motifs/) - The use of motif creates tension, deepens emotion, and is often well-remembered. Dr. Diana Stout shares examples of motifs from literature and film.
- [The Business of Owning a Business](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/the-business-of-owning-a-business/) - Finding balance means some things take a backseat while I focus on what is in front of me. Sometimes that means parts of my life are all the way in the trunk!
- [Coming Soon! The Joy of Anticipation](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/coming-soon-the-joy-of-anticipation/) - We all know that feeling of looking forward to a Big Day. Even after we’ve outgrown the thrill of candles on our cake, we still feel it before special events.
- [How to Mine Early Memories into Children’s Stories](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/11/how-to-mine-early-memories-into-childrens-stories/) - Experiences lived can help create stories for children of all ages. Marilyn Janson shares methods to mine story gems as you ponder the message you want to send.
- [AI Didn’t Replace My Editor—It Made Her Indispensable](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/ai-didnt-replace-my-editor/) - Even in 2025, AI can’t match a skilled editor’s insight, nuance, and care. Human editors bring heart, vision, and true partnership to every story.
- [Do Stories Save Humanity?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/do-stories-save-humanity/) - Reading and writing fiction connects us, calms us, and keeps us human. In a noisy, AI-driven world, story is still our oldest form of healing.
- [Analyze First Lines to Write Openings Your Readers Love ](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/analyze-first-lines-to-write-openings-your-readers-love/) - Crafting the best first line for your story can be a challenge. Learn how to analyze your favorite published first lines in order to improve your own.
- [The Secret Weapon Behind Every Great Character Arc](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/the-secret-weapon-behind-every-great-character-arc/) - We may think of fear as the monster under the bed, but fear can also be sneaky. Fear can protect, or ruin lives long before a villain gets the chance.
- [The Writer’s Stance](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/the-writers-stance/) - Poor body position can drain energy, cloud focus, and shorten your creative sessions. The mind may write the words, but the body carries the process.
- [Try a Little Kindness](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/try-a-little-kindness/) - Where does critique meet kindness? Whether it’s a review or edit, giving or receiving, there is a place where we can practice being nice to a fellow writer.
- [When Your Imaginary World Becomes Real](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/when-your-imaginary-world-becomes-real/) - There's a specific brain-splitting moment that happens when something you've imagined suddenly exists in reality where others can experience it.
- [Reviews Light the Way](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/reviews-light-the-way/) - Reviews create angst. Writers don’t love asking for them and readers dread writing them. Ami King gives us ideas to encourage our readers to leave reviews.
- [The Pros and Cons of Writing for Anthologies](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/the-pros-and-cons-of-writing-for-anthologies/) - Being in an anthology provides experience working with other authors, sometimes even allowing you to lend creative input beyond your submission.
- [Differentiating Narrators in a Multi-viewpoint Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/differentiating-narrators-in-a-multi-viewpoint-story/) - Writing in multiple viewpoints is a great way to explore a story from more than one angle, but it creates problems if readers can’t tell who’s talking.
- [3 Tips for Writers with Chronic Illness or Caregiving Duties](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/3tips-for-writers-with-chronic-illness-or-caregiving-duties/) - G. L. Gooding, an author with chronic illness, shares his challenges, lessons learned, and tips that may help other authors challenged with a chronic illness.
- [Could Your Writing Friend Become a Coauthor?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/writing-friend-become-coauthor/) - Julie Glover shares thoughts on why you might love cowriting and how to embrace the benefits and navigate the challenges of having a coauthor.
- [Your Writing Life: A Writing Compass – Which Way Is North?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/your-writing-life-a-writing-compass-which-way-is-north/) - Guest author, Sarah (Sally) Hamer reminds us when writers are lost or stuck that we can make the page, our writing, a safe place by finding our North.
- [How to: Make Your Poems a Book](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/how-to-make-your-poems-a-book/) - Guest blogger and award-winning poet, Laura Lehew, discusses 5 steps on how to put your poems together to create a volume or chapbook to submit to publishers.
- [5 Ways to Manage Reader Expectations](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/5-ways-to-manage-reader-expectations/) - Want to extend an invitation to readers to stay immersed in your story? Us too! Here are 5 techniques from veteran author and editor Kathryn Craft to help.
- [Why I Switched My Email Service to Sendfox](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/why-i-switched-my-email-service-to-sendfox/) - Kris Maze shares her experience with Sendfox as a tool for indie authors to build their email lists as an alternative to Mailerlite and Mail Chimp.
- [How to Polish Your First 5 Pages for Agents](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/how-to-polish-your-first-5-pages-for-agents/) - Learn how to polish the first five pages of your novel to grab a literary agent’s attention, showcase your voice, and stand out in a crowded query inbox.
- [Chasing Trends, A Writer’s Dilemma](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/chasing-trends-a-writers-dilemma/) - What’s popular this week may not be a few months from now. Should we chase trends? Ellen Buikema shares issues with chasing trends and experimenting with them.
- [How to Write Stories That Matter to You and Your Readers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/how-to-write-stories-that-matter-to-you-and-your-readers/) - Tired of conflicting writing advice? Here's what every guru misses: authentic writing isn't autobiography—it's emotional truth that connects us all.
- [Newsletter Magic Without Math](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/newsletter-magic-without-math/) - Overwhelmed by newsletter advice? Ditch the pressure and find the magic of real connection with readers. Less math, more joy.
- [It’s What’s Up Front That Counts](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/its-whats-up-front-that-counts/) - James R. Preston returns to WITS to discuss ways to approach the Table of Contents and how it may be of use to you and your readers.
- [Waiting for Inspiration to Strike, a Writer's Dilemma](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/10/waiting-for-inspiration-to-strike-a-writers-dilemma/) - Have you ever put off starting a project because you didn’t feel creative and were waiting for your muse? Here are ways to find inspiration.
- [Building a Sustainable Author Future Beyond GEO](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/building-a-sustainable-author-future-beyond-geo/) - For years, authors built blogs and hoped search engines would help them be found. Now GEO is here, and it’s reshaping how people use the Internet.
- [Dissecting Creative Guides. . .](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/09/dissecting-creative-guides/) - Renowned writing teacher, Lisa Miller, discusses the power of breaking down stories across mediums, demonstrating how to do story dissection without carnage.
- [Unlock The Freedom To Cheat Deep POV](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/unlock-the-freedom-to-cheat-deep-pov/) - Struggling with deep POV? You're not alone. Deep point of view is powerful—but it's also hard. Read more to learn more about cheating deep POV.
- [How to Craft Accurate Fight Scenes](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/writing-and-weapons-the-art-of-crafting-accurate-fight-scenes/) - Learn the art of writing fight scenes, from the perspective of an author and historical martial artist. (Part one of a three part series.)
- [The Fastest, Most Reliable Way to Improve Your Writing Craft](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/the-fastest-most-reliable-way-to-improve-your-writing-craft/) - by Jenny Hansen When you’re learning something new—whether it’s baking bread, fixing a leaky sink, or crafting a story that keeps a reader up all night—you bump into two types of difficulty: the stuff you can figure out on your own, and the stuff that makes you want to throw your laptop into the nearest
- [5 Ways to Engage All 5 Senses Without Overwhelming Readers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/5-ways-to-engage-all-5-senses-without-overwhelming-readers/) - Don’t make your readers pine for more sensory details or drown in too many. Learn strategic sensory integration and hit the sweet spot in your writing.
- [How to Write Killer Chapter Endings That Hook Readers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/how-to-write-killer-chapter-endings-that-hook-readers/) - Boost your storytelling with chapter endings that hook readers, build tension, and keep pages turning. Learn 4 powerful techniques to end with impact.
- [Just Write: Why Now’s the Time to Begin Again](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/i-used-to-dream-about-doing-this-why-you-should-start-writing-again/) - Used to love writing, but you're finding it too hard to get back to? Click here to learn how to start again, no rules- just words.
- [How to develop character wounds and misbeliefs](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/how-to-develop-character-wounds-and-misbeliefs/) - Discover how to craft deeper, more believable characters using 16 Personality Theory and identity data. Click here to read more.
- [5 Paths to Plotting Your Novel](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/5-paths-to-plotting-your-novel/) - Struggle with plotting? Janice hardy has 5 paths to help you solve the struggle. read more here.
- [Not What I Had Planned](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/not-what-i-had-planned/) - How a mid-year goal checkup helped me to realize what I needed to do to push myself to finish writing my story. Read more here.
- [The Power of Paragraphing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/the-power-of-paragraphing/) - Learn the power of the paragraph and the creative ways it can transform your words. Click to read more.
- [Emotional Awareness Is Your Most Powerful Writing Tool ](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/emotional-awareness-is-your-most-powerful-writing-tool/) - Knowing what you feel, the best emotion words to use, and the ability to be vulnerable, can turn your emotions into a writing superpower.
- [Writing IN the Storm Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/writing-in-the-storm-part-2/) - Holly shares powerful, easy-to-use techniques for navigating life's challenges that we can apply right away while maintaining creativity.
- [How Much Research Is Too Much?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/how-much-research-is-too-much/) - It’s tempting to continue research, ending up with a big pile of resources and not enough time to do anything with them. Here are some better options.
- [To Gain More Fans and Sell More Books, Be Fully Yourself](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/08/to-gain-more-fans-and-sell-more-books-be-fully-yourself/) - An Artisan Author has to be bold enough to risk being different from everyone else, uniquely and unashamedly being themself.
- [Twitch: An Author’s Unexpected Secret Weapon](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/twitch-an-authors-unexpected-secret-weapon/) - Wordigirl and a group of authors share why Twitch is the secret weapon they're using to connect with fans, write more, and build their brand.
- [A Category Romance Primer](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/a-category-romance-primer/) - Category Romances are like mental candy making readers feel good. Readers are satisfied when they read the last page. Everyone in the story is happily loved up.
- [Writing in the Age of GEO](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/writing-in-the-age-of-geo/) - AI is changing how stories are found. Discover why voice, resonance, and reader connection matter more than keywords in the new GEO landscape.
- [Ways to Survive Rejection on a Writer’s Journey](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/ways-to-survive-rejection-on-a-writers-journey/) - There are things writers do: eat, dream, write if the muse is good to us–-and handle rejection. Ellen shares ways to cope and deal with literary rejection.
- [Don't Delete That!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/dont-delete-that/) - Readers aren't just consuming stories anymore—they're participating in them. RJ shows us how to turn this trend into a marketing super power.
- [The Key to Writing Authentic Characters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/the-key-to-writing-authentic-characters/) - To feel real, characters need to think and act in ways that reflect their past experiences, core needs, and the defense systems they’ve built to feel safe.
- [Write an Unforgettable First Line](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/how-to-write-an-unforgettable-first-line/) - There’s a lot riding on your novel’s first line. It’s not just the opening act — it’s the handshake, the hook, and the dare.
- [From Author to eCommerce Brand](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/from-author-to-ecommerce-brand/) - I didn’t set out to be a creative entrepreneur. But somewhere along the way, I realized neither traditional nor the indie path was built for someone like me.
- [Write Your Manuscript Like an Endurance Athlete Trains](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/write-your-manuscript-like-an-endurance-athlete-trains/) - Manuscript writing is stressful. While the path to a finished manuscript can be challenging, it should also be a place of creation, adventure, and excitement.
- [Sovereignty: Owning Your Voice is the Ultimate Power Move](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/sovereignty-owning-your-voice-is-the-ultimate-power-move/) - We each write for our own reasons. We tell stories, creating situations that dance in our heads, finding great joy in words. We LOVE the magic.
- [Mid-Year Goal Checkup](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/mid-year-goal-checkup/) - How are your goals for the year going? Robin Blakely helps us check in and gives us strategies for success in reaching our writing goals.
- [The What Ifs of Building Believable Alternate History](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/07/the-what-ifs-of-building-believable-alternate-history/) - Daniel Ottalini leads us through the what ifs of alternative history, exploring the use of a point of divergence and how this ripples out to build a new world.
- [All You Need to Know About How to Write with AIs](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/03/all-you-need-to-know-about-how-to-write-with-ais/) - You've probably seen a lot about AIs in the media. Lisa Norman attempts to provide clarity around these tools, and how they can help your writing process.
- [Creative Ways Authors Can use AI to Help Market Their Books](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2024/06/creative-ways-authors-can-use-ai-to-help-market-their-books/) - While authors definitely have valid issues with those who misuse AI, Penny Sansevieri offers solid tips on using AI to increase our promotional efforts.
- [2 Ways Artificial Intelligence (AI) Can Ruin Credibility](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2024/07/2-ways-artificial-intelligence-ai-can-ruin-credibility/) - It’s no secret writers are increasingly relying on AI to generate queries, synopses, and even books, creating a controversy in the publishing industry.
- [AI: The Secret Weapon in Finding a Book’s True Audience](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2024/12/ai-the-secret-weapon-in-finding-a-books-true-audience/) - "Every book has its reader—AI is simply making those connections possible at scale." The folks from Shimmr, a leading AI marketing firm, share their best tips.
- [The 3 Components that Keep Your Story in Balance](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/it-turns-out-walking-and-writing-have-things-in-common/) - The three components that balance a story, and how to keep them in tune with one another. This is a great reminder for both new and experienced writers.
- [How SEO Broke the Internet](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/how-seo-broke-the-internet/) - How we find websites - and how we are found - is changing. In this 3 part series, Lisa Norman shows us how we got here and what to look for in the future.
- [Social Media Habits that Support Your Brand AND Your Life](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2017/12/social-media-habits-that-support-your-brand-and-your-life/) - Jenny Hansen offers four tips to keep social media from sucking up all your free time, while still building a strong brand.
- [7 Types of Questions to Help You Define Your Author Brand](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/7-types-of-questions-to-help-you-define-your-author-brand/) - Are you an author floundering over how to build a strong author brand? Then this post is for you. Included: 30+ branding promps in 7 easy sections.
- [What I've Learned Disrupting Book Marketing Venue by Venue](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/what-ive-learned-disrupting-book-marketing-venue-by-venue/) - This follow-up post gives tips and lessons Lynette M. Burrows learned since December about how to sell books at in-person events.
- [Why I Dropped WordPress for PayHip](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/why-i-dropped-wordpress-for-payhip/) - Authors who sell books on a WordPress website may experience many hassles, taking up their time, money, and mojo. Kris Maze explains an alternative: Payhip.
- [Chekhov’s Gun: Does Your Story Have A Forgotten “Gun”?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/chekhovs-gun-takes-many-forms-does-your-story-have-a-forgotten-gun/) - What is Chekhov's gun? And how many different ways does it show up in our stories. Anne R. Allen explains how to find out if you have a forgotten "gun."
- [How Audiobooks Can Benefit People of all Ages](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/how-audiobooks-can-benefit-people-of-all-ages/) - Audiobooks can bring a story to life, immersing you in the story while resting the eyes. They are great tools to access literature.
- [How to Prepare Your Manuscript for a Developmental Edit](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/how-to-prepare-your-manuscript-for-a-developmental-edit/) - Are you ready to send your manuscript to a developmental editor? Read about what you need to do to prepare your manuscript before you hit send.
- [Author, Take Back Your Power](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/author-take-back-your-power/) - Who has the power over your author career? As part of his ongoing series on being an artisan author, Johnny B. Truant encourages us to take back our control.
- [When the Second Draft Feels Like a Step Back](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/when-the-second-draft-feels-like-a-step-back/) - Why second drafts often shock writers with the amount of work required, and three ways to make it easier. Great post from Janice Hardy!
- [For the Love of Books](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/06/for-the-love-of-books/) - We know you love books. If you didn’t love books and stories, you wouldn’t be reading this. Come tell us stories about your early reading experiences...
- [Writing Subtext for Non-POV Characters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/writing-subtext-for-non-pov-characters/) - How do you show a non-POV character’s priorities, motives, or thoughts when Deep POV only allows the reader to know what the POV character knows?
- [Secondary Characters: All the Fun, a Lot Less Work](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/secondary-characters-all-the-fun-a-lot-less-work/) - What makes a secondary character, and why are they so fun to write? Laurie Schnebly Campbell shows what purpose they serve, and how to write them well.
- [Choose a Powerful Foundation for Your Story, Part Two](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/choose-a-powerful-foundation-for-your-story-part-two/) - The second of a two part series, lists the strengths & limitations of each Point of View and offers tips to help writers choose the best one for their story.
- [Choose a Powerful Foundation for Your Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/choose-a-powerful-foundation-for-your-story/) - When choosing a particular point of view an author must consider more than which character will tell the story. Author Lynette M. Burrows explains.
- [The Tools Have Changed, but Your Voice Still Matters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/the-tools-have-changed-but-your-voice-still-matters/) - The writing world is evolving fast—but your unique voice is still your greatest asset. Here’s how to stay grounded as tools and trends shift.
- [Beta Readers Help—But Editors Make Your Book Great](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/are-beta-readers-enough/) - Beta readers are passionate readers and valuable resources. But can they replace a developmental editor? Find out the differences between these two roles!
- [Want Creative Cred? Give A Little!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/want-creative-cred-give-a-little/) - Can volunteering benefit your writing experience? Heck yeah! Rebecca Forster shows multiple ways that giving back can open doors in your writing career.
- [Is My Book a Romance?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/is-my-book-a-romance/) - A must-read post if you need to differentiate between romance and related genres. Plus, 12 questions to ask to determine whether your book IS a romance.
- [Deepen Your Character Development Using Personality Theory](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/deepen-your-character-development-using-personality-theory/) - Looking for a way to create memorable characters? Use personality theory to bring your characters to life on the page. (Includes comprehensive examples!)
- [The Bookstore of You](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/the-bookstore-of-you/) - What if instead of fighting to be seen, your book was seen from its inception? If instead of starting from obscurity, your book began its life in the spotlight?
- [10 Things I Learned Teaching Children to Write](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/10-things-i-learned-teaching-children-to-write/) - Sometimes when you're teaching others to do things, you end up learning more about the topic than you ever dreamed. That includes writing. Check it out!
- [Is Your Worldbuilding TOO Powerful?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/is-your-worldbuilding-too-powerful/) - Overpowered items, superpowers that are just too super, or get-out-of-jail-free technology are easy to create by accident. Here's worldbuilding Do's and Don'ts,
- [What's On Your Reading List?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/whats-on-your-reading-list/) - Stephen King said, "If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that." So... "What's on YOUR reading list?"
- [#1 Sign of a Successful Writer? Persevering Through Failure.](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/1-sign-of-a-successful-writer-persevering-through-failure/) - Nobody likes failure, yet it's part of the writing process. Read on for the keys to writing success, and how persevering through failure paves the way.
- [Emerging From Writer’s Block](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/emerging-from-writers-block/) - There are many reasons why writers get stuck. Most of them have nothing to do with their creativity or ideas. Follow one author's journey to the other side.
- [6 Tips for Creating Chemistry Between Characters ](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/6-tips-for-creating-chemistry-between-characters/) - Some of the most memorable character relationships in fiction aren't romantic. Becca Puglisi shares tips on creating that oomph between your characters.
- [Do You Write Women’s Fiction or Men’s Fiction?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/do-you-write-womens-fiction-or-mens-fiction/) - Are we missing a genre? Mara Purl makes a case that both Men's Fiction and Women's Fiction exist in today's marketplace. Come weigh in on the discussion!
- [How (and Why) To Define a Strong Author Brand](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/how-to-define-a-strong-author-brand/) - Key questions for every author: What's branding vs marketing? What are the key elements of your author brand? And how do you make yours superpower-strong?
- [The Bikini Wax Theory of Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/10/the-bikini-wax-theory-of-writing/) - Jenny Hansen shares her Bikini Wax Theory of Writing, which applies to all writers, male or female. You know you want to know...
- [A Peek Inside the Mind of a Developmental Editor](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/a-peek-inside-the-mind-of-a-developmental-editor/) - Have you ever wondered how a developmental editor thinks? What questions they ask themselves as they are working on a manuscript? Come find out.
- [5 Red Flags Your Novel Might Be Too Much Work to Read](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/5-red-flags-your-novel-might-be-too-much-work-to-read/) - Some choices authors make may make reading your book too much of a chore for some readers. Learn 5 things that can make your novel "too much work" to read.
- [How to Write: Conflict is NOT Tension](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/how-to-write-conflict-is-not-tension/) - What's the difference between conflict and tension. Why is that important? Where does tension come from. Sally Hamer answers your questions.
- [Play, Don’t Pitch: Connecting with Your Fans](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/play-dont-pitch-connecting-with-your-fans/) - Forget the marketing mindset. Connect with readers through authentic, playful newsletters that build trust, boost open rates, and build relationships.
- [The Wolf Under the Table](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/the-wolf-under-the-table/) - Guest blogger J. Scott Coatsworth gives us a "sleight of hand" trick for getting writers out of scenes where nothing exciting is happening with a couple of interesting examples.
- [Romancing the Genres – Is It Romance or Women’s Fiction?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/romancing-the-genres-is-it-romance-or-womens-fiction/) - What is the difference between women's fiction and romance? And why are so many romance authors moving over to women's fiction? Come find out!
- [3 Writing Aspects You Should Never Let Anyone Mess With](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/04/3-writing-aspects-you-should-never-let-anyone-mess-with/) - There are three aspects of your writing that will derail you if you allow other people to mess with them. What are they? Can you think of more?
- [How Conflict Enhances Your Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/how-conflict-enhances-your-story/) - If we make our characters' lives too easy the story is dull. Here's how to create tension using conflict and make our stories hard to set down.
- [Let Your Writing Magic Flow](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/writing-is-magic/) - Is writer's block really writer's block or are you not allowing the magic to flow into our writing?
- [A Spring Gift from WITS: Share Your First Lines!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/a-spring-gift-from-wits-share-your-first-lines/) - Writers in the Storm is throwing open the doors for YOUR shameless self-promotion. Writers, start your engines, tell your pals, and give us those first lines!
- [7 Tips to Build a PR Strategy that Works for YOU](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/7-tips-to-build-a-pr-strategy-that-works-for-you/) - Robin Blakely shares 7 PR Strategy tips that embrace your own writing style. Here's how to lean into your strengths, and turn them into a marketing superpower.
- [Some Keys to Achieving Confidence in Your Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/the-key-to-achieving-confidence-in-your-writing/) - How can creatives find and maintain confidence in a career marked by constant change? These three qualities are deceptively simple...and worth it.
- [Complete Guide to Revising Your Novel: Part THREE—Analysis](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/complete-guide-to-revising-your-novel-part-three-analysis/) - The third (and final part) of this in-depth look at how to revise your novel, helps you analyze your characters, setting, plot and pace of your story.
- [The Shadow Before -- Thoughts on Foreshadowing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/the-shadow-before/) - Author James Preston explores foreshadowing in fiction. How it keeps readers engaged, links your story together, and why it's such a useful writing technique.
- [Top 20 Mistakes Developmental Editors See in Manuscripts](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/the-top-twenty-mistakes-developmental-editors-see-in-manuscripts/) - Six developmental editors share the most common mistakes they find -- and would love authors to correct before sending in their manuscripts.
- [Write Emotional Scenes that Better Engage Readers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/write-emotional-scenes-that-better-engage-readers/) - Kris Maze shows writers how to write emotional scenes that hook readers and drive your story forward, scene by scene
- [Picture Book Word Counts: Minimalism to Modern Stories](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/02/picture-book-word-counts-minimalism-to-modern-stories/) - How many words are in a children's story? 100? 1,000? The answer might surprise you. The essence of picture book creation is a balance between text and images.
- [Less Stress, More Words: A No-Burnout Plan for Writers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/less-stress-more-words-a-no-burnout-plan-for-writers/) - We’re told we need to write faster, market harder, master new tools, and somehow still enjoy the process. It’s exhausting. And honestly? It’s not sustainable.
- [Writing Procedurals: When You’re Not a Lawyer, Doctor or Cop](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/03/writing-procedurals-when-youre-not-a-lawyer-doctor-or-cop/) - Veteran thriller writer, Rebecca Forster, offers five tips to help authors write authentic police procedurals and thrillers. We love this practical how-to.
- [The Essential Deep POV Checklist: 11 Tips For Better Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/02/the-essential-deep-pov-checklist-11-tips-for-better-writing/) - Have you ever wanted a guide to follow regarding writing in Deep Point of View? Lisa Hall-Wilson has created one just for you!
- [Crafting Characters Using the 7 Types of Listening](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/02/crafting-characters-using-the-7-types-of-listening/) - Did you know there are SEVEN levels of listening? The impact of this knowledge in your stories and in your own life are extraordinary. Check it out!
- [A Complete Guide to Revising Your Novel: Part Two](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/02/a-complete-guide-to-revising-your-novel-part-two/) - Part two of this deep dive into improving your editing process on your first or 100th novel. Learn to analyze your story by identifying it's parts.
- [Publishing 101: Essential Terminology To Know](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/02/publishing-101-essential-terms-to-know/) - This publishing industry has a lot of terminology. Just like visiting a new country, if you don't understand the language, you'll get lost.
- [Is BookBub About to Change Author Websites Forever?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/02/is-bookbub-about-to-change-author-websites-forever/) - From the people who have studied author website for years, author focused BookBub has a new tool for creating websites designed to make author's lives easier.
- [Romance Isn’t the Same—But It’s Still Everything](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/02/romance-isnt-the-same-but-its-still-everything/) - For Valentine's Day, here's a full report on the romance genre in today's marketplace -- what's hot and what's not -- and why romance belongs in your books.
- [10 Things I’ve Learned Writing Romantic Comedy](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/02/10-things-ive-learned-writing-romantic-comedy/) - Do you love romantic comedies? Then you will love this post! Tari Lynn Jewett includes the must-haves in the genre, as well as other important writing lessons.
- [5 Questions to Ask Before Adding a Subplot](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/02/5-questions-to-ask-before-adding-a-subplot/) - Janice Hardy offers 5 key questions you can ask to determine whether your subplot is helping your story or hurting it.
- [The Great Agent Search – Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/03/the-great-agent-search-part-2/) - Finding an agent takes time, so it’s best to start the process before you’re ready to submit. Organized or unorganized, I have a solution for you.
- [The Dreaded Revision Letter](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/03/the-dreaded-revision-letter/) - by Charlotte Carter I’ve authored more than 50 books. You’d think by now I would have a pretty good handle on how to write them. Sometimes not so much. I received a massive TWO PAGE revision letter on my November Love Inspired release, Big Sky Family. Yikes! The worst part is that my editor, Emily
- [The Great Agent Search – Part 3](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/03/great-agent-search-part-3/) - I’ve found two methods for keeping track of submissions. Which you choose depends on how your brain works. Some writers are “pansters,” some are “plotters.” Some people are night owls, some are morning people – it’s like that. You’ll know which method is right for you the minute you read the description, I promise.
- [How to Build Your Writing Team](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/03/how-to-build-your-writing-team/) - I learned about the four character requirements of teamwork: openness, generosity, flexibility and patience. Of course I thought of how this applies to writing. Many writers feel that they are flying solo when nothing could be further than the truth. The process of getting a book published requires a massive amount of teamwork and every single one of the above qualities.
- [Like With Like = Great Story Flow](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/03/like-with-like-great-story-flow/) - By Sharla Rae I preach Like With Like to my critique partners all the time and once in a while, they remind me to practice what I preach. So what do I mean by like with like? It’s not as easy to explain on paper as it is to point out the mistake in a
- [A Million Ways Not to Write a Book](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/03/a-million-ways-not-to-write-a-book/) - By Laura Drake This novel writing is very hard stuff. Trying to learn craft while balancing plot, ideas, genre, and market. How anyone finishes a novel amazes me. Sometimes it feels like I’m golfing and juggling . . . at the same time. We all have our own ways not to write. You know
- [Surviving Rejects](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/03/surviving-rejects/) - by Charlotte Carter Every writer gets rejects. But they don’t have to be demoralizing. Some years ago I was writing magazine articles. I’d allow myself ten rejects per article then moved onto something else. (I did manage to sell a ‘few’ articles, but what a struggle!) During that time I had my annual physical exam.
- [10 Lessons I Learned From My Dog](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/03/10-lessons-i-learned-from-my-dog/) - Top 10 Lessons I learned from my beloved Hoshi. What an amazing pet! Tell us about your pets.
- [The Boundary Hunter and the Lemon Tree](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/03/the-boundary-hunter-and-the-lemon-tree/) - Setting Boundaries Around Your Writing by D.A. Watt This morning, while basking in the early morning quiet in my yard, I studied my little orchard of citrus trees – a navel orange, a mandarin, and a lemon. My dwarf lemon tree, over-laden with ripening fruit, bent uncomfortably, its branches pulled taut like broken bones, twigs
- [Plotting Method: The Blind Men and the Elephant](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/03/plotting-method-the-blind-men-and-the-elephant/) - By Laura Drake Have you ever heard this Indian Parable? Six blind men try to determine what an elephant looks like by feeling different parts of its body. The one at the tail says an elephant is like a rope; the one at a leg says it’s like a pipe, the one at the
- [Keep Characters True To Themselves](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/03/keep-characters-true-to-themselves/) - by Sharla Rae Hey, who’s telling this story? I can make my characters do or say anything I want them to. Many beginning writers subscribe to this theory. I hate to break anyone’s bubble but that’s hogwash. When introducing characters, the author breathes life into them with a physical description, personality, goals and motivations. They look,
- [From The Safari Journal](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/from-the-safari-journal-1/) - Many of you who follow Writers In The Storm have been wondering...where the heck is Fae Rowen? Our pal, Fae, has been traipsing through the wilds of Africa, dodging animal scat and monkey pee. In her April blog series, she's going to tell us about her travels every weekend. Stay tuned! From the Safari Journal of
- [Mash-up of Magnificence #1](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/mash-up-of-magnificence-1/) - by Jenny Hansen There are exciting things happening here at Writers in the Storm! Besides this first installment of our Mash-up of Magnificence, we’re excited to welcome Tara Taylor Quinn next Saturday. She’ll be stopping by on her blog tour for It Happened on Maple Street. Plus we have some more guest bloggers starting in
- [Your New Best Friend: The Word "No"](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/the-word-no-your-new-best-friend/) - I’m all grown up now, and am no longer limited by a toddler’s vocabulary. Like you, I am a writer. Writers get high on stringing together words, many words. Right? Why then is this itty-bitty two letter word becoming more difficult for me to say?
- [Guest Blogger: Tara Taylor Quinn](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/guest-blogger-tara-taylor-quinn/) - Writers In The Storm is delighted to welcome guest blogger, Tara Taylor Quinn! She's at the Romantic Times Conference in Los Angeles, California this week and she's blog-hopping as part of the It Happened On Maple Street International Blog Tour. We're so excited she was able to pop in to see all of us. Tara will
- [From the Safari Journal of Fae Rowen - Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/from-the-safari-journal-part-2/) - Part 2 in a series. Click here for Part 1. Luxury Tented Camps All my childhood vacations were tent camping and I looked forward to the excitement of outdoor living for a week. The summer before my senior year I told my parents that would be the last camping trip I ever took. After watching
- [WIN VS. COMPETE](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/win-vs-compete-2/) - By Charlotte Carter Athletes are an interesting breed. As a youngster I used to play baseball in a nearby vacant lot and football in the street with the neighbor boys. In school, I was on intramural teams. I was a tomboy but not an athlete. My daughter came along. She was (still is when she
- [Writing Is Like Comfort Food](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/writing-is-like-comfort-food/) - Composing a story is a lot like cooking. It blends emotion, story and character into a delicious tale that fills the belly of imagination and satisfies a reader’s tastes. The right combinations make gourmet delights.
- [From the Safari Journal of Fae Rowen – Part 3](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/from-the-safari-journal-of-fae-rowen-part-3/) - Everyone goes on safari for the animals. And they are fantastic. I saw more animals than I ever imagined. Animals I didn’t know existed. Did you know there are three different kinds of giraffes? The only way to tell their gender is by the knobs on their head? You can’t miss the male baboons. Beautiful turquoise-blue family jewels. Also, there are black rhinos and white rhinos, but you can’t tell by the color of their hide. You have to look at the mouth. Yep, I got close enough to do that.
- [Mash-up of Magnificence #2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/mash-up-of-magnificence-2/) - by Jenny Hansen Have you read all the links in Part 1 yet? We’ve been busy at work for you here at Writers in the Storm and I'm delighted to get to share so many fantastic links with you. There are such amazing resources out for writers right now...it's hard to keep up, isn't it? The
- [Constesting Contests](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/constesting-contests/) - By Laura Drake Whenever the subject of contests comes up on writer’s loops, it’s guaranteed to be a very lively discussion. People feel very passionately about them -- either pro OR con. And why not? I’ve experienced both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat at the hands of judges. Up to now,
- [Guest Blogger: Pamela Kaye Tracy](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/guest-blogger-pamela-kaye-tracy/) - Howdy, my name is Pamela Tracy, and I'm the guest blogger today. I've always wanted to be an author. I blame the Betsy books and Ramona. I blame Nancy Drew and Anne of Green Gables. I blame Gone with the Wind. Had I been male, I'd have wanted to be a serious baseball player. Instead, since I'm female, I'm lucky, and I get to be a romance writer. There's lots of similarities between baseball and writing.
- [Put Your Flabby Writing On A Diet](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/put-your-flabby-writing-on-a-diet/) - By Sharla Rae Too much flab on a person can cause a fatal heart attack. It's fatal to an author’s writing too. Flabby writing is usually the result of wordiness or over writing. Both are weak and tiresome and make editors go cross-eyed. Worse, at the first sign of it, an editor stamps it as a reject.
- [From The Safari Journal of Fae Rowen Part 4](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/04/from-the-safari-jounal-of-fae-rowen-part-4/) - The Animals By Fae Rowen The professional photographers traveling with me were horrified that I’d purchased my new camera from Amazon and only took it out of the box to put it in my carry-on for the trip from the States to Nairobi. I learned fast with their generous help. Besides the physical workings of
- [Get Your E-Book Noticed: Presentation, Promotion & Patience](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/05/get-your-e-book-noticed/) - By Lyn Horner A new Kindle author recently visited my home page http://texasdruids.com and asked me for tips on what to do next. I’m flattered by his request and more than happy to share what I’ve learned since publishing my first Kindle book. After blogging about the topic, I thought it might make a good
- [Mash-up of Magnificence #3](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/05/mashup-of-magnificence-3/) - by Jenny Hansen All of us at Writers In The Storm had so much FUN in April…did you? We had amazing guest posts (thanks Tara Taylor Quinn and Pamela Kaye Tracy!), the sweeping Safari Journal from Fae Rowen and some amazing blogs on Writing Craft. How could we possibly top April’s Awesomeness, you might be
- [Editing vs. Proofreading: Why This Matters To Your Manuscript](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/05/editing-vs-proofreading/) - What separates the Amateurs from the Professionals? The ability to both Edit and Proofread. In novel writing, editing is King and proofreading is Queen.
- [Copyright, ISBN, Royalty & Pricing With Amazon E-Publishing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/05/copyright-isbn-royalty-pricing-with-amazon-publishing/) - When I started looking into publishing with Amazon, my biggest questions were how to format my book, create a cover image and upload everything. However, there were also legal and financial matters to consider. Here are several frequently asked questions with answers obtained from Amazon’s KDP Guidelines and Community.
- [Contest Judge Tells All](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/05/contest-judge-tells-all/) - Be sure to visit Writers In The Storm next week! Not only will we be publishing our 100th post, we'll also be kicking off our Going To The Chapel Contest, just in time for "wedding season." Speaking of contests...here's a winning blog from Charlotte Carter. Throughout the year, I judge quite a few entries in
- [Writing Lessons from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/05/writing-lessons-from-the-hunger-games/) - Laura Drake WARNING – SPOILERS AHEAD You may want to stand back a bit. I’m about to gush, and you don’t want to get it on you. First, a quick plot rundown: Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen lives in a post-apocalyptic world (future North America.) The oppressive government holds annual Hunger Games, to demonstrate not even children
- [Our 100th Post...Who ARE Those WITS Bloggers?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/05/our-100th-post-who-are-wits-bloggers/) - In April, 2010, when Writers In The Storm was launched, we never contemplated making 50 posts, much less 100. We started this "blogging thing" as part of our yearly critique group goals. We didn't know we'd have so much fun. We didn't know we'd have so much to say. We didn't know we'd LOVE IT! To
- [Keyboard Shortcuts and Other Amazing Productivity Tips](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/05/keyboard-shortcuts-and-other-amazing-productivity-tips/) - by Jenny Hansen As you might have guessed from some earlier blogs, I work with accountants. Accountants’ fingers tap a keyboard, particularly over on the 10-key side, like nothing you’ve ever seen. Seeing the mountains of paperwork that go in and out is nothing short of astonishing during tax season. Yet, with all that
- [Embrace Your Red Pen](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/05/embrace-your-red-pen/) - by Fae Rowen The joke in here at WITS is that I sit in my living room waiting for an editor to knock on my front door and ask, “Do you have a book I can buy?” Yep, pretty passive. Lots of backstory on why I haven’t sent out requested manuscripts, but here’s what’s going
- [Writing Antifreeze: Word and Phrase Menus](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/05/writing-antifreeze-word-and-phrase-menus/) - By Sharla Rae We’ve all experienced brain freeze and no, I don’t mean writers’ block. Writers’ block is when you don’t know what comes next in the story or you’ve written yourself into a corner and can’t find a way out. Think of brain freeze as a frozen lake. All the fish are still alive
- [Are You Linked In?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/05/are-you-linked-in/) - by Jenny Hansen Everyone is talking about Social Media and I’ve got several friends scratching their heads going, “What does that even MEAN? And why do I need so many DIFFERENT KINDS??” There’s a simple answer to “why so many?” You want to go to where your people are. It’s as simple as that. Maybe
- [PUMPING WORDS](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/pumping-words/) - By Laura Drake Who hasn’t made a vow on New Year’s Eve (maybe after a couple of glasses of champagne) that this is your year to get in shape. You join a gym, you get a personal trainer, you start jogging. And its hard work; muscle only builds when you work it. Writing is like
- [A Treasure Trove of Writing Links](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/a-treasure-trove-of-writing-links/) - by Jenny Hansen Writers In The Storm bloggers have been busily reading about a variety of subjects. There is so much Craft to learn, publishing trends to follow and writing to polish. Below are some blogs that really stood out for Sharla, Laura and I these last few weeks. (p.s. Don't forget to follow this
- [Druids Part I: Druid Origins](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/druids-part-i-druid-origins-2/) - By Lyn Horner Click here for Part 2 or Part 3 of the four-part Druid series. Since publishing my book Darlin' Druid, I’ve been asked more than once if there really are Druids in Texas. The simple answer is yes. There are modern-day Druids, not only in Texas, but in many parts of the U.S. and around
- [Writing for Two Publishers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/writing-for-two-publishers/) - By Charlotte Carter For a working author it’s often a good idea to write for two different publishers. In my case I write for Guideposts Books and Love Inspired Romance. That gives me an opportunity to write more books and earn more money per year than I might with one publisher, which is generally a
- [Sensual Word Menu](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/sensual-word-menu-2/) - By Sharla Rae When I was supposed be writing my blog for today I was catching up on new favorite TV series, Game of Thrones. I thoroughly enjoyed the chopping off of heads, sex, creepy zombies of the North, sex, war, slaughtering of animal, and did I mention steamy sex? There’s just one problem. Afterward,
- [Druids Part 2: Druids and Celtic Culture](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/druids-part-2/) - By Lyn Horner Click here for Part 1 or Part 3 of the four-part Druid series. NOTE: Don't forget to comment by Midnight Friday June 17th so you can be entered in a drawing for a free copy of my book, Darlin' Druid! Before delving into Druid beliefs and practices, it’s important to know a little about the Celtic culture.
- [Make Your Writer's Bookshelf Work For You](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/make-your-writers-bookshelf-work-for-you/) - by Jenny Hansen What do you do when you need help with your writing? I don’t mean when you can’t find the right word or phrase…my critique partner, Sharla Rae, did an excellent job of solving that issue in her "Writing Antifreeze" post a few weeks back. No, what I’m talking about is the books
- [Devilish Fun...A Worldwide Book Launch Party!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/devilish-fun-a-worldwide-book-launch-party/) - by Jenny Hansen The Man of the Week here at Writers in the Storm is author, James Rollins. His new book, The Devil Colony will be out on Tuesday, June 21st! For a great summary of the entire Sigma Force series, take a peek at Tiffany White's post today over on "The Ooo Factor." The
- [Writing a Deeper Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/writing-a-deeper-story/) - By Laura Drake ANNOUNCEMENT: Writers in the Storm is kicking off the summer with a series of guest blogs and we are so excited! First in our Summer Line-up is social media guru, Kristen Lamb. Not only is she the author of two best-selling books, We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media and
- [Tips on Pitching Your Book](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/tips-on-pitching-your-book/) - REMINDER: Kristen Lamb is guest blogging on Writers In The Storm this Friday! Kristen is the author of best-selling books We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It’s Me, Writer . Both books are recommended by the hottest agents and biggest authors in th biz. Her methods teach you how to build
- [Developing Your Unique Writing Voice](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/developing-your-unique-writing-voice/) - Welcome to the first installment of Sensational Summer Fridays! We'll be finishing up each week with a stellar post to help you through those long Summer weekends of writing, starting off with the amazing Kristen Lamb. In addition to being renowned in writing circles for her social media savvy, Kristen is a wonderful writing teacher. Kristen
- [Writing The Big Picture - Don't Trash The Roadmap](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/writing-the-big-picture-dont-trash-the-roadmap/) - By Sharla Rae In our WITS crit group, we all have our individual critiquing talents: grammar, tight writing, action scenes, male point of view, description etc. And when one of us starts a new project, we verbalize or write an outline of the story so that our partners can critique the individual story elements as well as the
- [Druids Part 3, Druid Religion](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/06/druids-part-3-druid-religion/) - By Lyn Horner Click here for Part 1 and Part 2 of the Druid series. In the preface to his book, Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions, James Bonwick stated about the Druids, “They were, doubtless, neither so grandly wise, nor so low in reputation, as represented by tradition. Their ethical lessons must have assuredly prepared the way
- [The Hero's Journey: A Thumbnail Sketch of Real Life](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/the-heros-journey-a-thumbnail-sketch-of-real-life/) - Writers In The Storm is thrilled to welcome this week’s Sensational Summer guest blogger, Connie Flynn! Connie has published ten novels and several short stories. Her werewolf series was recently reissued by Back In Print and is available on Amazon.com. Two of her Harlequin books are scheduled for re-release in July. Additionally, Connie co-founded the Bootcamp for Novelists Online and
- [A Fourth of July Mash Up!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/a-fourth-of-july-mash-up/) - I didn't realize it had been so long since we've had a mash-up -- we had a ton of links for you! I've tried to organize them into categories, but it was like herding cats! Have a wonderful Holiday for all our readers in the States! Changes in the Market: Is publishing turning into the
- [World Building: Part 1- Physical Setting](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/world-building-part-1-physical-setting/) - by Fae Rowen I was shocked when Laura, Sharla and Jenny suggested I write a craft blog on world building. Before you read any further, I need to confess something. I've never taken a world building writing class. But after three decades as a science fiction freak, it's no wonder I enjoy world building. In
- [10 Not Absurd Tips for Writing Fiction - by Margie Lawson](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/10-not-absurd-tips-for-writing-fiction-by-margie-lawson/) - I'm very excited to have my mentor, Margie Lawson guest blogging with us today. Fae Rowen and I attended her amazing Masters Immersion Class this year, and are editing feverishly! Here's Margie: A HUGE THANK YOU to Laura Drake and the Writer’s in the Storm bloggers for inviting me to be your guest today. This
- [Going To The Chapel Contest - Finalists Announced](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/going-to-the-chapel-contest-finalists-announced/) - We have five fantastic finalists for our Going To The Chapel Contest! Kristen Boe Donna Omo Carrie Rogozinski Charlie Wade Kelly Whitley Click here for more details.... We can't wait to hear which entry you like the best! What do you think? (Please post your choices on the actual contest page once you've followed the
- [10 Not Absurd Lessons from Margie Lawson (and Her Peeps!)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/10-not-absurd-lessons-from-margie-lawson-and-her-peeps/) - By Jenny Hansen Last Friday Margie Lawson did a guest blog at Writers In The Storm. If you missed it, please take a moment to catch up by clicking here. As usual, Margie’s advice was spot-on and amazing. However, what surprised me about Friday’s post was the comment section. I knew Margie had a big
- [World Building-Part 2:  Social and Cultural Aspects](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/world-building-part-2-social-and-cultural-aspects/) - by Fae Rowen As exciting as it is to create a physical setting, my favorite part of world building is the cultural aspect. Out of the world's culture comes the social customs, which can really show life on the planet. Of course, there are rules. Rule #1: As an author, you must know the details
- [Guest Blogger: Elizabeth Spann Craig (aka Riley Adams)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/guest-blogger-elizabeth-spann-craig/) - Writers In The Storm is delighted to welcome Elizabeth Craig/Riley Adams for this week's Sensational Summer Friday guest post. I'll confess I let out a huge SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE when Elizabeth agreed to be here. Why, you might ask? Is it because she finds the very best writing links and tweets them to all of us hanging out on
- [Going To The Chapel Contest Winner Announcement!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/going-to-the-chapel-contest-winner-announcement/) - Writers In The Storm is delighted to announce the winner of the Going To The Chapel Contest!!! There was major finagling amongt the WITS bloggers as we all jockeyed for our favorite entry. It was close, and very nearly bloody (kidding), but one entry got the most votes with a super-secret ballot. Congratulations, Carrie Rogozinski! All details, along with
- [Publishing Naked](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/publishing-naked/) - When I read today’s guest blog, the first question I had for Denise was why she and Monica would team up to write a book. When she sent me their bios, it not only made it clear, but made me want to read the book. Read on, and you’ll see what I mean. ~ Laura
- [Running to Win - by Kitty Bucholtz](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/running-to-win-by-kitty-buckholtz/) - As you know, we're hosting some amazing guest bloggers on Fridays lately, and today we're fortunate to have Kitty Bucholtz, the founder of the sucessful blog, Routines for Writers. Kitty's blog forte is inspiration, as you'll see from the following. We know Kitty from our local RWA group, OCCRWA, but she left us a year
- [Druids Part 4 - Modern Day Druids](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/druids-part-4-modern-day-druids/) - Before Lyn gets started, I just wanted to let you know. We've had requests to repost the finalist's entries of the Going to the Chapel Conest. We were happy to comply! Just go to the Contest page to view. Here's Lyn: By Lyn Horner Modern Druidism, or Druidry, sprouted in 17th century Britain. This period
- [Publishing Naked - Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/publishing-naked-part-2/) - by Denise Domning Following is the second in a series of Denise Domning's journey in self-publishing (here's Part 1.) Read on - not only is the journey facinating and educational, this is entertaining stuff. How many writers do you know trying to get on The Howard Stern Show? Take it away, Denise: Well, the snail marches on.
- [Guest Post: Straight from Sue Grimshaw’s computer . . .](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/07/guest-post-straight-from-sue-grimshaws-computer/) - This week’s Sensational Summer Friday guest post is from Sue Grimshaw! Sue was the romance book buyer for Borders and Waldenbooks stores for more than a decade. As of April this year, Sue is Ballantine Bantam Dell’s Category Specialist & Editor At Large. A highly sought after expert in her field, Sue has consulted with publishers for many
- [The Art of Writing Continuities](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/the-art-of-writing-continuities/) - Charlotte Carter joins us today with some inside tips for writing continuity series. I was thinking there would be spreadsheets and teeth-gnashing, but she makes it sound almost easy. Almost. Anyway, for those of you who have an interest along this line (no pun intended) she's got some valuable tips for you to consider. And
- [Networking and Writing Organizations](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/networking-and-writing-organizations/) - Linda O. Johnston is the author of 27 published novels, with more to come. She currently writes the Pet Rescue Mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime, a spinoff series from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries, also for Berkley. The second Pet Rescue Mystery, THE MORE THE TERRIER, will be an October release. She additionally writes paranormal
- [Using Real People and Events in Fiction - Michelle Diener](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/using-real-people-and-events-in-fiction/) - Our Sensational Summer Friday guest today is a true world traveler – she was born in London, was raised in KwaZula Natal, South Africa, and she now lives in Australia. Laura Drake knows Michelle Diener through her RWA-WF (Women's Fiction) chapter, where Michelle is the VP of Communications. The title sounds vague, but in an online
- [Crafting Handmade Cards](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/crafting-handmade-cards/) - by Fae Rowen Before I get started, I want to remind you that on Wednesday we'll be announcing the winner of Linda O. Johnston's latest book in her Pet-Sitter Mystery series, HOWL DEADLY. Good luck to all those who commented on her Networking and Writing Organizations blog last week. On Friday we'll announce the winner
- [Adjusting To The Paradigm Shift](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/adjusting-to-the-paradigm-shift/) - Writers in the Storm would like to thank Linda O. Johnston for her gift of HOWL DEADLY, her latest release in her Pet-Sitter Mystery series. Our lucky reader and commenter on Linda's blog on Networking and Writing Organizations is (drum roll here) Jamila Jamison. Congratulations, Jamila. Happy reading! And don't forget to tune in on
- [Publishing Naked- Part 3](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/publishing-naked-part-3/) - Welcome to another installment of Sensational Summer Fridays, here at WITS! Before we begin with the third in our guest blog series by Denise Domning, we'd like to announce the winner of Michelle Diener's debut novel, IN A TREACHEROUS COURT. Congratulations to Stacy Green, who read and commented on Michelle's blog Using Real People and
- [The Long, Winding Road](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/the-long-winding-road/) - By Laura Drake After fourteen years of trying, I signed with an agent this month! That’s a lot of years to keep at something. But during down times along the way I've thought back to the first spark of the story, to get the inspiration to keep going. Before I learned to ride my own, I rode pillion
- [Add Conflict to your Story with a Down & Dirty Fight](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/add-conflict-to-your-story-with-a-down-dirty-fight/) - by Jenny Hansen Happy Wednesday, y’all! I’m looking forward to hearing Linda O. Johnston, one of our new bloggers, talk about “What Makes a Great Mystery” for this week’s Sensational Summer Friday. Today we’re going to talk about Dirty Fighting. What is it, and why do you want to do it? To start at the
- [Mysteries and Me by Linda O. Johnston](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/mysteries-and-me-by-linda-o-johnston/) - Welcome to another installment of Sensational Summer Fridays, here at WITS with Linda O. Johnston! I write both mysteries and romances. My mysteries contain romantic elements, and my romances contain suspense or mystery. Why? Because I love them both! But there are, of course, other elements in mysteries besides relationships, or they wouldn’t be mysteries.
- [Making Cards-and Writing-Part 2:  The Process of Creating Art](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/making-cards-and-writing-part-2-the-process-of-creating-art/) - by Fae Rowen To our readers who comment on this blog: You'll be entered for a chance to win six hand-crafted cards from Fae Rowen. One entry per person, please. We'll post the winner of the cards next Monday, August 29. Good luck! I realized as I wrote the first blog, Crafting Handmade Cards , about the
- [Plot vs. Character – Which Side are You On?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/plot-vs-character-which-side-are-you-on/) - Before I jump into today's post, I just want to remind you to stop back on Friday for our next Fabulous Friday guest blogger, multi-published author, Louisa Bacio! Part 1 of a series This part brought to you by Laura Drake. Check back Monday when Fae Rowen presents the opposite viewpoint. People have a hard time even
- [Whose English?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/whose-english/) - On Monday we'll have the other half of the Plot-driven vs. Character-driven throwdown with Fae Rowen considering character-driven writing. Fae will also announce the winner of a six-pack of her hand-crafted cards at the top of Monday's post. Today, we're happy to welcome you to another installment of Sensational Summer Fridays, here at WITS with
- [Plot vs. Character: The Other Side of The Story  OR  Plot vs Character: WITS Bloggers Throw It Down!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/plot-vs-character-the-other-side-of-the-story/) - by Fae Rowen Before we get started, I'd like to announce the winner of a six-pack of my cards. Janel is the lucky commenter. Janel, if you would e-mail Writers in the Storm with your mailing address, I'll send your cards right away. And now to today's topic: Laura proposed this tag-team duo of blogs
- [Naked Publishing - Part 4](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/08/naked-publishing-part-four/) - Today we welcome back Denise Domning, contributing blogger here at WITS, with the fourth in her series detailing her self-publishing journey. by Denise Domning I did it! I made my deadline! Kind of. It’s August 15th and the book, The Men Wars, Book One Men-ipulation, is up on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. What about
- [Social Media and Your Author Brand](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/social-media-and-your-author-brand/) - Today's authors are very in-the-know about the changes sweeping through the publishing industry. I am so thankful to be pursuing a writing career in these times where the access to amazing resources and generous authors is at our fingertips. If you don't feel "up to date" and want to read more about the changing state of
- [Linear Writing vs. the Scattergun Approach – Which Are You?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/linear-writing-vs-the-scattergun-approach-which-are-you/) - by Laura Drake In the last Writers in the Storm ‘throwdown’ (if you missed it, it was character driven vs. plot driven writing.) I was more than willing to admit that both sides of the argument are valid – even necessary to a great story. But this time? The other side of the coin
- [Non-Linear Writing – Focus On Your Story's DNA](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/non-linear-writing-focus-on-your-storys-dna/) - by Jenny Hansen To answer this week’s “throwdown” here at Writers In The Storm, I’m taking the Non-Linear approach. That means that where Laura must start at the beginning and move forward in an organized manner, I simply cannot do so. The linear approach kills my stories. After nearly fifteen years of banging my head against
- [The Plot Thickens](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/the-plot-thickens/) - Mystery Maven, Linda O. Johnston is back! We've gotten lots of mysterious questions lately, particularly about writing "process," and Linda O has some answers about plot. The Plot Thickens by Linda O. Johnston My guest blog posts here on Writers in the Storm will largely be descriptive of how I write, focusing on mysteries. That’s
- [The Writing Life](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/the-writing-life/) - Hi all - Charlotte Carter here! A writer’s life can be an interesting one. Not only can I go to work in my robe and slippers if I’m so inclined, odd things can happen. Some years ago one of my Harlequin books was translated into Portugese and sold in Brazil. To my delight, I received
- [Researching The Historical Novel - Part 1](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/researching-the-historical-novel-part-1/) - ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to some really icky computer issues, NakedEditor Tiffany Lawson Inman's post will be delayed until next Friday, Sept 23rd. Since she is AMAZING, we know you'll want to check back then to see it. ~Jenny :-) Researching The Historical Novel Part 1 in a series by Sharla Rae For the writer who enjoys history,
- [White-Knuckling Your Author Platform: How to Rein in the Social Media Pressure](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/white-knuckling-your-author-platform-how-to-rein-in-the-social-media-pressure/) - by Roni Loren It's no secret that writers are supposed to be building their online platform and brand from the get-go. You can find a bazillion posts on that very thing. Blog! Tweet! Facebook! Tumblr! Get lots of followers! Get lots of comments! Your name must be out there! Blog about writing! Don't blog about
- [Forcing a Story to Evolve—From First Draft to Finished Draft](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/forcing-a-story-to-evolve-jami-gold/) - Writers In The Storm is delighted to welcome paranormal writer and blogger, Jami Gold! She'll be stopping in over the next few days to answer any comments you have. (Thanks, Jami!) On my blog last week, I talked about how it’s fascinating to watch a story evolve from a story seed into a full-blown draft.
- [Researching The Historical Novel - Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/researching-the-historical-novel-part-2/) - by Sharla Rae - (Here's a link to Part 1 in this series!) As we discussed in the last post, for the writer who enjoys history, researching is often the best part of writing a historical novel. The other day, we discussed building the framework. Today we're going to "fill in the rest." Below are a
- [There Is More To Writing Action Than Meets The Fist: Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/there-is-more-to-writing-action-than-meets-the-fist-2/) - by Tiffany Lawson Inman I picked up Harlan Coben’s CAUGHT with the express knowledge that I would find a high intensity/high emotion scene to showcase for another Dramatic Dissection. Why did I think that? Because of his prologue. The beginning of this book is darn delicious. Most of his passages have more power than I’ve
- [Choose Your Fear -- The Fear of Not Succeeding](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/chose-your-fear-the-fear-of-not-succeeding/) - By Laura Drake We were talking at crit group the other night. Our “throwdown” blogs have grown into more than we’d planned originally. In case you missed them, they were: Plot vs. Character – I took the Character side here Fae took the plot side here. Linear Writing vs. Non-linear – I took linear side
- [Choose Your Fear -- Fear of Success](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/fear-as-an-obstacle-by-fae-rowen/) - by Fae Rowen “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself; nameless unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts." FDR’s First Inaugural Address Laura is the queen of quotes--and of not always gentle encouragement, so I'm thanking her at the get-go for making me process my thoughts on a subject that has been
- [How Writers Learn What They Need To Know](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/09/how-writers-learn-what-they-need-to-know-piper-bayard/) - The Guinea Pig Diaries: Novel Edition by Piper Bayard I wrote a novel. For five and a half years, I wrote a novel. I didn’t just write it, I rewrote it, rewrote it, and rewrote it again. I ate it, slept it, drank it, and then I found some betareaders, and I rewrote it again.
- [Are You a Head Case, too? Fear No More!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/are-you-a-head-case-fear-no-more/) - We're just in time for Halloween, and I'm baaack! by D.A. WATT This past week, I found myself scurrying along the side yard fence to enter my back door. I didn’t want to chance another run in with an enormous, icky spider’s web hosted by a giant cross orb weaver, that was commandeering my entire
- [Do You Fear Your Dreams?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/do-you-fear-your-dreams/) - by Jenny Hansen The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty and the power of their dreams. ~Eleanor Roosevelt Dreams are a funny thing. Nightly dreams usually fade in the morning rush, except for the periodic nightmares that scorch our consciousness. Then there’s the waking dreams. Those elusive wishes we keep tucked deep
- [How I Became a Publisher](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/how-i-became-a-publisher/) - by Kitty Bucholtz When I started writing, I published a few articles and devotionals, and then I tried to figure out what kind of novel I wanted to write. I discovered that romance novels accounted for about half of the paperback market and I thought: I like romance, I’m happily married, I’ll write one of those. I
- [Taking The Local Contest By Storm](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/taking-the-local-contest-by-storm/) - We had to break into your weekend with some amazing news. . .Laura Drake has placed second in the Orange Rose Contest! We should have a less blurry picture of her to sub in soon, but my hands were shaking so bad, I'm lucky I didn't drop my phone taking the photo. Sharla, Laura and
- [What Scares You The Most: A Fear Series Wrap-Up](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/what-scares-you-the-most-a-fear-series-wrap-up/) - by Jenny Hansen For the last few weeks, we've been talking about fear here at Writers In The Storm. It all started with a Thursday night chat at critique group where, "What are you afraid of?" turned into a really big deal. Below are the posts we've done on the subject and I think we've
- [The Rocky Road to Me ...](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/the-rocky-road-to-me/) - By Florence Fois I would like to thank Laura Drake and those here at WITS for this gracious invitation to share my journey. I have spent many a happy hour reading the talented women who contribute to this blog and feel honored to be counted in their company. ################ Once upon a time, a little
- [What’s Wrong with this Cover?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/whats-wrong-with-this-cover/) - Charlotte’s latest book, Big Sky Family is out October 19th – If you’ve read her, I don’t have to tell you how wonderful her stories are. If you haven’t, do yourself a favor and pick it up! Here's Char: The creation of a book cover is a collaboration of the author (most of whom claim
- [PUBLICATION:  9 Lessons for the Road](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/publication-9-lessons-for-the-road/) - Today we're excited to have with us Judy Duarte, two-time RITA finalist and author of over 40 novels. And she comes bearing gifts! Judy will give away a copy of her latest book, CHRISTMAS ON NUTCRACKER COURT to a lucky commenter! Here's Judy: I can’t remember when I first dreamed of writing a book, but
- [10 Power Tips for Critique Groups](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/10-power-tips-for-critique-groups-2/) - We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog for an announcement: Amy Hahn was the lucky commenter who won a copy of Judy Duarte's new novel, Christmas on Nutcracker Court! Congrats Amy! Here's our own Jenny Hansen, starting a new series on critique groups. In my everyday life I’m a training coordinator for an accounting firm, focused
- [Guest Blogger: Bestselling Author Karen White - Living with Both of Me](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/living-with-both-of-me/) - We are very excited to have with us at WITS today, NYT bestselling author, Karen White. If you've been on vacation in Atlantis for the past ten years and haven't read her, you're missing out - hers are some of the best novels we've ever read. Seriously. Here's Karen: I was putting laundry away today
- [Critique Groups: How To Find Your Dream Team](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/critique-groups-how-to-find-your-dream-team/) - By Sharla Rae I’m very proud of my critique dream team here at Writers In The Storm. We started out liking each other, but we’re now sisters both in the family sense and as professional writers. Unfortunately, not all critique groups are created equal. We’ve all heard critique group horror stories: unprofessional back-biting, petty jealousies
- [Don’t Let Thrillers Hog The Freezer!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/dont-let-thrillers-hog-the-freezer/) - We're so excited to have with us today at WITS: Tiffany Lawson Inman -Naked Editor! She's not only Margie Lawson's pride and joy, she's an amazing editor who can help take your writing from good to great! Here's Tiffany: Why is it, we think only of a high intensity thriller when we hear the phrase, “Gripping
- [Blogging Guest - Sue Grimshaw: Acquiring Editor's Checklist](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/acquiring-editors-checklist/) - We're so honored to have Sue Grimshaw, editor at Random House's Romance at Random, back with us today. How often do you get to glimpse an editor's checklist? Wow! Here's Sue: Hello friends at Writers in the Storm! Thanks for having me back! A few of the writers have asked me to give you some
- [Critique Groups: Prepare For Change](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/10/critique-group-change/) - by Laura Drake We’ve been talking about critique groups here at Writers in the Storm lately. Jenny started us out with 10 Power Tips for Critique Groups, and Sharla followed up with her post on how to form a Critique Group. At crit group this week, we were talking about change; how it seems that
- [Lessons My Cats Have Taught Me](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/lessons-my-cats-have-taught-me/) - SAVE THE DATE! Don't miss our guest, DONALD MAASS, blogging at Writers in the Storm this Friday. Ever since Jenny wrote about her dog Hoshi, I've thought I should write about my cats and what they've taught me. Anticipation: When I was in first grade and we moved from our apartment to the house my
- [Blogging Guest: Donald Maass -- It’s Not About The Cougar](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/its-not-about-the-cougar/) - We're huge Donald Maass fans here at WITS. We've got all his books. Mine are dog-eared. He has a way of breaking down critical craft points and making them easy to understand. He's graciously allowed us to repost a blog that originally appeared on a blog we're also fans of, Writer Unboxed. Note: If you
- [Inspiration vs Perspiration in Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/inspiration-vs-perspiration-in-writing/) - by Fae Rowen This one isn't so much a throwdown as a mirror reflecting what keeps us writing. Usually Laura Drake draws the line in the sand first, but today I'm going to talk about inspiration and writing. On Wednesday, since she's the queen of "bottom in the chair," Laura's going to follow-up with perspiration
- [Sweat Equity:  Perspiration vs. Inspiration in Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/sweat-equity-perspiration-vs-inspiration-in-writing/) - By Laura Drake On Monday, our own Fae Rowen took on the Inspiration half of this discussion, brilliantly. You can read it here. When this throwdown was first suggested, all the WITS Bloggers assumed I’d take the Sweaty side. I don’t want to think about what that says about me. Or my deodorant. Why? Because
- [Guest Blogger - Elizabeth Craig: 15 Tips for Writing a Murder Mystery](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/elizabeth-craig-15-tips-for-writing-a-murder-mystery/) - Writers In The Storm is delighted to welcome Elizabeth Spann Craig, w/a Riley Adams. Elizabeth's latest Memphis BBQ series mystery, Hickory Smoked Homicide was just released on November 1st. Enjoy! Thanks so much to Jenny Hansen for inviting me here today to talk about mysteries—my favorite subject! Before I was a mystery writer, I was
- [New & Improved Writer's Toolbox](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/laura-drakes-2011-toolbox/) - from Laura Drake's files... You have found Laura's treasure map to her favorite, most useful, fun online locations for references, writer's resources, and just plain fun. Warning: This blog could be hazardous to your time schedule. You're going to want to spend a lot of time mining for the gold buried in these links! Language,
- [Why Some Blogs Make Me Cranky](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/why-some-blogs-make-me-cranky/) - By Sharla Rae Like most of you, I don’t have a lot of time to cruise the web and read blogs. If the blog site is pretty, that’s nice, but I don’t really care. I’m interested in content. I pick subjects that pique my interest and choose many that are recommended by writing friends. I love
- [One Approach to Genre Fiction, or “This Way to ‘The End’”](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/one-approach-to-genre-fiction-or-this-way-to-the-end/) - We're happy to introduce you to James Preston, author of the award-winning Surf City Mysteries series. James' wife, Nancy, encouraged Fae Rowen to write her first book. James encouraged Fae to go to the San Diego Writers Conference to learn how to write that first book. He shares his insight on how to get started on
- [6 Key Writing Lessons I’ve Learned From Horses](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/6-key-writing-lessons-ive-learned-from-horses/) - by D. A. Watt KEY # 1 ATTITUDE " To be honest, I’ve learned more valuable life lessons from horses than most people. Unlike humans, horses forgive and forget with patient sighs and much lip licking." D. A. Watt I’ve still got a lot to learn from my four-legged partners. Proper communication between horse and rider,
- [Writers in the Storm Are Thankful for . . .](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/writers-in-the-storm-are-thankful-for/) - As we begin the Holiday Season, Writers in the Storm would like to take today to share what we're thankful for, but don't worry. We are indeed thankful for an ocean of things, but we limited ourselves to gratitude as it relates to our writing. And on Friday, we're excited (and grateful) to have as
- [4 Steps For Organizing Plot Ideas Into a Novel](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/4-steps-for-organizing-plot-ideas-into-a-novel/) - by Jody Hedlund We have a treat for you today. Thanks to Jenny Hansen at her More Cowbell blog, the amazing Jody Hedlund is stopping off here at Writers in the Storm during her blog tour for her new book, The Doctor’s Lady. She’s going to share some of her tricks for writing a riveting
- [6 Key Writing Lessons I’ve Learned From Horses: The Key of Knowledge](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/six-key-lessons-ive-learned-from-horses-knowledge/) - By D. A. WATT This is the second installment of a three part series. The first post focused on attitude. "Prior and proper preparation makes for peak performance. Like creating a novel that takes readers somewhere, amazing." There are only three places to go: somewhere, nowhere or somewhere else. Whether riding, writing, or reading, I wouldn’t want
- [Deserted Island Books - Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/11/deserted-island-books-part-2/) - by Fae Rowen Long, long ago Laura Drake wrote about the ten (or so) books she would want for "entertainment purposes" on a deserted island. You can read it here. I loved the idea of trying to narrow my selection to only ten books, but it's taken me this long to make the final cuts, since I'm
- [Body Language: An Artistic Writing Tool](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/body-language-an-artistic-writing-tool/) - By Sharla Rae Have you ever people-watched and tried to guess by facial expressions and body movements what people are feeling or thinking? This non-verbal communication of emotion, state of mind or state of physical well-being is known as body language. Body Language is one of the most artistic and useful tools in the writing
- [Can Writers Rock LinkedIn?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/can-writers-rock-linkedin/) - by Jenny Hansen As a software trainer, I come in contact with a wide variety of people and use a broad range of software applications. It's what I do. I think software is fun. This techie zeal of mine makes some of my writing pals want to shoot me at times but it ends up helping
- [Favorite Christmas Traditions -- A Historical Perspective](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/a-christmas-time-line/) - Compiled and edited by Sharla Rae The holidays are upon us and everywhere you go, there are people rushing as lights wink merrily and Christmas music plays. Have you ever wondered about these treasured songs and how they gained popularity? The dates and authors of some Christmas carols (red font) and events (green font) are debated but
- [Writing Advice From Famous TV Writer, Stephen J. Cannell](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/3-act-structure-from-stephen-cannell/) - by Jenny Hansen Today, I’d like to introduce you to the late, great mystery and TV writer, Stephen J. Cannell. Trust me, most of you have watched his shows. As many of you know, all of us at Writers In The Storm are blessed by geography to live near an active RWA chapter that gets incredible speakers. Several
- [The Writing Journey: Giving Back](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/the-writing-journey-giving-back/) - by Laura Drake Tis the season. Bell ringers with kettles stand outside stores, vying for territory with candy sale fund-raisers. We’re receiving charity requests every day in the mail, and at work, we’re adopting needy families for the Holidays. Sometimes it seems easier to shut the door and close yourself in a nice quiet writing room. But
- [Guest Post by Charlotte Carter: What's Your Favorite Christmas Memory?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/guest-post-by-charlotte-carter-whats-your-favorite-christmas/) - I suppose everyone has a favorite Christmas. The year they got the bike they had so wanted. Or maybe a Chatty Cathy doll when those were popular. My favorite Christmas was the year my daughter Carolyn was born. My husband and I moved to Anchorage, Alaska when we were first married. He was a civilian
- [Are You Playing To Your Strengths?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/are-you-playing-to-your-strengths/) - As a corporate software trainer, I’ve got to be ON each day I’m in the classroom. It doesn’t matter whether I was up all night with a teething baby or if my best friend and I had a fight. Nobody cares about those things when they come in for a day of Word or Excel
- [What Make A Cozy Mystery "Cozy?"](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/what-make-a-cozy-mystery-cozy/) - by Linda O. Johnston I’m delighted to be back for another guest blog on Writers in the Storm. Once again, I’m blogging about cozy mysteries. Do you know what makes a cozy mystery "cozy?" Well, they all star amateur sleuths, for one thing. There are a lot of Jessica Fletcher types of characters out there who just
- [Writing and Hershey Kisses](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/writing-and-hershey-kisses/) - by Laura Drake Some of my best ideas come to me while I’m riding my bicycle. I had an epiphany during a gorgeous Southern California ride yesterday. Several pieces fell in place at once; a major “Aha” moment. I love it when that happens! Piece 1: For anyone who is not familiar with Maslow, here’s
- [The Secret Pleasure of Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/the-secret-pleasure-of-writing/) - Merry Christmas from Writers In The Storm! We are delighted to welcome back Louisa Bacio to talk to you about stealing time for your writing, especially during this season where it feels like everything is pulling you in a million directions. Take it away, Louisa... ********** Shhh! Come here. I want to share something with you. Are
- [The Most Important Writing Lesson I Ever Learned](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/the-most-important-writing-lesson-i-ever-learned/) - By Jenny Hansen Based on the title of this post, you might think I’m going to talk about plotting or character arcs or 3-Act structure… That’s a big fat “Nope!” to all three. There’s a lesson that comes before all those things and it has taken me a long time to get it through my
- [Are You Looking For A Doable Writing Challenge?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/are-you-looking-for-a-doable-writing-challenge/) - Jenny Hansen here, giving you another little dose of New Year's writing pep. This is the time of year when many of us writers get overwhelmed. You've been hearing from all of us at WITS on the topic: Louisa Bacio's post last Friday described how the holidays crowd her writing time. Laura Drake encourages writers to savor
- [7 New Year's Resolution Ideas For Writers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2011/12/7-resolutions-for-writers/) - by Charlotte Carter Here we are looking 2012 right smack in the face. If you’re like millions of other people, you’re making resolutions about losing weight and exercising more. Chances are good that 90% of those resolutions will be broken or forgotten by the end of January. If you are a writer, published or unpublished,
- [6 Key Lessons I’ve Learned From Horses: The Three T’s - Tools, Techniques & Time](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/6-key-lessons-ive-learned-from-horses-the-three-ts-tools-techniques-time/) - By D. A. Watt In my two previous blogs, I covered three other key lessons I've learned from horses; Attitude, Knowledge, and Imagination. Notice, talent is not included in my title. It’s not about talent; it’s about the three T’s of craft. If you’ve been writing for years, then you’ve got talent. My bet is you’ve
- [Can Looking Back Provide Inspiration For Your Future?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/does-looking-back-provide-inspiration-for-your-future/) - By Laura Drake Christmas is over. Wrapping paper is put away, tarnished tinsel flashes on the Christmas trees at the curb, awaiting trash pickup. I don’t want to hear a Christmas carol for at least another eleven months. Now everyone is looking ahead, to 2012. You’re not going to be able to avoid thinking about
- [Talking Back to Your Brain](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/talking-back-to-your-brain/) - By Harry and Susan Squires Harry and I can’t tell you how many times we’ve heard from writers frustrated and “stuck” on their current work in progress. Often they say something like, “Why am I such a crummy writer?” “Why is this book so hard to write?” Or sometimes you hear people express goals like,
- [5 Things I Wish I’d Believed Before I Sold](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/5-things-i-wish-id-believed-before-i-sold/) - By Laura Drake From the title, you probably guessed my big news – I SOLD!!! After 13 short years at this, I’ve sold a 3 book deal to Grand Central! My first, Total Bull, a PBR world romance, is due out early 2013. For the uninitiated, "PBR" stands for Pro Bull Riding. (Who doesn't like a cowboy?) The
- [The Business of Character Engagement](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/the-business-of-character-engagement/) - by Jenny Hansen A while back, I was doing social media for the accounting firm I work for part-time and I came across the following tweet: Leadershipfreak Dan Rockwell - A no string attached book giveaway on today's post: 9 Questions that enhance engagement" http://bit.ly/rtNRQO Hmmm…I’m a writer. I’m interested in "engagement"...particularly as it relates to my
- [Kiss Your “As” Goodbye!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/kiss-your-as-goodbye/) - Margie Lawson A heartfelt THANK YOU to Laura Drake for inviting me to be her guest today! The title should read: Kiss Some of Your “As”s Goodbye. But including the words, some of, diluted the power. No way I’d opt to dilute power. If you’ve taken my Big Three writing craft courses, you know how
- [Envisioning the Writer’s Ideal Life With Vision Boards and Mandalas](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/envisioning-the-writers-ideal-life-with-vision-boards-and-mandalas/) - by Louella Nelson There's no time like January to dream the so-called "impossible dream" and get organized for the year. We use all kinds of tricks to maneuver ourselves into a better us, a more orderly us, a more fulfilled us. We lie to ourselves and say we’ll get this or that done and don’t
- [Myers-Briggs: A Tool for Authors and Other Humans](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/myers-briggs-a-tool-for-authors-and-other-humans/) - Allow me open a window to your personality, as well as your character's. If you already know all about the Myers-Briggs Personality Test and the sixteen personality types, you can skip down to the stars, below. I'm no psychologist and I want to remind you that while I find this interesting, I'm a mathematician first and
- [Writing Naked Will Take You To The Top!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/writing-naked-will-take-you-to-the-top/) - A guest blog by Tiffany Lawson Inman Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to Laura Drake for inviting me to join WITS today. And a BIG congrats on her 3 book deal! Even though she’s a big star now, I hope she signs up for another one of my classes ;) Hint hint. There it is.
- [Chinese New Year Celebrations, The Symbolism and Mythology](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/chinese-new-year-celebrations-the-symbolism-and-mythology/) - Gung Hey Fat Choy! Happy New Year. First of all I want to say a special thanks Andrew (Andy) Chang, who teaches Chinese Culture. He helped make this blog possible. While I am not Chinese myself, my marriage to a Singaporean of mainland China decent has given me a unique insider’s view of how Chinese
- [What to Look for in 2012--No Ouija Board Required](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/what-to-look-for-in-2012-the-year-of-the-dragon/) - by Fae Rowen Let me offer this disclaimer first: Even though I've spent a lot of hours researching this particular blog, it is purely for entertainment purposes. Take what resonates with you, what you find fun (or funny), what you can use to construct your personal, unique understanding of this information. I want to thank
- [Debra Holland Looks Back At Her Self-Publishing Journey in 2011](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/debra-holland-looks-back-at-her-self-publishing-journey-in-2011/) - We're proud to have with us today, Debra Holland, a Golden Heart winner, whose book was NOT picked up for NY publication. They said "sweet" historicals wouldn't sell. Well, as you'll read, they made an error. One that Debra is capitalizing on. Here is her inspiring story of the past year. UPDATE! As of 1/28, Debra's
- [Naming Names](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/01/naming-names/) - By Laura Drake In the spirit of full disclosure, the seed for this blog was something I read over on Writer Unboxed about quirky character names. It got me thinking. I don’t know about you, but character names are as important to me as my titles . . . you don’t go messing with them
- [Chinese Element Personality Types-for Fun and for Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/chinese-element-personality-types-for-fun-and-for-writing/) - by Fae Rowen Announcement: Kristen Lamb will be our guest on Friday with "Novel Diagnostics". At the beginning of the year, I usually cycle back to the questions "Who am I?" and "Why am I here?" I was thinking about Chinese New Year and the Year of the Dragon and remembered it's been awhile since
- [The Doctor is in the House--Novel Diagnostics by Kristen Lamb](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/novel-diagnostics-by-kristen-lamb/) - Back on New Year's Day, many of you might have vowed to take your craft more seriously in 2012...before the world ends, of course. This resolution likely means more conferences and many, many more queries. For those of you who have submitted before, ever wonder how an agent can ask for the first 20 pages
- [Descriptions That Pack A PUNCH!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/descriptions-that-pack-a-punch/) - By Laura Drake Isn't it weird, where you find the ideas for blogs? I never miss Gene Lempp's Blog Treasures (and you shouldn't either)! This week, I found another gem there: Catie Rhodes' Writing Lessons from Song Lyrics. Go check it out - she has a wonderful point - writers can learn a lot from lyrics. A lyricist only has
- [Mining For Character Emotions](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/mining-for-character-emotions/) - By Sharla Rae Let’s face it, mining for the best expression of emotions whether it’s body language, gut reactions, internalization or dialogue can be like panning for gold. A lot of useless grit is sloshed around before you hit pay dirt. Picture this: You’re sitting at your computer; the sun is shining through the window
- [Valentine’s Day? Already?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/valentines-day-already/) - by Charlotte Carter I don’t know about you, but I’m still vacuuming up tinsel and pine needles. In stores, Christmas decorations were shoved out one door and Valentine’s hearts were brought in the other, leaving only a brief window to celebrate New Year’s Day. Time is simply flying by too fast. Still, I am a
- [10 Favorite Writing Lessons from Margie Lawson (and her Peeps!)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/10-favorite-writing-lessons-from-margie-lawson-and-her-peeps/) - Several months back, Margie Lawson did a guest blog here at Writers In The Storm called 10 Not Absurd Tips for Fiction Writing. If you missed it, you’ll definitely want to take a moment to catch up. She gave 10 AWESOME writing tips! A little background: I’ve been hearing about Margie and her classes for
- [Invasion of the Bees--and a Writing Lesson](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/invasion-of-the-bees-and-a-writing-lesson/) - by Fae Rowen This morning I walk into the kitchen for a drink of water and see a large fly on the window. Turns out to be a bee. Well, with the diminishing numbers of the honeybee, I don't have the heart to smash it, so I try to "guide" it out the door. Dumb
- [Place Descriptions: It's About Atmosphere Not a Travel log](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/place-descriptions-its-about-atmosphere-not-a-travel-log/) - By Sharla Rae When I first started writing, the one thing my critique partners complained about most was my lack of descriptions. I hated doing them. Only the action and characters interested me. Who cares what color the sky is? Who cares if the river was muddy or sandy? Just tell the reader where the
- [THROWDOWN:  Write What You Know vs Write What You Don't Know](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/throwdown-write-what-you-know-vs-write-what-you-dont-know/) - By Laura Drake I’m probably the poster child for the "Write what you know" side of the throwdown. Why? I’ll out myself at the end of this post. Let me answer the easy one first. How? For the last ten years I’ve had an obsession (yeah, another one.) Pro Bull Riding. I never miss it on TV, and when it’s
- [Throwdown Part 2:  Write What You Don't Know](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/throwdown-part-2-write-what-you-dont-know/) - by Fae Rowen When Laura Drake originally suggested this topic months ago I knew I would be on the "don't know" end of the throwdown. Everyone else at Writers in the Storm writes about what they know. With Sharla Rae's historicals, she researches and researches until she has notebooks filled with information. Jenny Hansen writes
- [Too Quick To Tears: Emotional Timing Is Everything](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/too-quick-to-tears-emotional-timing-is-everything/) - A Big Writers in the Storm Welcome for Our Guest Blogger today, Tiffany Lawson Inman (also known as NakedEditor). Mark your calendars because Tiffany will be sharing her knowledge with us the last Friday of every month, starting TODAY! Yeah! **************** Writers are always told to show, show, show! SHOW emotion. SHOW
- [Dubai - and a Writing Lesson](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/dubai/) - by Fae Rowen Okay, I never wrote about that Middle East trip to Dubai, Egypt, and Jordan. There were reasons, okay? Today, I'm prepared to tell you about my four days and three nights in Dubai. On my own. Well, with my friend who has long, naturally blonde, hair. The only Arabic phrase I learned
- [How to Begin a Romance Novel: Seven Tips](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/02/how-to-begin-a-romance-novel-seven-tips/) - Today Writers in the Storm is pleased to introduce you to debut author, Ruthie Knox. She's got tips for writing a romance novel, but really, you can use these in any genre. Ruthie has generously offered to give a e-copy of her book to one lucky commenter who will be chosen at random. by Ruthie
- [How Do Publishers Reach Readers? Sue Grimshaw Speaks!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/how-do-self-published-authors-reach-readers-sue-grimshaw-speaks/) - Guest Blogger Sue Grimshaw from BBD/Loveswept is with us today for an interactive blog about author promotion. Welcome back, Sue! And we must thank Sue for her generous giveaways of a Random book to three different random commenters. Thanks, Sue! Hi ladies – thanks for having me back on WRITERS IN THE STORM! As I
- [Place Descriptions - Part 2: Waterways](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/place-descriptions-part-two-waterways/) - By Sharla Rae In my first blog on place descriptions, Place Descriptions: It’s about Atmosphere Not A Travel Log, I promised to deliver more place descriptions. Today’s list is about waterways, lakes, oceans, rivers, and seas. I was very tempted to list all kinds of boats and ships and marine life. I had to remind myself
- [Using The 12 Stages of Physical Intimacy To Build Tension In Your Fiction](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/using-the-12-stages-of-physical-intimacy-to-build-tension/) - I first learned about the 12 Stages of Physical Intimacy from Linda Howard, who used to give a very popular talk on the subject based on the work of Desmond Morris, Intimate Behavior: A Zoologist's Classic Study of Human Intimacy. On the downside, Linda gave her last edition of this talk to our RWA chapter
- [Beware Of Kings With No Clothing - Calculation of Royalty Fees In Publishing Contracts](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/susan-spann-calculation-of-royalty-fees-in-publishing-contracts/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes publishing attorney and author, Susan Spann. Susan practices law in Sacramento, California. Her debut novel, tentatively titled SHINOBI, in which a Japanese ninja and a Portuguese priest must save a teahouse entertainer accused of murder, will be available in 2013 with St. Martins/Thomas Dunn Press. By Susan Spann Royalties are the payments
- [Blog Tours: The Good - The Bad - The Ugly](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/blog-tours-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly/) - All of us here at Writers In The Storm are happy to welcome Cynthia D’Alba, a genuinely nice person and a debut author of Texas Two Step, a new Samhain release. I’ve often wondered why authors do blog tours. They seem like a bucket load of work. Are they worth it? Cynthia thinks they are and
- [Happy St. Patty's Day](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/happy-st-pattys-day/) - By Lyn Horner St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17, the date of the saint’s death. In Ireland, it is a day of obligation for Catholics as well as a secular holiday. In other countries, it’s a day to celebrate Ireland and Irish ancestry. The first St.Patrick’s Day parade took place on March 17,
- [How To Handle A Scathing Review](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/how-to-handle-a-bad-scathing-review/) - Writers In The Storm is especially pleased to welcome our guest blogger, Kristina McMorris. She comes to us from the Pacific Northwest where refuses to carry an umbrella. Recipient of nearly twenty national literary awards, she’s hosted weekly TV shows since the age of nine, including an Emmy® Award-winning program. Her debut novel, the highly acclaimed,
- [Advanced 'Write Tight'](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/advanced-write-tight/) - By Laura Drake "The secret of good writing," says William Zinsser, "is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components." This is one of the first lessons I tried to tackle as a writer. And I needed to. I’ve been known to get a bit carried away with the words, if you know what I
- [Attack Of The Blog](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/attack-of-the-blog/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes Tara Lain, a public relations and advertising executive who makes use of her promo savvy to promote her second career, writing erotic romance. A lifelong writer of serious non-fiction, Tara didn’t fall in love with EROM until 2009 and, through perseverance and hard work she had the first novel she
- [Hitting The New York Times Bestselling List](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/hitting-the-new-york-times-bestselling-list/) - Writers In The Storm is very excited to welcome New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin. Since 1985, she has published over fifty Historical, Contemporary Romance and Suspense novels. She resides in Missoula, Montana with her husband, Larry Jay Martin who has published many Westerns and Mysteries as well as five non-fiction books. While Kat's success has been phenomenal,
- [Attack Of The Blog](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/attack-of-the-blog-2/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes Tara Lain, a public relations and advertising executive who makes use of her promo savvy to promote her second career, writing erotic romance. A lifelong writer of serious non-fiction, Tara didn’t fall in love with EROM until 2009 and, through perseverance and hard work she had the first novel she
- [April Fools!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/april-fools/) - Our in own in-house comedian, Charlotte Carter, is here today preparing for the arrival of that one day of every year when "everyone" is a comedian. April Fools Day. Yes, she's early with this but having a jolly good time takes careful and gleeful planning. Smiles are required so put one on right now. By Charlotte Carter BREAKING NEWS!! Romance Writers of American
- [The Lady Or The Tiger - Publishing Choices Part I](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/the-lady-or-the-tiger-publishing-choices-part-i/) - By Susan Spann When Writers in the Storm invited me to guest-post on the last Wednesday of every month, I knew at once what my ongoing topic should be: Equipping authors to make informed decisions about their publishing careers. As a publishing attorney, I work with a number of publishers as well as traditionally-published and
- [Writers, Act Now!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/03/writers-act-now-2/) - Welcome to Last Fridays with Naked Editor Tiffany Lawson Inman on Writers In The Storm! Right now my physical self is driving up a Colorado mountain to Margie Lawson’s 5-day Immersion Master Class to be her co-instructor doing some micro and content editing, step-by-step editing fight/action scenes, and not sleep-at-all. This ain’t no retreat!
- [Gotcha Blurbs: Easy and Fun To Write](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/gottcha-blurbs-easy-and-fun-to-write/) - By Sharla Rae Readers choose a book in one of three ways: They like the author, it was recommended or they read the back cover blurb. After people-watching in Barnes & Noble, I’d venture to say most books are chosen by the last method. For people ordering e-books, blurbs are especially important. That makes blurb
- [#Women Are From Venus, Men Are Annoying -- A Guest Post](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/women-are-from-venus-men-are-annoying-guest-post-by-rob-preece/) - By Rob Preece While sitting at an autographing at the Romantic Times Convention several years ago, a woman hurried up to my table. I gave her my best “I’m-safe” smile. The signing hadn’t gone well so far—could I be on the verge of something good? “I have to tell you,” she said… Tell me what?
- [Plot Fixer - Part I: Your Premise Isn't Compelling](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/plot-fixer-part-i-your-premise-isnt-compelling/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes Kara Lennox, a.k.a. Karen Leabo to our family of bloggers. Kara is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than sixty novels of romance and romantic suspense for Harlequin and Random House. You can read Kara’s blogs here at WITS on the first Friday of each month. She’s starting out with
- [Conferences: How To Improve Your Pitching](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/conferences-how-to-improve-your-pitching/) - by Laura Drake It's conference season! This is the first in our new series, where we will each focus on a different aspect of attending conferences, based on our own strengths/preferences. I’m probably the biggest ‘conference virgin’ of the group, having attended exactly one. But it was the Grand Dame of them all – RWA
- [Conferences - Part 2: Where The Editors and Agents Are](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/conferences-part-2-where-the-editors-and-agents-are/) - by Jenny Hansen On Monday, Laura Drake gave us amazing tips on How To Improve Our Pitching. I've got to admit, I was totally impressed. As extroverted as I am, I'd almost rather get a root canal than go to a group pitching session. I've been to them and hated it. The best thing you
- [5 Ways to Bring Your Descriptions to Life by Janice Hardy](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/5-ways-to-bring-your-descriptions-to-life-by-janice-hardy/) - Writers In The Storm is delighted to welcome Janice Hardy to our blog. This ex-Writer's Digest instructor knows her stuff - if you're not already following her blog, The Other Side of the Story, you are missing out on an amazing writing resource! She's even agreed to visit with us again next month, so please
- [13 Ways To Show (Rather than Tell) in Your Love Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/13-ways-to-use-show-dont-tell-in-your-love-story/) - by Charlotte Carter When romance writers create a Happily-Ever-After tale, there has to be more to the relationship than simply LUST between the hero and heroine. As many a woman has discovered in real life, lust doesn’t last forever. (Shh, don’t tell my husband!) Whether you are writing an Erotic Romance, an Inspirational Romance or
- [When Hobbies Creep Into Your Writing Life](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/when-hobbies-creep-into-your-professional-life/) - by Fae Rowen Okay, Jenny Hansen is blog mistress this month, which means that things get a little wild sometimes here at WITS. I have to admit that I freaked out when I saw my next blog assignment: Tarot and conference. "Is Jenny crazy? She want's me to write about what?" I fire off an
- [Bob Mayer on Indie Publishing Success in a Rapidly Changing Publishing Environment](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/guest-post-by-bob-mayer-indie-publishing-success/) - Writers In the Storm is delighted to welcome Bob Mayer, one of the premiere writer advocates in publishing today. Bob, along with Jen Talty (his co-founder at Who Dares Wins Publishing) have become very well known voices in "indie" publishing in a very short time. Here's Bob in his own words... **************** Publishing is the
- [Us vs. Them - A Call for Détente in the Author Wars](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/us-vs-them-a-call-for-detente-in-the-author-wars/) - By Laura Drake All of us at WITS have shied away from the Traditional/Indie battle. After all, many have waded into the fray, yelling their opinions at the top of their lungs. When we conceived Writers in the Storm, we pictured it a shelter for writers from the storms that brew in publishing. I believe we’ve
- [Traditional…POD…Indie – OH MY! Publishing Choices, Part 2 by Susan Spann](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/traditionalpodindie-oh-my-publishing-choices-part-2-by-susan-spann/) - Last month’s The Lady or the Tiger kicked off my guest-series on Publishing Choices by talking about authors’ need to take responsibility for their choices and careers. Today we’ll take a closer look at some of those options. Twenty years ago, being an author (or novelist) always meant your work was produced in printed form
- [13 Step Starter Guide to America’s Next Top…Novel?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/13-step-starter-guide-to-americas-next-topnovel/) - by Tiffany Lawson Inman I know, I know. I usually get on here the last Friday of the month and stretch all of your neurons in 6 directions at once. (you are very welcome!) Today’s post is a little different. I’ve got my brain buzzing with wrapping up Madness to Method , revving up for
- [The Vibrational Energy of Crystals ~ for You and Your Characters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/04/the-vibrational-energy-of-crystals-for-you-and-your-characters/) - by Fae Rowen When I was a child, a trip to my grandmother’s meant the opportunity to play with the dangling things on her lamp. On a sunny day, I could swing the prisms and watch little rainbows bounce around the walls. (Yes, I was easily entertained.) Now, I have a collection of crystals and
- [5 Stellar Bits of Wisdom from a New York Times Besteller](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/5-stellar-bits-of-wisdom-from-a-new-york-times-besteller/) - by Jenny Hansen Today, I’m delighted to bring you some tips from New York Times Bestselling Author, Susan Mallery. If you haven’t read her Fool’s Gold series, you are missing out! Click here to download one of her books really quick so you have something wonderful to dive into when you’re done being inspired by
- [Plot Fixer - Part 2: How To Fix A Weak Opening](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/plot-fixer-how-to-fix-a-weak-opening/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back Kara Lennox, a.k.a. Karen Leabo for some more plot-fixing magic. Kara is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than sixty novels of romance and romantic suspense for Harlequin and Random House. OMG, excuse the interruption, but I just realized we hadn't posted Kara's BIG news! She is NOT just a
- [10 Tips for a DIY Author Website](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/10-tips-for-a-diy-author-website/) - By Laura Drake I am NOT a techie. I don’t know software, I’m not a graphics designer. Heck I can’t even use a camera well! I’m an accountant. That translates to: I’m cheap. Too cheap to pay someone to build a website for me. Besides, I have to admit, turning my website over to someone
- [What Does Your Writer Space Say About You?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/what-does-your-writer-space-say-about-you/) - By the WITS Bloggers Did you ever wonder, looking at someone, what their house looks like? I have - especially the coworker who leaves her dishes in the office sink overnight. (Yuk.) A writer's space is, to us, sacred ground. I have a couple of friends who are going through home remodels right now, so
- [Smart Writers Expand Time - From Margie Lawson!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/smart-writers-expand-time-from-margie-lawson/) - By Margie Lawson A BIG THANK YOU to Mega-Talented Laura Drake for inviting me to be her guest blogger today! Writers are all powerful. Well, in their fictional worlds they are all powerful. Two of the 74,386 story dynamics that writers control are expanding time and compressing time. Today we’ll focus on the most fun
- [Lessons I've Learned About Memoir Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/lessons-ive-learned-about-memoir-writing/) - by Jenny Hansen In my wildest dreams, I never imagined I’d write a memoir. Like most of you, I’ve written as long as I can remember, and from the very first day, I’ve lived solidly in the fiction camp. Before we get any farther, let’s make sure we’re all speaking the same language. What is
- [5 Reasons Why I *Heart* Twitter  (And Why You Should Too)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/why-i-heart-twitter-why-you-should-too/) - By Laura Drake This was the conversation at crit group last week... Me: So I was tweeting with Chicken on a Chain last night, and – Jenny: Chicken WHAT? Me: He’s a bull. Retired from the PBR, one of the best. You should’ve seen him at the finals in 2009 -- Jenny: You did not
- [Too Many Choices - A NYT Author Decides](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/too-many-choices-a-nyt-author-decides/) - By Susan Squires What a crazy, confusing and possibly wonderful world publishing is today. The traditional publishing world is under duress and their business model depends more and more on writers who are already selling a zillion books. While they may still be looking for the next big thing, just like in other mediums, the
- [What Makes a Good Book Cover?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/what-makes-a-good-book-cover/) - We're so excited here at WITS. The amazing teacher and writer, Shannon Donnelly, has agreed to be a monthly contributor! Read on - you're going to be excited too! Here's Shannon: The great thing about ebooks is you can keep changing the cover. The bad thing about ebooks is you can keep changing the cover.
- [The Drama Bomb - Drop it!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/the-drama-bomb-drop-it/) - Please Welcome Mario Acevedo to WITS - he's a best selling novelist and instructor over at the Lawson Academy, so you know he knows what he's talking about! Here he is: Mario here: I’ve been invited to share a little of what I know about writing tension and conflict. Let’s first ask ourselves why we
- [Dialogue is King](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/dialogue-is-king/) - By Tiffany Lawson Inman In theatre, dialogue is king. It is the lifeline of the story. Character's lines bouncing back and forth between each other. Confiding, conspiring, commiserating, coercing, or caring. Dialogue works to create emotion, conflict, show character, and it always moves the dramatic action forward. It seems that in fiction writing, dialogue isn’t
- [Determination](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/determination/) - by Charlotte Carter Recently I was musing about my writing career. I’ve been fortunate to have published almost 60 books. While I’m not likely to make the New York Time Best Seller List with my Love Inspired romances, I’m pleased with my ‘body of work.’ (My actual ‘body’ needs considerably more work. ) How have
- [GETTIN’ BUSY WITH IT –Business Decisions for Publishing Careers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/05/gettin-busy-with-it-business-decisions-for-publishing-careers/) - Following NYT author, Susan Squires' post about the logic behind herchoice (if you missed it, you can read it here) I thought our in-house attorney's blog is a perfect compliment! By Susan Spann How does an author choose between traditional and independent publishing? How do I know which option is right for me? The “right”
- [Plot Fixer: Part 3 -- A Lack of Goals](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/plot-fixer-part-3-a-lack-of-goals/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back Kara Lennox, a.k.a. Karen Leabo for some more plot-fixing magic. Kara is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than sixty novels of romance and romantic suspense for Harlequin and Random House. AND she’s a 2012 DOUBLE RITA Finalist! Problem #4: A lack of clear-cut goals for your characters In
- [When to TELL the Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/when-to-tell-the-story/) - By Monthly Contributor, Shannon Donnelly We’ve all heard “show, don’t tell” and there is value in that advice. If all you do is tell a story, how does the reader participate with his or her imagination? However, a book is not a movie. While a movie requires everything to be shown (or an often awkward
- [Does Your Story Lack A Heartbeat?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/does-your-story-lack-a-heartbeat/) - by Sharla Rae Recently, at one of our WITS critique meetings, we found ourselves asking why one of our partner’s characters was doing something that appeared illogical. The writer explained it wasn’t illogical at all. It fit her character’s motivation. To which we replied, “what motivation? Shouldn’t you clue us in so we’ll understand her
- [Finding Mr. Wrong -- and the secret message of “I’ll call you.”](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/finding-mr-wrong-and-the-secret-message-of-ill-call-you/) - Rob's last male POV blog was so popular we nagged invited him to return to WITS. We asked for it, ladies - we got it! Finding the right relationship is the most important decision two people ever make. What percentage of murders result from failed relationships? Fifty? More? The popularity of the romance genre is
- [My First RWA National Conference Memories](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/my-first-rwa-national-conference-memories/) - by Fae Rowen My first RWA National Conference was the last time it was held in Anaheim. It was a long time ago, maybe 1997. I had just joined OCC and RWA in February of the same year. I'd finished two books--a fantasy medieval and a futuristic romance. The fantasy medieval was written with no
- [A Few of Our Current Favorite Links](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/a-few-of-our-current-favorite-links/) - It's been quite awhile since we've shared what we're following here at Writers in the Storm, so we decided to give you the pre-summer list of places we've been hanging out lately. Maybe we'll see you at one of them! From Jenny Hansen: In my humble opinion, Gene Lempp does the best writing mash-ups out
- [What’s the Worst that Can Happen? Your Character’s Biggest Fear](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/whats-the-worst-that-can-happen-your-characters-biggest-fear/) - By Laura Drake I read a lot about craft. Books, blogs, articles, websites. I’m always looking to improve my craft. I know you are too, or you wouldn’t be reading this. WITS is all about craft. One of my weaknesses is Plotting. I know these amazing characters – like Athena, they are born, fully
- [Do Your Characters Fight in a Way That Advances Your Story?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/do-your-characters-fight-in-a-way-that-advances-your-story/) - by Jenny Hansen Today we’re going to open a discussion here at WITS about how your characters fight. Some of my posse from More Cowbell, who also hang out here, have heard the terms "dirty" and "clean" fighting. Those of you who are new to the concept are likely scratching your heads wondering, "What is
- [Ramp Up The Fight To Amp Up The Tension](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/ramp-up-the-fight-to-amp-up-the-tension/) - by Jenny Hansen So you think you know how to fight dirty? Monday's post explained the nuance of "clean fighting" and how to use it to your best advantage in your stories. Today, we're gonna leave Mr. or Ms. Nicey-Nice at the door and show you how wallow in the muck. Every entry in the list
- [Fresh, Fresh, Fresh Character Descriptions!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/fresh-fresh-fresh-character-descriptions/) - We're so happy to welcome Margie Lawson today to share her writing wonderment with us. Margie will be speaking at the RWA National Conference in Anaheim next month, both at the Women's Fiction pre-conference event and a session at the conference. Generous as ever, Margie is donating a lecture packet or a free class to
- [Unusual Inspiration: Character Arcs Made Easy](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/character-arcs-made-easy/) - by Fae Rowen I am a plot-driven writer. The plot arrives first in my head, then I look for people who will survive and grow in that world. My #1 concern? My characters MUST connect with my readers. To have the "best book ever" experience, your reader must believe in, root for, identify with, and,
- [Juggling Chainsaws – Writing Two Books at the Same Time](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/juggling-chainsaws-writing-two-books-at-the-same-time/) - By Laura Drake This is so not something I would ever do. I’m a pantster, and a linear writer to boot. I’m organized – anally so. I want to steep in my book, live it, snuggle up and get close to it. I can’t even talk and carry coffee at the same time. Why would
- [Worse Than a Cliché](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/06/worse-than-a-cliche/) - Welcome to the last Friday of the month with contributing word wizardess Tiffany Lawson Inman. We look forward to Tiffany's magic to transform mundane writing to the realms of marvelous. And she's donating a three-page edit to a very lucky reader. Respond to her challenge to be entered in the drawing. by Tiffany Lawson Inman
- [The Fear Factor](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/07/the-fear-factor/) - Welcome to the first Monday of the month, when we are lucky to share in the wisdom of contributing blogger Shannon Donnelly. Her post today will help get you writing this summer, despite your fears. by Shannon Donnelly "I'm convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing. . . . Good writing
- [Time to Get Personal (Skills) - Publishing Decisions, Part 4](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/07/time-to-get-personal-skills-publishing-decisions-part-4/) - Writers in the Storm welcomes Susan Spann, contributing guest for Part 4 of her Publishing Decisions series. by Susan Spann Thanks for joining me today as we continue our look at publishing paths and how smart authors choose between them. Last month we talked about “getting busy” with writing goals and business plans– because authors
- [Is Your Conflict Strong Enough?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/07/is-your-conflict-strong-enough/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back Kara Lennox, a.k.a. Karen Leabo for some more plot-fixing magic. Look for Kara's writing tips the first Friday of every month. (Here are the links for Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.) Kara is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than sixty novels of romance and romantic suspense
- [Life’s Theme](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/07/lifes-theme/) - We're always happy when Laura quits juggling chainsaws long enough to share a blog! By Laura Drake What is theme? You can read the whole definition here, but the gist is: it’s a common thread or repeated idea that is incorporated throughout a literary work. Why use theme? Here's a great article that explains, but
- [The Old Gray RWA Conference Ain't What She Used To Be](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/07/the-old-gray-rwa-conference-aint-what-she-used-to-be/) - By Sharla Rae Just my opinion but The old gray RWA Conference ain’t what she used to be. And I hope she keeps up the good work! At first glance the 2012 RWA Conference may look pretty much as it has in the past. It is and it isn’t. And no, I’m not touting something
- [Slicing the Salami ~ When Is It DONE?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/07/slicing-the-salami/) - Writers in the Storm welcomes James R. Preston, mystery writer, for our Friday the 13th blog. Could be scary stuff, but personally, I think James is part comedy writer, and we couldn't be luckier to have his help with a question we've all wrestled with. Slicing the Salami Or, "When is It Done?" by James
- [RWA12 Conference: Eating "On The Cheap" + 5 Helpful Tips](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/07/rwa12-in-anaheim-important-tips-part-1/) - by Jenny Hansen Romance Writers of America® 32nd Annual Conference Anaheim Marriott® July 25-28, 2012 All of us at Writers In The Storm live right here in Southern California, which makes this year's RWA conference a bit more exciting than most for us. For once, we're locals. This means we know where everything is, and if
- [RWA12 Conference: Where The Locals Go in Orange County](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/07/rwa12-conference-where-the-locals-go-in-orange-county/) - Romance Writers of America® 32nd Annual Conference Anaheim Marriott® July 25-28, 2012 Welcome back to Part 2 of our RWA12 Conference series. If you missed Part 1, click here. All of us at Writers In The Storm live here in Orange County, which makes this year's RWA conference more exciting than most for us. It also
- [Cozy Romance v. Romance Romance!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/07/cozy-romance-v-romance-romance/) - We're happy to welcome back multi-published author Linda O. Johnston to Writers in the Storm today. For those of you who won't be able to see her at conference, she's bringing conference to you in this post. by Linda O. Johnston Like many of you, I’ll be attending the RWA National Conference next week. I’ll
- [Put Your Reader in Your POV Character’s Skin ~ by Margie Lawson](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/07/put-your-reader-in-your-pov-characters-skin-by-margie-lawson/) - This will be the only post here at Writers in the Storm until next Monday. We're leaving for the RWA 2012 Conference in Anaheim tomorrow. BUT we'll be tweeting and Facebooking during the conference so those of you who aren't able to get to the Happiest Place on Earth will be able to experience some of
- [Right Time, Right Place](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/07/right-time-right-place/) - -by Fae Rowen The RWA 2012 National Conference, for me, was a perfect example of Right Time, Right Place. First, I have to shout CONGRATULATIONS, TESSA DARE, ON YOUR RITA! Tessa won the RITA for Best Regency Historical with A Night to Surrender. Double excitement for her, because it happened on her home turf and
- [Publishing Perils – Making the Choice, Part 5](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/publishing-perils-making-the-choice-part-5/) - Writers in the Storm welcomes Susan Spann, contributing guest for Part 5 of her Publishing Decisions series. If you missed Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, or Part 4 and would like to read that blog, just click on the one you missed. by Susan Spann Welcome back to our ongoing discussion of publishing options
- [Raise the Stakes](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/raise-the-stakes/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back Kara Lennox, a.k.a. Karen Leabo for some more plot-fixing magic. Look for Kara's writing tips the first Friday of every month. This is the fifth in an ongoing series of Plot Fixer blogs by double RITA finalist Kara Lennox. Kara is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than sixty
- [Tips on Subtext ~ What Is It REALLY?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/subtext/) - Thank-you to Shannon Donnelly for supplying a "handout" to a workshop I was looking forward to - SUBTEXT. We are truly fortunately at Writers in the Storm to have Shannon as a contributing blogger the first Monday on every month. by Shannon Donnelly There was supposed to be a workshop on this at RWA national
- [A Tale of Two Conferences](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/a-tale-of-two-conferences/) - By Laura Drake I’m only beginning to come out of my post-conference fog, and to get my head around all the work I have to do! Before I jump into that though, I wanted to tell you what I learned from this conference. Hopefully it will help you decide if conferences are worth your time
- [8 Easy Ways To Grow Your Social Media Footprint](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/8-ways-to-grow-your-social-media-footprint/) - by Jenny Hansen A while back, I attended a free two-hour seminar on social media provided by Constant Contact (my new BFF). While it’s true that I attended for my day job, writers are their own small business so YOU get to benefit as well. Look at this article from Business Week back in 2008 –
- [QR Codes ~ A Sexy Marketing Technique for Your Books](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/marketing-your-books-with-qr-codes/) - by Jenny Hansen What happens when you hold your iPhone up and click that weird looking square on the left? You see these in magazines, at the grocery store, on clothing labels, and YES, in the back of eBooks. What are they and how do you use this sexy little bit of free Techie gadgetry that’s
- [Place Descriptions: Waterways](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/place-descriptions-waterways/) - By Sharla Rae In my first blog on place descriptions, Place Descriptions: It’s about Atmosphere Not A Travel Log, I promised to deliver more lists describing places. It’s been a while I know, but I finally have another one ready for you. This blog and its lists are about waterways: lakes, oceans, rivers, and seas.
- [What Star Trek Can Teach Us About Great Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/what-star-trek-can-teach-us-by-kristen-lamb/) - by Kristen Lamb Writers In The Storm is delighted to welcome Kristen Lamb today. She's a treasure trove of writing, author and social media know-how so strap in for a great post! ************ I love the 2009 J.J. Abrams rendition of Star Trek. As a writer, stories are my business, so I study them in
- [Other Obsessions](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/other-obsessions/) - By Laura Drake If you’ve followed our blogs here at WITS very long, you’ve seen that there’s a lot more to us than the stories we write. We all have other interests; Sharla has her dolls, Fae has cats and cards, and Jenny has Baby Girl and underwear (we'll wait - we know you're going
- [Making Amazon Forums Work For You](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/making-amazon-forums-work-for-you/) - By Lyn Horner Howdy partners. It’s been a while since I last stopped in to visit here on WITS. Time flies when you’re having fun writing and promoting books, which brings me to today’s topic. As the title implies, Amazon forums offer authors an opportunity to promote their books, but only with caution and proper
- [Vacations Should Be An Adventure, Right?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/vacations-should-be-an-adventure-right/) - Writers In The Storm gives a hearty welcome back to New York Times bestselling author, Kat Martin. Publishing books since 1985, Kat knows a thing or two about great adventures. She's here to tell you about her latest adventures both off the page and on. By Kat Martin Every summer we try to have some kind
- [End of Summer Mash-Up](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/end-of-summermash-up/) - From all of us at Writers In The Storm... It's past time we had another mash-up here at WITS so we gathered up our summer favorites. Enjoy! From Sharla: The Gyser: 5 Step Approach To Revision Why social media isn't the magic bullet for self-e-published authors : A different point of view from what most writers
- [Lining Up The Ducks: Writing An Author Business Plan](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/lining-up-the-ducks-writing-an-author-business-plan/) - By Susan Spann It’s autumn, time to get organized! Words like “organization” and “business plan” throw many accomplished writers into fits – but every author should write a business plan - and this guest-blog series is going to teach you how. In the months to come we’ll walk through the process step by step, with
- [Press on Regardless -- PMS and the Wizard of Oz](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/08/press-on-regardless-pms-and-the-wizard-of-oz/) - By Laura Drake Press On Regardless. I know you’ve seen this phrase before. It’s one of those old sayings, and like dialog tags, they become invisible after awhile. But it’s more to me – it’s my mantra. We start this writing journey, naïve, excited, and hopeful. Actually, we’re that way because we don’t know enough
- [Author Charlotte Carter Is Jamming On Labor Day](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/09/author-charlotte-carter-is-jamming-on-labor-day/) - Today Writers In The Storm welcomes Charlotte Carter! Since it's Labor Day weekend she's keeping things relaxed, easy and ever so sweet by sharing her wonderful spiced nectarine recipe. Charlotte is a multi-published author of more than fifty romance, cozy mystery and inspirational titles. Her books have made Waldenbooks Best Selling lists and have been translated into a
- [5 Quick Fixes to Make Readers Love Your Villains](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/09/love-your-villains/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back award-winning author and RWA RITA-nominee, Shannon Donnelly. Today she’s talking to us about villains we love to hate and how to keep them from becoming a cardboard stereotype whose every action is predictable and boring. By Shannon Donnelly Nothing marks a writer as a beginner as clearly as the
- [Your Plot Moves Too Slowly ~ 5 Tips To Help Improve Your Story's Pacing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/09/plot-fixer-your-plot-moves-too-slowly/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back Kara Lennox, a.k.a. Karen Leabo for some more plot-fixing magic. Look for Kara’s writing tips the first Friday of every month. This is the sixth in an ongoing series of Plot Fixer blogs by double RITA finalist Kara Lennox. Here are the links for Parts 1-5: Part 1 - Your Premise Isn't Compelling Part 2 -
- [When Life (and Your Writing) Takes A Detour](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/09/when-life-takes-a-detour/) - By Sharla Rae I don’t usually spill my guts to anyone but my closest friends. I just don’t. But my critique pals here at WITS have been pressing me to share the obstacles I’ve faced in my writing life this past year. I argued that people don’t want to hear my personal sob stories. I
- [Words for Your Writing Toolbox: Get Rid of "Get"](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/09/words-for-your-writing-toolbox-get-rid-of-get/) - Sharla's been getting receiving tons of love at Writers In The Storm this week. As part of our "thank you," we're bumping this amazing post of hers up by several days. ~ Jenny by Sharla Rae The idea for this blog was generated at one our recent critique meetings. We were critiquing a first draft and
- [Dust Bunny Books: Should You Revive Them or Let Them Die?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/09/dust-bunny-books-should-you-revive-them-or-let-them-die/) - by Laura Drake It’s been about two months since I wrote my post about writing two books at the same time (you can read it here.) The only thing I’d change about my original advice is, do not work on two books at the same time that are at the same level of completion. I’m
- [Discovering and Building Your Writing Strengths ~ A New Series...](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/09/discovering-and-building-your-writing-strengths/) - This week, Writers In The Storm is kicking off a new series for the Fall...sort of a "Be All That You Can Be" series for writers. The inaugural post comes out on Wednesday. In honor of this, our own Jenny Hansen gave us today's blog about discovering what you're good at and doing it! What Are
- [WriterStrong: A New Writing Series About YOU](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/09/writerstrong-a-new-writing-series-about-you/) - Writers In The Storm is starting a new series this month that we think y’all will love. In addition to our regular contributing bloggers like Kara Lennox, Shannon Donnelly and Susan Spann, we’ll be opening the door to a whole new you with this series of posts. Many of you have expressed interest in our
- [WriterStrong: 5 Ways to Achieve a Healthier Writing Brain](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/09/writerstrong-5-ways-to-eat-your-way-to-a-healthier-writing-brain/) - We're delighted to welcome August McLaughlin as our inaugural guest for the WriterStrong series. She's our go-to person for healthy eating and mental balance, all of which help YOU be BrainStrong. Please join us in welcoming August by heaping blog love on her in the comments section. ************* Imagine waking up one day to a
- [What Are You Excited About? Marketing & Promo Made Easy...](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/09/what-are-you-excited-about-today/) - by Jenny Hansen As the September blog mistress here at WITS, I'm taking a page out of my personal blog's playbook and marking the beginning of Autumn with a celebration of you. I'm doing this a few different ways... First up, we're doing what I call "Pimp & Promote." We try to do this once every
- [7 Steps To Writing An Author Business Plan by Susan Spann](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/09/7-steps-to-writing-an-author-business-plan-by-susan-spann/) - Writers In The Storm is delighted to welcome back Susan Spann with another amazing post covering all the legal bits of information we writers need to know. Susan has delved into everything from publishing choices to a quick overview of an author business plan. Today? She's going in deep! Enjoy... One Bite at a Time:
- [Ax Your Cliches: Why and How](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/09/ax-your-cliches-why-and-how/) - We couldn't talk WriterStrong without our Yoda of Edits and sparkling prose, Margie Lawson. Be prepared for great takeaway as Margie not only tells you, but shows you how it's done! Here she is: A big THANK YOU to Laura Drake for inviting me to be her guest today. Everything I teach is all about
- [Do You Write For Love or Money? (Or Both?)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/do-you-write-for-love-or-money-or-both/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back award-winning author and RWA RITA-nominee, Shannon Donnelly. Last month she discussed 5 Quick Fixes To Make Readers Love Your Villains. This month's post is more philosophical. We'll be interested to hear your answer to the title question down in the comments! ******************** Money ~ by Shannon Donnelly The old joke
- [WriterStrong: Writing Historical Romance, Not History Lessons](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/writerstrong-writing-historical-romance-not-history-lessons/) - By Lyn Horner I write western historical romances, and I love researching the Old West. However, while my readers want to be swept away to another era, they’re not after a history lesson. It’s my job to subtly weave in historical details. Today, I’ll give you some tips on how to do that, including examples
- [Plot Fixer, Part 7: How To Pick Up The Pace In Your Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/plot-fixer-how-to-pick-up-the-pace-in-your-story/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back Kara Lennox, a.k.a. Karen Leabo for some more plot-fixing magic. Look for Kara’s writing tips the first Friday of every month. This is the seventh in an ongoing series of Plot Fixer blogs by double RITA finalist Kara Lennox. Here are the links for Parts 1-6: Part 1 -
- [WriterStrong: World Building Techniques -- Keep Your Reader Grounded In Your Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/writerstrong-world-building-techniques/) - by Fae Rowen Because I write science fiction, I have to immerse my reader in the most important facets of my story's world with the first words. When you add this into the requirements of an opening hook, portraying the "real world" of your characters, and setting up the inciting incident, etc., the beginning of
- [Physical Therapy For Your Writing--Keeping Your Manuscript In Balance](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/physical-therapy-for-your-writing/) - by Jenny Hansen You can thank my husband and his knee for this post. Jenny fills her nights with humor: writing memoir, women’s fiction, chick lit, short stories (and chasing after the newly walking Baby Girl). By day, she provides training and social media marketing for an accounting firm. After 15 years as a corporate
- [WriterStrong: 8 Tips To Bring Your Readers Along For The Ride](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/writerstrong-8-tips-to-bring-your-readers-along-for-the-ride/) - by Susan Squires Reading is all about suspending disbelief. Readers stare at a two-dimensional piece of paper or a flat screen with glyphs on it and imagine they’re traveling to unknown lands and meeting interesting people. They treasure being whisked away from everyday life. It’s an addictive experience. As writers, we want them addicted to
- [Immediacy - Writing in Real Time](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/immediacy-writing-in-real-time/) - By Laura Drake When we learn to read, we’re taught to take one word at a time, reading left to right. We still read like that (only hopefully, much faster.) We picture the scene happening in real time in our heads. That’s what I call immediacy in writing – the first words you read should
- [Process Envy](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/process-envy/) - By Laura Drake I belong to the Women’s Fiction chapter of RWA. We just completed a month-long Write-a-Thin (you’d have had to have been there,) and it was wonderful, on many levels (not for me, on the ‘Thin’ part, but that’s another blog altogether.) Since I’m so anal regimented in my schedule, I didn’t think
- [WriterStrong: 3 Types of Humor ~ Getting Them On The Page](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/writerstrong-getting-humor-on-the-page/) - by Charlotte Carter Writers in the Storm asked me to talk about my strengths as a writer as part of their fantastic new WriterStrong series. Huh. Do I even have strengths? All writers have days where this question brings doubt. I know I don’t always have enough strength to open jars, but I have a
- [A Cauldron of Spooky Words for Your Halloween](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/spooky-frightful-and-eee-yew-word-list/) - By Sharla Rae You gotta love Halloween. After all, it’s why I’m giving you my Spooky Word List this month. The truth is, writers enjoy Halloween every time they write. It’s the fun part of our jobs. We don the temporary skins/costumes of our characters, and from the safety of our computer desks, we might
- [NO FEAR -- Pushing the Envelope](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/no-fear-pushing-the-envelope/) - By Laura Drake Here at WITS, we've discussed dealing with fear before - most notably, our Throwdown, which explored The Fear of Success, and The Fear of Never Succeeding. Today, I thought I'd share with you my latest goal - To Live Without Fear. Yeah, I know, it's ambitious, but you have to admit, it's
- [WriterStrong: Are You Portraying Strong Character Relationships?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/writer-strong-portraying-strong-character-relationships/) - You are in for a treat, because we enticed a stellar new author to WITS today. I read Sharla Lovelace's debut novel, The Reason is You, after the RWA National Conference. I read. A lot. And Sharla's book is the best I've read this year. You're getting in on a Pre-NYT Bestseller here. I'm not
- [Putting Lipstick on the Troll - The Introverted Writer](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/putting-lipstick-on-the-troll-the-introverted-writer/) - I can't tell you how giddy we are here at WITS. We've been sitting on an announcement, dying to blab, but having to sit on it until today (well, okay, maybe that was just me-I stink at secrets.) You ready? We have a new crit partner, and full time WITS author/blogger! Orly Konig Lopez! You
- [It's Halloween! Get Your Spooky On...](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/10/get-your-halloween-spooky-on/) - In honor of Halloween, we decided to take a hiatus from the norm to tell ghost stories! But they're all true. So sit back, enjoy, and relax . . . if you can! Buahahahaha! Orly Konig-Lopez A group of us were headed to a party at a friend’s house. They lived on a country road
- [The Plot Fixer #8 - Is Your Plot Too Predictible?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/11/the-plot-fixer-8-is-your-plot-too-predictible/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back double RITA finalist, Kara Lennox, a.k.a. Karen Leabo. Don't miss Kara’s writing tips the first Friday of every month. Here are the links for Parts 1-7: Part 1 - Your Premise Isn’t Compelling Part 2 - How To Fix a Weak Opening Part 3 - A Lack of Goals
- [WriterStrong: Is Your Dialog Doing Double Duty?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/11/writer-strong-is-your-dialog-doing-double-duty/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back award-winning author and RWA RITA-nominee, Shannon Donnelly. Today she’s talking to us about the difference between dialog that is -- mediocre, and dialog that *sparkles* By Shannon Donnelly TECHNICAL CHALLENGE: DIALOGUE When I first began writing, one thing stood out like a big old red light—in any story, there’s
- [Writer’s Roadmap – Using Excel Keep Your Novel Organized](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/11/writers-roadmap-using-excel-keep-your-novel-organized/) - By Laura Drake We’ve talked about it in other posts. How learning your writing process is finding your way in a pitch black room, full of furniture. You can learn by barking your shins, but there are less painful ways. Hopefully, this post will help. I’m an organized person, so it would make me crazy
- [Don’t Shrink from Synopses!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/11/dont-shrink-from-synopses/) - Susan Spann is back, with another amazing post that will help you create an Author Business Plan. If you missed her first two posts in the series, they are: Overview of an Author Business Plan, and 7 Steps to Writing Your Business Plan. Here's Susan: Welcome back to my WITS series on writing an author
- [Music as Writing Inspiration](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/11/music-as-writing-inspiration/) - by Fae Rowen First of all, on this Veteran's Day week-end, a heartfelt THANK YOU to all those who serve our country in the Armed Forces. And to the families that support them. My father was in the Army, my husband served in the Coast Guard, and my godson is currently a pilot in the
- [Writerly Uses For Microsoft Excel - Part 1](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/11/writerly-uses-for-microsoft-excel-part-1/) - by Jenny Hansen Should writers (or anyone else) use Microsoft Excel? In a word, YES! Laura Drake did a post last week about how she keeps track of her plot in Excel and I started hearing rumbling from the Spreadsheet-Phobics in the WITS crowd. What sort of tasks might one do in this spooky financial-y program
- [Care About Your Characters Or Your Readers Won't](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/11/little-nell-is-dead-or-why-you-and-your-readers-should-care/) - WITS is happy to welcome back James Preston, author of the award-winning Surf City Mysteries series. James’ wife, Nancy, encouraged Fae Rowen to write her first book. James encouraged Fae to go to the San Diego Writers Conference to learn how to write that first book. Today he shares his insight on why we write and why we
- [Throwdown Part 1: The Introverted Writer](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/11/throwdown-part-1-the-introverted-writer/) - Our new Writer in the Storm, Orly Konig-Lopez, is taking on Jenny Hansen in our latest throwdown: Introverted vs Extroverted Writer. Next Monday, Jenny will offer arguments, er... uh, gentle persuasion on the Extroverted Writer. by Orly Konig-Lopez Loyal followers (and you’re all loyal followers, right? Right!) know that Writers in the Storm has a fun tradition
- ["Writerly" Thanks From Our Team Here at WITS](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/11/writerly-thanks/) - Today we're each taking the opportunity to give thanks for one "writerly" thing that helps us put those words on the page. from Jenny Hansen: I am thankful for blogging. Particularly for More Cowbell, my personal blog. Not only does it give me hours and hours of entertainment, it helped me find my writing process and a new
- [Introverts vs. Extroverts ~ Writing Style Throwdown, Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/11/introverts-vs-extroverts-part-2-writing-throwdown/) - Last Monday, Orly Konig-Lopez argued for the introverts. If you missed her post, click here and take a peek. Some of you commented, but I'm guessing we're going to get more today because the extroverts are in the house, jumping up and down, shouting "TALK TO ME." That's the way we extroverts roll. I did a
- [The Three Stages of Author Marketing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/11/3-prongs-of-author-marketing/) - We welcome back contributing guest, Susan Spann, with Part 3 of her Author Business Plans series. If you missed Part 1 or Part 2, they're just a click away. by Susan Spann Today we continue our trek through Author Business Plans with a look at Part 3: Marketing. The business plan section on Marketing Strategies
- [WriterStrong: Strong Details for Strong Reader Emotions](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/11/writerstrong-strong-details-for-strong-reader-emotions/) - Writers in the Storm is pleased to introduce you to Sherry Thomas. We were lucky to hear Sherry speak at an OCC RWA monthly meeting this fall and even luckier when she agreed to share her writing acumen with us. by Sherry Thomas A detail for me isn’t the color of the wall, the precise
- [Write What You Know](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/12/write-what-you-know/) - Writers in the Storm welcomes Shannon Donnelly back, as this month, she makes an excellent argument for writing what you know-and better yet-tells us how. by Shannon Donnelly Writing advice can often seem mysterious. The phrase “write what you know” at first left me shaking my head. It’s often seemed to me that when you
- [Writerly Uses For Excel - Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/12/writerly-uses-for-excel-part-2/) - In Part 1 of this series, we talked about using Microsoft Excel efficiently. You learned some fun finesse tools for moving around the program and laying out data. Today, we’re going to get to the nitty-gritty part of Excel. We’re basically going to “just skip to the good stuff.” There is a default order in
- [Plot Fixer # 9 Plots That Rely On Coincidence and Contrivance](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/12/plot-fixer-9-plots-that-rely-on-coincidence-and-contrivance/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back double RITA finalist, Kara Lennox, a.k.a. Karen Leabo with her Plot Fixer blog series. Don’t miss Kara’s writing tips the first Friday of every month. Here are the links for Parts 1-8: Part 1 – Your Premise Isn’t Compelling Part 2 – How To Fix a Weak Opening Part
- [Are Book Trailers Dead?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/12/are-book-trailers-dead/) - by Laura Drake My debut book will be out in May, so promo is at the top of my mind lately. When I brought up the idea of doing a book trailer with some of my published friends, I got the equivalent of my nine year old granddaughter’s, ‘Oh, that’s so last season,’ eye roll.
- [Sexy Phrases For In And Out Of The Bedroom](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/12/sexy-phrases-for-in-and-out-of-the-bedroom/) - By Sharla Rae Put on the sexy music [See Fae Rowan’s blog on Music As Writing Inspiration. ] I’m giving you the sister blog to my Sensual Word Menu, Sexy Phrases For In And Out Of The Bedroom. Many writers bemoan writing love scenes. I have to admit that they aren’t one of my favorite
- [Marketing Your E-Book: Making The Most Of Your Time](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/12/marketing-your-e-book-making-the-most-of-your-time/) - By Lyn Horner I’m sure you’ve all heard this before but it bears repeating. When you publish an e-book, expect to spend as much time on marketing as you spend writing the next book, especially if you’re new on the publishing scene. In order to get the most from promotional efforts, it’s wise to pick
- [Beta Readers – Why You Want Them, Why You Need Them](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/12/beta-readers-why-you-want-them-why-you-need-them/) - Beta readers bumped my manuscript from okay to publishable. What did these beta readers do?
- [Like With Like = Great Story Flow](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/12/like-with-like-great-story-flow-2/) - By Sharla Rae I'm fudging a bit and bringing back an updated craft blog that has been referred to several times at our critique meetings here at WITS. For our new readers and even for our long-time followers, I believe it bears repeating. I preach Like With Like to my critique partners all the time
- [10 Things I Know About How Writers Read](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/12/10-things-i-know-about-how-writers-read/) - By Jenny Hansen From our earliest moments, most writers are avid readers. We devour books – for story, for Craft, for new worlds and new ideas. We have To Be Read piles (TBR for short) that are taller than small children. Our favorite authors and characters become our friends. I don’t know if we become
- [Don't Waste A Second](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/12/dont-waste-a-second/) - By Laura Drake I heard today that a distant relative, after enduring brutal treatment for lung cancer, is in remission! I’m so very happy for him, and his family. He’s such a sweet, giving man. The horror in Connecticut this month made most people I know stop and think. These things, as well as staring
- [Your Author Business Plan: Compare, Contrast And Conquer](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/12/compare-contrast-and-conquer/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back literary lawyer, Susan Spann with her next installment of her blog series on the author's business plan. By Susan Spann Thank you for joining me again on our trek through writing an author business plan! Last month’s installment looked at The Three Stages of Author Marketing. Now, as 2012
- [Dealing with Writerly PMS (It’s not what you think)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2012/12/dealing-with-writerly-pms-its-not-what-you-think/) - Posted by Orly Konig-Lopez You finished your Work in Progress. Now what? If you’re anything like me, you promptly get moody and restless. After all, we’ve just spent months living with our characters, immersed in their lives and talking to them more than family members think normal. Suddenly we’re done. The End. You turn on
- [Writerly Links that Made Our Hearts Sing (Happy New Year!)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/a-mash-up-for-the-new-year/) - All of us at WITS try to stay abreast of the latest and greatest in the writing industry whether it's craft related, inspiration or Industry related. To start the new year off right, we're sharing some of our favorite websites, articles and blogs. Enjoy. From Sharla Rae What We’ll See In 2013 In Digital Media
- [Plot Fixer #10: A Loss Of Focus](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/plot-fixer-10-loss-of-focus/) - Kara Lennox aka Karen Leabo is back today with her great Plot Fixer series. Don't miss her other blogs! Here are the links for Parts 1-9: Part 1 – Your Premise Isn’t Compelling Part 2 – How To Fix a Weak Opening Part 3 – A Lack of Goals Part 4 – Is Your Conflict
- [When Do You Start The Story?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/when-do-you-start-the-story/) - Writers in the Storm welcomes Shannon Donnelly back, as this month, she gives us some great tips on starting in the right spot. by Shannon Donnelly When Do You Start The Story? This is a good question—and maybe the hardest one to answer since there is no right answer. Stories can start with dialogue, with
- [WITS Throwdown: Query Strategy-Narrow Focus vs Scattergun?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/wits-throwdown-query-strategy-narrow-focus-vs-scattergun/) - by Fae Rowen Well, Laura Drake, AKA The Queen of Querying, finally helped me into the big scary world of querying. With both feet. On the first Sunday in December she helped me send out eleven queries. Those of you who love to query will think , "Eleven queries? Big deal." But this is the
- [What Is Your Goal as a Writer?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/what-is-your-goal-as-a-writer/) - By Laura Drake I’m not talking about getting published, or seeing your book on a shelf. Think back to when you first entertained the notion of putting the story in your head onto paper (or in pixels.) What did you hope to accomplish back then? I’ll bet it wasn’t to beat Stephen King’s annual income,
- [Orly Konig-Lopez](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/orly-konig-lopez/) - Writing women's fiction with a pinch of humor After years of pushing the creativity boundary in corporate communications, I decided it was time for a new challenge. Three women’s fiction manuscripts later (plus a handful of picture books), I think it's safe to say that I've found my creative outlet. My manuscripts have finalled in
- [Taking the Scary out of Scrivener](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/taking-the-scary-out-of-scrivener/) - A few months ago I won a copy of Scrivener. Since so many author friends rave about how fabulous it is, I promptly installed the software and launched it. Then stared. Ummm ... now what. I was two-thirds of the way into my WIP and the idea of learning a new software and slogging through
- [WITS Throwdown - Query Strategy: Narrow Focus or Scattergun? Part 2 (or the correct way)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/wits-throwdown-query-strategy-narrow-focus-or-scattergun-part-2-or-the-correct-way/) - by Orly Konig-Lopez Last week you heard Fae explain her query technique. While she takes a conservative approach, I have a slightly - okay, drastically - different method. For me, it's a numbers game. Now that doesn't mean toss an entire package of spaghetti in the air and hope something sticks. I have a very
- [Creating the Habit of Showing up for your Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/creating-the-habit-of-showing-up-for-your-writing/) - If you follow the Writers In The Storm posts and comments, then you're familiar with today's guest blogger. Joel D Canfield gives WITS readers a treat with a video blog, discussing why, sometimes cleaning the bathroom is more inviting than writing. And what you can do about that. Go for it, Joel! Bio Joel D
- [Building Heat in Love Scenes -- An Erotic Romance Writer Tells You How](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/building-heat-in-love-scenes-an-erotic-romance-writer-tells-you-how/) - Writers In The Storm is pleased to welcome Tara Lain back (you can see her previous post Attack of the Blog here). Pour yourself a cold drink (you'll need it) and get ready to learn a thing or two about spicing up those love scenes. Hi everyone-- I’m delighted to be back at Writers in
- [Knock Your Block Off: How to Get Rid of Writer’s Block](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/knock-your-block-off-how-to-get-rid-of-writers-block/) - Writers In The Storm is pleased to welcome a new guest blogger. I have the incredible pleasure of being in a local chapter with Kimberly Kincade and cheering her on as she swept the contest scene and then secured a fantabulous contract for her foodie novels. She obviously has a winning recipe so who better
- [An Easy Fix for a Tighter Point of View](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/an-easy-fix-for-a-tighter-point-of-view/) - Writers In The Storm is delighted to have Janice Hardy back. We love her and the fabulous writing resources on her blog, The Other Side of the Story. *********************** Decades ago, a detached, omniscient point of view was all the rage. Readers wanted to be told a story, so the stories read as if someone
- [Tracking Time in Your Novel](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/tracking-time-in-your-novel/) - By Laura Drake It seems I’m always confessing in my blogs. I’m not sure I want to know what that says about me, but I know wherever my mother is, she’s proud that she had some influence. But that is, as they say, ‘a different meeting.’ I suck at tracking time in my novels. You
- [TICK-TOCK: Timelines in the Author Business Plan](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/01/tick-tock-timelines-in-the-author-business-plan/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back literary attorney, Susan Spann, with her next installment of her author’s business plan series. By Susan Spann Today we take the discussion of author business plans “on the clock” with section five of the author business plan – the Development Timeline. This Development Timeline section actually contains a group
- [Confessions of an Incessant Observer](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/02/confessions-of-an-incessant-observer/) - I came across a quote the other day by Mortimer J. Adler - "In the case of good books, the point is not how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you" - that was perfectly timed. Why? Because I'd recently read a beautifully written book that
- [Reading as a Reader](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/02/reading-as-a-reader/) - Shannon Donnelly is back this month with a topic that I have spoken with other authors about, but never seen in a blog before. I can't wait to read the comments, to see what you all think! Here's Shannon: Something happens when you read a lot—very often stories come to you. A lot of folks
- [Writer Strong: My Obsessive-Compulsive Muse](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/02/writer-strong-my-obsessive-compulsive-muse/) - Today's guest, Barbara Claypole White, is a strong woman, a great mom, and a Women's Fiction Author -- a good one, as you'll see from her post. Here's Barbara: Readers constantly ask if my debut novel, THE UNFINISHED GARDEN, is autobiographical. Since my heroine is a young widow, the answer is always, “God, I hope
- [Writing Organizations—Finding the perfect fit](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/02/writing-organizations-finding-the-perfect-fit/) - by Orly Konig-Lopez When the idea of writing morphed into a dream to get published, I quickly realized I had a lot to learn. I sought out writing organizations that would provide the opportunity to meet other, hopefully like-minded, writers. What I discovered is that there are a lot of writing organizations. Some niche focused,
- [14 Posts You Loved ~ A Valentine's Flashback and News!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/02/14-posts-you-loved-a-writers-in-the-storm-valentines-flashback/) - You know Valentine's Day is this week, right? Well we love you. And we love that you love us. So we're posting links today to our most popular blog posts over the past three years, in case you missed any of them. Share the love this week, people! Top 14 posts: Sensual Word Menu Inspiration
- [A Valentine's Present from WITS: Share Your Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/02/your-chance-to-share-your-writing-a-vd-present-from-wits-to-you/) - We're all about love, here at WITS And to prove it, we're giving our readers the opportunity to strut their stuff! WITS bloggers are going to share a bit of their writing, and we're giving you the opportunity to show off yours! We want to get to know you through your writing! Simply paste your
- [The Cheese Factor: Keep the “Cheesiness” Out of Your Author Website](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/02/the-cheese-factor-keep-the-cheesiness-out-of-your-author-website/) - We have a treat for you today. Kerry Lonsdale is a writer and a marketing and techno-guru. She's here to keep you from website embarrassment. Here she is: Cheesy websites. You know the ones I’m referring to. The music that launches the moment you land on the site. (I’m listening to Mumford & Sons on
- [Writing Historicals - How Accurate Must You Be?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/02/writing-historicals-how-accurate-must-you-be/) - Today's guest is my writing 'twin.' I say that because we seem to do everything together; we got agents, sold, got our covers, and will release our debut novels, all within a month of each other! She's an amazing author - remember, you heard of her here first! Anne has agreed to give away an
- [Creativity -- Opening the Door of the Treasure House](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/02/creativity-opening-the-door-of-the-treasure-house/) - A Quick News Flash! Laura Drake is our local Query Queen. She's shared the knowledge gained from her 15 year stint in the submission wars in several blogs here over the years. She wanted to let you know that she's teaching a month-long, online class for Margie Lawson's Writer's Academy in March, Submissions that Sell!
- [Look Who's Talking~Dialog Involving Multiple Characters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/02/look-whos-talking/) - Just a quick announcement -- Liz Flaherty won the Advanced Reader Copy of Anne Clelland's Historical, Tainted Angel. Liz, you'll leave her a review everywhere, right? Charlotte Carter is back, sharing with us her experience as the author of 57 books (no, that's not a typo!) When you talk, Char, we listen! I was absolutely
- [How To Get Out of Your Character's Way](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/02/7689/) - Our guest today is Amy Sue Nathan, a debut Women's Fiction Author, with great tips on how to get out of your character's way. I've heard great things about her novel, so be sure to check it out! Here's Amy: When I hunkered down to write a novel about a divorced mom in the suburbs
- [What is Your Favorite Part of Writing a Story?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/02/what-is-your-favorite-part-of-writing-a-story/) - by Linda O. Johnston If you’re a writer, what’s your favorite part of writing a story--and how do you make an element your favorite? How about character? I always like to focus when I’m starting a new book on determining who my protagonists are going to be. What are you going to do to them
- [Brainstorming: Tips For Getting More Out Of "What if..."](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/brainstorming-get-more-out-of-what-ifing/) - By Sharla Rae Some writers brainstorm on their own, some do it with another writer or a group of writers. My personal favorite is 'what-ifing' with my critique group. Along the way I learned a few things. I think the biggest lesson was that if I walked away disappointed, it was probably my own fault.
- [A 12-Step Checklist for Writing A “Sexy” Synopsis](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/a-sexy-synopsis/) - By Shannon Donnelly When I first started writing, I found out you needed a synopsis to submit to agents. Okay, I thought, I can do that. Well, I did, but not so well—twenty pages later I had a synopsis that rambled, wandered, and just did not do the job. Thankfully, someone pointed this out to
- [3 Writing Lessons Learned from a Robotic Vacuum](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/3-writing-lessons-learned-from-my-robotic-vacuum/) - By Laura Drake About ten years ago, I had back surgery. After I healed, I went back to Domestic Goddess duties, but found I couldn’t vacuum anymore. Something about the pushing and pulling killed my back. So I informed Alpha Dog (did I mention he’s also Texan?) that this duty would have to fall to
- [It's Write O'Clock: Do You Know Where Your Contacts Are?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/its-write-oclock-do-you-know-where-your-contacts-are/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back literary attorney, Susan Spann, with her next installment of her author’s business plan series. By Susan Spann Welcome back to our ongoing series on writing an author business plan! We’re almost through – just two more sections to go. Today, we’re taking a look at Section 6: Operations and
- [Writerly Uses for Excel - Part 3](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/writerly-uses-for-excel-part-3/) - by Jenny Hansen Earlier this year, we started talking about Microsoft Excel and all the ways writers could use it without hyperventilating. In case you missed the other two posts, I've linked them below: Part 1 - Excel Shortcuts and Helpful Tricks Part 2 - Doing Formulas without Freaking Out Laura Drake also did a
- [How to Use Your Logline, Tagline, and Pitch to Create a Stronger Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/how-to-use-your-logline-tagline-and-pitch/) - by Marcy Kennedy Most of us think of a logline, tagline, and pitch as marketing tools we write after we’ve written our story so that we can use them to land an agent or as our book’s cover copy. We’re doing it backwards. If we wait until we’re done with our book, any problems our
- [Point of View: Choosing Whose Head To Be In](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/pov-whose-head-should-i-be-in/) - by Sharla Rae The first thing writers learn about Point of View, or POV, is that it refers to whose head we’re in. In other words: through whose perspective will the reader experience the sounds, smells, actions and emotions of a story/scene? Seems simple, but as writers it isn’t always easy to decide which character should
- [When Writing Is A Full Body Workout...](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/writing-is-a-full-body-workout/) - by Orly Konig-Lopez The other day my husband stayed home and was working on the couch so I decided to work at the kitchen table to be close. (Cue the "Awwww"… okay, are we done?) So here I am, typing away, lost in the world I was creating in my head with “real” people who live
- [Taking the Guesswork out of Writing a Traditional Mystery: 9 Common Problems (and Solutions!)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/writing-a-traditional-mystery-problems-and-solutions/) - Writers In The Storm is delighted to welcome back Elizabeth Craig, one of the most giving writers we know. She released her latest Southern Quilting Mystery last month and stopped by WITS to help the rest of us take some of the guesswork out of writing mysteries. ************ By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig So you’re a big mystery
- [A Spring Thank You from WITS: Promo Made Easy...](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/a-spring-thank-you-from-wits-promo-made-easy/) - As the March blog mistress here at WITS, I'm taking a page out of my personal blog's playbook and marking the beginning of Spring with a celebration of you. You're going to get the chance to come out and play in the comments section today. [Hey! I saw all you introverts go diving under your
- [3 Writer's Commandments and the Importance of Avoiding the Dreaded "S" Word](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/3-writers-commandments-and-the-dreaded-s-word/) - by Jenny Hansen There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are. ~W. Somerset Maugham Novel writing isn't for sissies. I know we've talked about this before. I've even brought you people like Margie Lawson, Susan Mallery and Stephen J. Cannell who know way more than I do on the
- [WriterStrong: Why Is Your Hosting Company Integral To the Success of Your Website or Blog?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/writerstrong-why-is-a-hosting-company-important-for-authors/) - Last Fall we started the WriterStrong series to delve deeply into the strengths writers must have for strong careers. Social media and internet savvy is part of the job requirement for today's authors. Today's post gets to the nitty-gritty on one important aspect of your author website or blog. Jami's two-part series of how-to tips will help
- [Jawing About Writing and Writing About Jaws](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/03/jawing-about-writing-and-writing-about-jaws/) - By Sharla Rae No, I'm not discussing sharks. We're discussing the jawline, and writing facial descriptions and emotions. And … I have another description list for you, too. Recently in her blog, When Writing Is A Full Body Workout, Orly confessed being caught acting out what she happened to be writing, that is, she was
- [How Much Detail Is Enough For Your Story?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/how-much-detail-is-enough-for-your-story/) - Here's Shannon Donnelly with 12 tips to help you gather "just enough" details for your story! ************* There's a dilemma that faces every writer of fiction—when is enough enough? When do you need more details to help the reader “see” the scene? And when do the details become distracting devils? The answer seems obvious: When
- [5 Ways To Practice The Art of Double-Duty Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/the-art-of-double-duty-writing/) - by Susan Squires As I was preparing a workshop for the California Dreamin' Conference, I began to think about the concept of making one element of your work, whether scene, sentence or character, do double duty. I've decided that this concept may be one of the "secrets of the writing universe." First I'll show you
- [Plot Fixer: Weak Black Moment and The End Does Not Satisfy](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/plot-fixer-weak-black-moment-and-the-end-does-not-satisfy/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes back Kara Lennox, a.k.a. Karen Leabo for the final installment of her plot-fixing series. Kara is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than sixty novels of romance and romantic suspense for Harlequin and Random House. AND she’s a 2012 DOUBLE RITA Finalist! In case you missed any of the first
- [A Museum Visit--and Four Editing Lessons](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/a-museum-visit-and-four-editing-lessons/) - by Fae Rowen As writers, we can use our lives to fuel our stories in many ways--from plots, to characters, to emotional journeys. This means that our daily lives become a field of rich experience to mine for writing gold. Let me share an excursion that resulted in unexpected treasure for my WIP. Because I
- [Playing Dr. Frankenstein – 5 Questions To Ask Your Characters Before You Begin](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/5-questions-to-ask-your-characters/) - by Orly Konig-Lopez Who are these people who live in your head? Where do you come up with these ideas? You’ve heard those questions a few times, right? A few days ago I was giving someone a quick and dirty of my new book. Quick and dirty because that’s all I have at the moment—there’s
- [Why We (and our characters) Fall in Love: Part 1](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/why-we-fall-in-love-part-1/) - by Fae Rowen Backstory: I always wondered why my husband fell in love with me. He was a thirty-year-old "confirmed" bachelor when I met him. And I never intended to marry anyone. Six months after we met, we were engaged. How did that happen? Mere weeks ago I attended a workshop that was totally different
- [Cohorts, Henchmen, Villains and Red Shirts: The Care and Feeding of Secondary Characters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/3-tips-for-secondary-characters/) - Writers in the Storm welcomes back Anne Cleeland to share tips on writing Secondary Characters. Anne last helped us sort through the accuracy for details of our historicals. by Anne Cleeland A story with compelling secondary characters engages the reader by adding another layer of interest to the story. Whether they are sidekicks, lovers, or
- [Why We (and Our Characters) Fall in Love: Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/why-we-and-our-characters-fall-in-love-part-2/) - First, our hearts go out to those directly affected by the bombing at the Boston Marathon. We all have indirectly been affected by this act of terror--life is not as carefree as it was this past week-end. Today's blog is part two in a series of posts by Fae Rowen about the science of attachment
- [WriterStrong: Adding Humor to Your Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/writerstrong-adding-humor-to-your-writing/) - Writers in the Storm welcomes back James R. Preston with tips on how--and when--to add humor to your WIP, no matter the genre. Here he is with a fun-filled Laugh? I Thought I'd Die WriterStrong post. by James R. Preston There's this PI investigating a murder at a nudist camp in the hills above LA
- [Who Inherits Your Copyrights?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/who-inherits-your-copyrights/) - Susan Spann returns to Writers in the Storm with a new series to help you think about planning for the long-range future of your estate. In this series she'll give us practical, easy-to-follow suggestions about protecting your intellectual property. by Susan Spann In the spring, a young man’s fancy may lightly turn to thoughts of
- [Making Your Story Believable with a Real Setting](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/making-your-story-believable-with-a-real-setting/) - Writers in the Storm welcomes back NYT Best Selling Author Kat Martin, who shares her magic to MAKING YOUR STORY BELIEVABLE by setting the location in a real place. In her latest book cover below, you can see the setting of Against the Edge. (Click the book title to watch the trailer and read an
- [Stellar Writing Sells!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/stellar-writing-sells/) - It's been awhile but, sparing precious time away from her new granddaughter, Margie Lawson is back with us at Writers in the Storm. Laura Drake and Fae Rowen can testify to Margie's talents as a writing teacher. Here's another great lesson. Oh, as you read, you'll see that Margie is donating a course to one
- [Why We (and Our Characters) Fall in Love: Part Three](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/04/why-we-and-our-characters-fall-in-love-part-three/) - We have a lucky reader who took the time to comment on Kat Martin's Real Setting blog. Writers in the Storm is pleased to announce that random.org picked comment #3 as the winner of Kat's new release AGAINST THE EDGE. Lorna Lee (of Lorna's Voice)--that's you! Congratulations! And all of you really stepped up the
- [Love at first line: Opening sentences that grab](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/love-at-first-line-opening-sentences-that-grab/) - It’s your first sentence. The opening line to your masterpiece. The words that will grab your reader and pull him into your world. They. Have. To. Be. Perfect. No pressure. We’re not here to give you a lesson in writing the opening hook. But it is May 1st and we thought that was the perfect
- [How to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone – Without Freaking Out](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/how-to-step-outside-your-comfort-zone-without-freaking-out-2/) - By Laura Drake Sorry to have been absent awhile; I was finishing my last book under contract. Now, before I jump into the next one, I’ve vowed to take a break. Not from writing – If I’m breathing, I’m writing. I’m taking a break from writing what I’m committed to. I’m stepping onto the wild
- [Likeable Characters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/likeable-characters/) - First of all, we at Writers in the Storm must let you know that we continue to be blown away by your first lines. Your responses rained tantalizing hooks across pages of comments. Today we are pleased to welcome back Shannon Donnelly with another one of her fantastic writing lessons to help you turn those
- [Writer Quotes at Starbucks](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/writer-quotes-at-starbucks/) - Laura Drake and Fae Rowen were incredibly lucky to get to sit with James Scott Bell during the April OCC/RWA meeting and at lunch. He's a down-to-earth guy with no pretense. Best of all, he agreed to share a personal look at his writing process–through quotes of well-known authors–to give us a mid-week shot of
- [WHO WILL YOU TRUST? Wills in Author Estate Planning](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/who-will-you-trust-wills-in-author-estate-planning/) - Susan Spann joins us again for the second in her series about protecting your writing and your author rights in your estate planning. Even though many of us don't like to think about that particular future, it's an important part of your writing business that no one talks about. by Susan Spann Big thanks to
- [WriterStrong - Creating Nail-Biting Suspense](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/writerstrong-creating-nail-biting-suspense/) - Writers In The Storm is thrilled to welcome Stacy Green! This is my first time posting at Writers In The Storm, and I am very excited to be here. Jenny and the gals wanted me to talk about writing suspense, so I’m going to give it my best shot. My version of suspense goes something
- [Ten Keys to Success & Survival in The Romance Industry](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/ten-keys-to-success-survival-in-the-romance-industry/) - Writers In The Storm is delighted to welcome Romance and Women's Fiction author Jane Porter in the first of a two-part blog on success and survival. I first gave this workshop in February 2004, and boy has this industry changed in the past nine years! I first sold in January 2000 after nearly 14 years,
- [Ten Keys to Publishing Success and Survival, Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/ten-keys-to-success-and-survival-part-2/) - NOTE: We’re going to put randomizer to work on Sunday and pick one name from everyone who commented on either Part 1 or Part 2 of Jane’s post. The winner of a “Jane Porter Goodie Package” will be announced on Monday, May 20. by Jane Porter On Wednesday I talked about the first 5 keys
- [Why We (and Our Characters) Fall in Love: Part Four](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/why-we-and-our-characters-fall-in-love-part-four/) - NOTE: Thank you to everyone who commented on the two-part blog by Jane Porter. Congratulations to lrtrovi who's the winner of Jane's "goodie bag." This is Part Four is a five-part series on the science of why (and how) we fall in love based on a four-day workshop Fae Rowen attended on Attachment Styles. In
- [What’s the Visual? Adding Power To Your Writing.](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/whats-the-visual/) - Margie Lawson is back with another can't miss blog! AND, a giveaway. Read on! Writers know SHOW DON’T TELL, but some know it cognitively. It’s rote. They know SHOW DON’T TELL the same way they know i before e except after c. Applying SHOW DON’T TELL is tougher than it seems. It’s one of Barbara
- [An Inside Look at Today's Book Reviewers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/an-insiders-tips-to-getting-your-book-reviewed/) - Writers In The Storm is pleased to welcome Big Al, our first reviewer! Looking at the posts on the Writers In The Storm Blog and reading the bios of the contributors I was reminded of one of my favorite things to say about what I do: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, review.” I
- [WriterStrong – Getting Fresh Emotion on the Page](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/writerstrong-getting-fresh-emotion-on-the-page/) - Sometimes the most powerful description does not mention the emotion itself. The author trusts that the reader will get it. It’s like a scary movie; your mind conjures scarier things than the cameraman could ever show you. Try this in a black moment, or a key turning-point scene. It’s subtle, and can be powerful.
- [WriterStrong: Keep Them Up All Night](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/writerstrong-keep-them-up-all-night/) - First a quick congratulations to the winners of the two most recent giveaways: Deb Kastner and cwolffe both won a copy of Laura Drake's debut release; Karen Duvall will be taking a Margie Lawson class! Now, please give a warm WITS welcome to Melissa Cutler (take note folks, she's doing a giveaway). I'm excited to
- [Street Teams: Why you need one and how to create one](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/05/street-teams-why-you-need-one-and-how-to-create-one/) - Note: Congratulations to Robin Kramme, winner of the giveaway by Melissa Cutler! Writers In The Storm is thrilled to welcome Steena Holmes. There’s one key aspect to writing that authors either love or hate. Promotion. We either find it exciting and can’t wait to dive in or we fortify ourselves with pots of coffee followed
- [Hooks, Lines—and Sinkers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/06/hooks-lines-and-sinkers/) - NOTE: Our very own Laura Drake is teaching an online course on "Fearless Pitching," June 10-July 7. Click here for more information. Now, Let's welcome back Shannon Donnelly! First lines fall into three categories—hooks, lines, and sinkers. The sinkers are pretty obvious—they’re the dud lines, the lines that don’t help a reader into the story.
- [10 Ways I'd Love My Books To Be Like Flat Stanley](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/06/10-ways-id-love-my-books-to-be-like-flat-stanley/) - If you're a North American parent with a child in 3rd grade or beyond, it's a pretty sure bet you've heard of Flat Stanley. Just in case you haven't, here's a quick summary: The Flat Stanley Project In 1994, Dale Hubert began the Flat Stanley Project in Ontario, Canada. Hubert had the brilliant idea of
- [The long and short of writing a novella](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/06/the-long-and-short-of-writing-a-novella/) - WITS is pleased to welcome back Sharla Lovelace! And psst, she's doing a giveaway. :-) Hi! Thanks to Orly and the other peeps at WITS for having me! I was asked to talk about novellas today, and I’m excited about that. Novellas have become the new in-trend, short little bursts of story that can be
- [Writing The Flawed Hero: She Makes Me Stutter](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/06/writing-the-flawed-hero-she-makes-me-stutter/) - Please give a welcoming WITS hello to Ruthie Knox who's here celebrating the launch of her latest novel (releasing today, btw) and talking about why she chose to write about a flawed hero. So I wrote a romance novel where the hero stutters. A lot. Actually, this is only partially true. For the first third
- [Describing Old Age-The Traps And An Idea List](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/06/describing-old-age-the-traps-and-an-idea-list/) - By Sharla Rae When writing, we have to describe all kinds of people/characters. I’d venture to say that older adults or seniors are one of the most difficult people groups to describe. Why? Because what you see is not always what you get. Okay, this might be true with any age group, but it’s doubly
- [Who Can an Author Trust? Trusts in the Author Estate Plan](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/06/who-can-an-author-trust-trusts-in-the-author-estate-plan/) - by Susan Spann Last month’s guest post here at Writers in the Storm took a look at wills in author estate plans. Today, we’ll look at the other common estate planning device: the trust. A trust is a legal entity (a “fictitious person”) created by a trust agreement. Its purpose is to hold and manage
- [The Evolution of the Modern Writing Dream (part 1)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/06/the-evolution-of-the-modern-writing-dream-part-1-2/) - Ask an author why they write and you’ll get some variation of “to tell a story.” For most of us it started with the wonder of leafing through books picked up at a library or bookstore. We fantasize about the weight of a book in our hands, our name on the cover, picture on the
- [The Evolution of the Modern Writing Dream (part 2)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/06/the-evolution-of-the-modern-writing-dream-part-2/) - This week on WITS we're looking at how the changing times in publishing are affecting the publishing dream. On Monday, aspiring author Orly Konig-Lopez shared her dream, today you'll hear from debut author Laura Drake and on Friday, multi-published Marilyn Brant will close out the series. Part 2: A Debut Author’s Perspective By Laura Drake This
- [The Evolution of the Modern Writing Dream (part 3)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/06/the-evolution-of-the-modern-writing-dream-part-3/) - This week we've been focusing on how the changing times in publishing are affecting the publishing dream. On Monday, aspiring author Orly Konig-Lopez shared her dream, Wednesday debut author Laura Drake talked about her evolving dream, and today, multi-published Marilyn Brant will close out the series. A Multi-published Author’s Perspective by Marilyn Brant First of all,
- [Why We (and Our Characters) Fall in Love - Part Five](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/06/why-we-and-our-characters-fall-in-love-part-five/) - Today Fae Rowen wraps up her series on attachment models and the science of falling in love. If you missed Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, or Part 4 where she describes the early childhood adaptations and the "repairs" for each of the four attachments styles, you can link to any one by clicking on
- [Standing the Test of Time](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/06/standing-the-test-of-time/) - by Mary Burton Remember the moment when you sat down to write your first novel? Do you remember? I remember mine. It’s hard for me to believe but that moment was over twenty years and 26 books and four novellas ago. Along the way, I’ve learned many valuable lessons and I thought I’d take a
- [The Maze to Amazing: Organic Layering](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/06/the-maze-to-amazing-organic-layering/) - by Pamela Morsi As a writer without a plan, I don’t get invited to comment often on my writing process. Telling people, “oh, I just make it up as I go along” tends to annoy my colleagues and confuse newcomers. I’m an organic writer. Or at least that what Donald Maass calls it. Pardon the
- [Once More with Feeling](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/once-more-with-feeling/) - by Shannon Donnelly Emotion. It’s what we read for in fiction. We want the thrill, the sorrow, the laughter, and the tears. Unfortunately, words are abstracts. Emotions are visceral—they’re in our bodies. That means the illusion to bring about emotion has to be studied and learned. And it’s the same challenge with every book—how to
- [Writing to Sell](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/writing-to-sell/) - by Darynda Jones Have you ever sat and listened to a panel of editors and agents go over their wish lists, the manuscripts they’d most like to see at that moment? And have you ever thought to yourself, “Hmmm, a space opera about a zombie captain who is commissioned to take an elemental princess across
- [The How and Why of Author Newsletters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/the-how-and-why-of-author-newsletters/) - by Steena Holmes In my last post, I talked about Street Teams and using my newsletter to connect with my readers. It raised a few questions about newsletters to which I replied “but that’s another blog.” The ladies at WITS took me up on that. So today we’re going to talk about … Newsletters. Some
- [3 Reasons You Should Embrace Rejections](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/3-reasons-you-should-embrace-rejections/) - by Orly Konig-Lopez After that headline a few of you are probably worried that my marble bag has a hole in it. You might not be wrong. But that's not the point of this post. Rejections. No one wants to get them, no one likes getting them. They sting. They make you triple guess your
- [Fearless Pitching - Part 1](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/fearless-pitching-part-1/) - By Laura Drake You all know me (Ms. 413 Rejections) so I’ll spare you the story. Just know that I have pitched a LOT in my life, and I’m here, fresh from teaching a Pitching class, smack in the middle of conference season, to give you some tips for pitching that will make your pitch
- [Fearless Pitching - Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/fearless-pitching-part-2/) - Laura Drake is back for the second segment of Fearless Pitching! If you missed the first post, click here. Before we get on to THE day, a bit of philosophy to remember when you look in the mirror that morning: If you don't get a request for a partial, The Gatekeepers are not rejecting YOU.
- [Do You Need a Literary Executor?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/do-you-need-a-literary-executor/) - by Susan Spann Today the #PubLaw guest series takes a look at when you need a literary executor (or trustee) to administer the copyrights in your estate. The executor (in the case of a will) or successor trustee (in the case of a trust) is the person who administers and distributes an estate after a
- [10 Power Tips for Building a Great Critique Group](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/10-power-tips-for-building-a-great-critique-group/) - by Jenny Hansen My day job as a software trainer is about building the skills of my co-workers so they can do productive work. And you know what I noticed several years back? There’s TONS of similarity between my training life and my writing life. Case in point: Leadership Freak is a business and leadership blogger
- [Writer's Block: The Thought between the Music and the Motion](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/writers-block-the-thought-between-the-music-and-the-motion/) - By Piper Bayard Everything I know about writing I learned from belly dancing. Yes, belly dancing. How can this be? Art is Creativity, channeled into a three-dimensional form. It is the same basic process regardless of the medium, so the act of becoming proficient in any art is the same: discipline, practice, and dancing. Dancing?
- [10 Writer Affirmations to Bolster Optimism](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/10-writer-affirmations-to-bolster-optimism/) - Or... Turning Whine into Gold by Kathryn Craft I’d like to thank the team here at Writers in the Storm for letting me blow in with a series on attitude adjustment. If you think this has nothing to do with becoming an author, you couldn’t be more wrong! From our first words tentatively pressed to the
- [Figuring Out Your Story's Turning Points](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/figuring-out-your-storys-turning-points/) - by Jenny Hansen One of my favorite speakers on writing is Jennifer Crusie. For some reason, she makes sense to me...as if she has an expressway dug directly into my writing mind. Stephen Cannell (creator of The Rockford Files) was the man who etched 3-Act Structure on my brain, but for turning points it was
- [7 Tips For Finishing The First Draft](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/7-tips-for-finishing-the-first-draft/) - by Erika Marks First draft. Talk about two words that manage to strike both excitement and fear in the hearts of all of us who write, yes? After having published three books and now deep in the middle of my fourth, I’d like to think I’ve got this whole first draft thing sewed up. Except,
- [What is an "Echo?" Tips To Axe These Repeat Offenders](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/how-to-axe-repeat-offenders/) - By Sharla Rae One of the things we've discussed in our critique meetings is the tendency all writers have to repeat certain words and phrases. “Echoes” is a term I’ve heard applied to frequently repeated words. Read your chapter out loud, and that’s exactly what they sound like. Common Causes of Echoes: Using lame and
- [Our Month-End Gift To You: Promopalooza at WITS!!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/07/promopalooza-at-wits/) - We're throwing open the comments at Writers In The Storm today for a little of what I like to call "Pimp and Promote." How does this work? Here's the rules for this Carnival of Comment Fun: I’m taking a page out of Chuck Wendig’s book once again for you guys to do the following... Pimp out somebody
- [10 OneNote Features that Will Rock Your Writing World](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/08/10-onenote-features-that-rock/) - I’m a software trainer by day so I have several “true loves” in the software realm. But as a writer, my hands down favorite lately is OneNote. I. Heart. OneNote. What is it, and where do you find it? OneNote is a planner and note taking software. Capture text, images, video and audio notes, and keep
- [Becoming a Visceral Warrior!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/08/margie-test/) - By Margie Lawson and Tiffany Lawson Inman A big lovey Thank You to Laura Drake for inviting us back to WITS. Surprise! It’s a mother-daughter duo blog! What happens to characters when they are in a high emotion scene? They experience emotion. Duh. What happens if the writer keeps the POV character in their head,
- [Deadlines](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/08/8559/) - Laura here. I just wanted to squee a moment. The very first book I wrote (and edited 3,457 times,) Her Road Home releases tomorrow! It earned a RT 4 star review! You can learn more about it on my website.It's available at Amazon, B&N, and other stores. Thanks for your indulgence - now here's Shannon
- [How to Choose a Literary Executor](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/08/how-to-choose-literary-executors/) - Hey, all just a quick update: The person who won an LWA online class is ——- Selena Fulton CONGRATULATIONS !!!! Please email Margie::::: address is: margie (at) margielawson(dot) com Sorry to step in, Susan - go for it! by Susan Spann Last month’s #PubLaw guest post on WITS asked the question “Do you Need a Literary Executor?”
- [Writing Outside the Box - with Storyboxes](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/08/writing-outside-the-box-with-storyboxes/) - Today I'm proud to welcome to WITS a debut historical author, Alina K. Field. You may not have heard of her yet, but trust me, you will! Take it away, Alina! Thanks to the Writers in the Storm crew for inviting me today. You’ve probably heard of “thinking outside the box.” For many years I
- [Writing and Lovin' It](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/08/lovin-it/) - By Laura Drake It sometimes seems that everything around us is negative: coworkers complain, kids whine, and don’t get me started on politics or the news. I think social media magnifies this. Hop onto Twitter and look right now – just look at the posts you can see without scrolling. We’ll wait. You back? I’ll
- [Can You Pick The Next Hottest Genre?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/08/can-you-pick-the-next-hottest-genre/) - Just a quick note: if you're getting ready to query, and are feeling overwhelmed by the prospect, Laura will be teaching an online class at Lawson's Writer's Academy beginning September 2, Submissions That Sell! You can get the details HERE. by Sharla Rae If we knew the next hottest genre, many of us would jump
- [5 Tips for Cheeseless Dialogue](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/08/cheeseless-dialogue/) - Today we welcome Lori Freeland to WITS for the first time! Welcome Lori! I’d Like My Dialogue Cheeseless. Please. Like a Lactose Intolerant prefers his pizza minus the gut-churning cheese, I want my dialogue devoid of dairy. Have you ever heard agents or editors say they flip to the first section of dialogue and if
- [A Bow To Our Readers: Share Your Writing!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/08/your-turn-to-share-your-writing/) - By Laura Drake We love seeing what our readers are up to - so here's your chance! This month, I'm thinking about middles, since I'm near the middle of my WIP, and worrying about sagging (and for once, it's not about my butt). So here's your assignment: Go to your WIP (or one of your
- [A Field Mouse, A Crow, and A Writing Lesson](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/08/a-field-mouse-a-crow-and-a-writing-lesson/) - by Fae Rowen My living room deck is a lizard freeway. It serves as a form of kitty TV for my Siamese warrior cat. One afternoon this summer I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Since I've named the lizards that entertain me every afternoon, I walked to the open slider to
- [Small Actions, Deeper Characters, Better Stories!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/08/small-actions-deeper-character-better-scenes/) - We are delighted to welcome back The Naked Editor, Tiffany Lawson Inman from hiatus! Whoop! By Tiffany Lawson Inman What do you do when your character needs to wipe his/her nose? Or wave goodbye? Or hold back a tear? Or close a door? Or smile? Write the action. Simple. Right? Is your character always
- [Hiring a Professional Editor—Shrewd or Shameful?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/08/hiring-a-professional-editor-shrewd-or-shameful/) - Just a quick reminder: Laura is teaching a class at Margie Lawson's Writers Academy for the month of September - Submissions that Sell! If you need help on your submission, check it out! Now, here's Lori! By Lori Nelson Spielman I typed The End and did a little happy dance in my office. I’d finished
- [Getting Your Characters to Spark](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/getting-your-characters-to-spark-2/) - Before we get to the awesome Shannon Donnelly, I wanted to be sure you all saw the winner of Tiffany Lawson Inman's critique: Angela Quarles! By Shannon DonnellyI just finished reading a story that had a major problem—no sparkage between the hero and heroine. Even worse, there was plenty of sparkage between the heroine and
- [Your Editor is Your Friend (Really)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/your-editor-is-your-friend-really/) - by Erin Brown You’ve slaved for months, years—perhaps decades--to finish your manuscript. You’ve tackled all-nighters, tear-your-hair-out rewrites, grueling self-imposed deadlines. You’ve grappled with creative juices that either flowed until you were drunk with brilliant narrative or dried up to leave you parched, devoid of inspiration, sobbing onto your keyboard. You get my drift. You’ve poured
- [Be Your Own Book Doctor](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/be-your-own-book-doctor/) - By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy If you Google “book doctor” you’ll get pages of folks willing to analyze your book and tell you what’s wrong with it. While this might be a helpful option for some, not everyone can afford to pay for this type of advice. But never fear, because with a little objectivity (and
- [Moving past ‘Dear Diary’](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/moving-past-dear-diary/) - Writers in the Storm welcomes debut author Debbie Herbert, sharing writing tips on how different types of journals can help you with the initial story, emotion, and even writer's block. And Debbie has generously offered a copy of her debut novel, Siren's Secret, to one lucky commenter. Thank you, Debbie. by Debbie Herbert I bet
- [Take Your Writing By Storm with Chuck Sambuchino](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/take-your-writing-by-storm-with-chuck-sambuchino/) - Big News! We are absolutely giddy to announce a new monthly blogger - Chuck Sambuchino, of Writer's Digest and Guide to Literary Agents fame! To celebrate, today we're posting six amazing blogs from his vault of brilliance, and one brand new one. Going forward, Chuck will be blogging with us on the first Friday of
- [Literary Terms Defined: The Uncommon and Common](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/literary-terms-defined-the-uncommon-and-common/) - by Chuck Sambuchino Working for Writer's Digest Books, I come across a lot of literary terms -- both the common and uncommon. Because it's healthy for writers of all levels to be familiar with terms they may come across in articles, conversations and contracts, here are some literary terms defined for your enjoyment. Boiler plate
- [11 Frequently Asked Questions About Book Royalties, Advances and Money](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/11-frequently-asked-questions-about-book-royalties-advances-and-money/) - By Chuck Sambuchino If you’re going to wheel and deal with literary agents and editors, you’ll end up spending more time than you’d like discussing rights, contracts, advances, royalties and a whole lot of other important stuff. That said, I want to address the most common questions regarding how advances and royalties work. In other
- [Should You Pitch (and Sign With) a New Literary Agent? The Pros and Cons](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/should-you-pitch-and-sign-with-a-new-literary-agent-the-pros-and-cons/) - by Chuck Samuchino One of the most common recurring work blog items I get complimented on is my “New Literary Agent Alerts,” a series where I spotlight new/newer literary agents who are open to queries and looking for clients. At writers conferences, a frequent question I get is “Is it OK to sign with a
- [The Difference Between Your “Current Platform” and “Future Platform”](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/the-difference-between-your-current-platform-and-future-platform/) - By Chuck Sambuchino Ah, platform. It’s that dirty word writers hate. It appeared several years ago like a bad dream — a word publishing bigwigs used to describe a writer’s ability to sell their own work through a writer’s social media, networking and visibility. The bigwigs made it clear: Writers would not only have to
- [How to Support an Author’s New Book: 11 Ideas For You](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/how-to-support-an-authors-new-book-11-ideas-for-you/) - By Chuck Sambuchino My Writer’s Digest coworker, Brian A. Klems, recently geared up for the release of his first book — a humorous guide for fathers called OH BOY, YOU’RE HAVING A GIRL: A DAD’S SURVIVAL GUIDE TO RAISING DAUGHTERS (Adams Media). On top of that, my coworker Robert Brewer (editor of Writer’s Market) recently
- [How to Start Your Novel](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/how-to-start-your-novel/) - By Chuck Sambuchino One of the most common reasons why agents and editors stop reading sample pages is simply that the story starts too slow. Gone are the days when a book could “get good on page 12.” We also can no longer compare our writing to classic works or even books written 30 years
- [Advice For Writers From Literary Agents](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/advice-for-writers-from-literary-agents/) - By Chuck Sambuchino Literary agents are full of great advice for writers. That’s why, whenever I am concluding an interview with an agent, I always end the encounter by asking “Is there any other piece of advice you’d like to discuss?” This open-ended question often draws a fantastic answer, as the agent’s most passionate advice
- [But What Does a Literary Trustee DO? (Part 1)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/but-what-does-a-literary-trustee-do-part-1/) - Today Writers in the Storm welcomes back guest blogger Susan Spann, as she continues her PubLaw series about your literary estate. If you've missed her previous instructive posts in this series, click on the title: How to Choose a Literary Executor, and Do You Need a Literary Executor? by Susan Spann So far, our look
- [THE TRICKY PART](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/the-tricky-part/) - “The Tricky Part” of writing is different for every author, but hardly anyone is good at both dialogue & description. Laurie Schnebly Campbell talks about the skills required for each, and how to discover where your strengths lie. And, did we mention that there is a prize for a lucky commenter? That contest closes Thursday
- [Adapting Screenplay Structure to Genre Novels](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/adapting-screenplay-structure-to-genre-novels/) - Congratulations to Ella Quinn, the winner of Debbie Herbert's contest last week. Ella, you can contact Debbie via her website. You're lucky to be one of the first to read her debut book, Siren’s Secret! And the winner of Chuck Sambuchino's contest is Judi Moreo. We'll let Chuck know the snail mail address on your
- [How to Write a Captivating Blog Title](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/how-to-write-a-captivating-blog-title/) - And now, for the winner of last Friday's THE TRICKY PART contest: Congratulations to Evelyn Berry, the winner of Laurie Schnebly Campbell's writing class. Evelyn, you can contact Laurie directly about your class. Today we welcome guest blogger Marcy Kennedy, author of Strong Female Characters, with advice for all of you who blog--or are thinking
- [Interrogation Tactics Are Your Friend](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/interrogation-tactics-are-your-friend/) - Our guest Terri Osburn, author of Meant to Be, has a wealth of questions to help you turn flat characters into characters that keep your readers turning pages. by Terri Osburn I've been judging a lot of contest entries lately, which led me to the topic for this blog. After reading the entire entry, I
- [Emotional Barrier in Fiction: Why is it so important for you to learn how to cross it? (Part One)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/emotional-barrier-in-fiction-why-is-it-so-important-for-you-to-learn-how-to-cross-it-part-one/) - We are fortunate to get a double-dose of Tiffany Lawson Inman this week with her insights on the emotional barrier in fiction. Look for Part Two on Friday. Oh, and read on. Tiffany's offering a "seat" for one lucky commenter to her next online class at the Lawson Writers Academy. by Tiffany Lawson Inman Emotions
- [Emotional Barrier in Fiction: After You Cross It, What’s Next? (Part Two)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/emotional-barrier-in-fiction-after-you-cross-it-whats-next-part-two/) - Today Tiffany Lawson Inman is continuing the discussion of the emotional barrier in fiction. If you missed Part One on Wednesday, click here. We're lucky not only to have Tiffany share her knowledge with us, but she's giving away a "seat" in her next online class at the Lawson Writers Academy on this very subject
- [Turning Whine into Gold: Surmounting Obstacles](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/09/turning-whine-into-gold-surmounting-obstacles/) - First, for those of you who read and commented on one or both of Tiffany Lawson Inman's Emotional Barrier posts last week, Tiffany left a comment announcing the winner of a free slot in the Madness to Method class: JUDY HUDSON. Congratulations, Judy. Writers in the Storm is pleased to welcome Kathryn Craft as a
- [Seven Ways to Spark Your Writing with "Golden Lines"](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/seven-ways-to-spark-your-writing-with-golden-lines/) - by Fae Rowen On the plane home from Atlanta in July, I re-read my notes and handouts, highlighting tips that resonated with me as I prepared for a major edit on my WIP. When I participated in the UC Irvine Writing Project, I learned the technique of highlighting a few word in an article, an
- [A Challenge to Writers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/a-challenge-to-writers/) - Live to Ride – Write to Live By Laura Drake Most of you know me on some level - I am not an ‘old soul.’ Seriously. My method is to make every mistake possible until I finally bumble across the way that works for me. I was the one who hung back for decades, stuck
- [Covers: A Challenge for the Self-Published](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/covers-a-challenge-for-the-self-published/) - Writers in the Storm welcomes Jacqueline Diamond, author of over 95 novels, including romantic comedy, romantic suspense, fantasy, mystery and Regency historical romance. A two-time finalist for the Rita Award, Jackie received a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times and is a former reporter and TV columnist for the Associated Press. She writes the
- [Trust The Process: Literary Executors, Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/trusts-the-process-literary-executors-part-2/) - By Susan Spann Last month, my guest blog here at Writers in the Storm looked at some of the duties a literary executor performs [But What Does a Literary Trustee DO? (Part 1)] in the course of his or her duties. Today, we’ll finish up with a look at the executor (or trustee)’s other duties: long-term
- [The Inside Scoop On Romantic Times Magazine](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/9158/) - Today we are honored to host Kathryn Falk, also known as Lady Barrow. She’s hailed as "Queen of Romance" and a "brilliant, phenomenal promoter" by the New York Times. Kathryn is the founder of Romantic Times Magazine, now RT Book Reviews. She and her magazine became the voice for reading fans and professional writers alike
- [The Inside Scoop On Romantic Times Magazine](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/9158/) - Today we are honored to host Kathryn Falk, also known as Lady Barrow. She’s hailed as "Queen of Romance" and a "brilliant, phenomenal promoter" by the New York Times. Kathryn is the founder of Romantic Times Magazine, now RT Book Reviews. She and her magazine became the voice for reading fans and professional writers alike
- [King of Dramatic Impact: Don’t Skip This Key Element of Fiction!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/king-of-dramatic-impact-dont-skip-this-key-element-of-fiction/) - by Tiffany Lawson Inman Going through life, we are always in a state of suspense. Mmmmm…yummy, suspense! According to Oxford dictionary: a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Life moments creating dramatic impact, small and large. What will happen next? Is the question on
- [Does an Extroverted Writer Have the Advantage? Maybe Not](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/does-an-extroverted-writer-have-an-advantage-maybe-not/) - By Laura Drake I’ve read a lot of blogs lately about introverted writers, whining pointing out how hard it is for them, nowadays. There are probably more introverted authors than extroverts. After all, it’s darned near a cliché - the writer living in seclusion, typing away in obscurity. That’s all you see in movies: As
- [Turning Whine into Gold: Put Inner Conflict on Your Team](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/turning-whine-into-gold-put-inner-conflict-on-your-team/) - By Kathryn Craft Storytellers know that on the page, internal conflict is a writer’s best friend. But when that conflict emerges from voices inside the writer’s own head, where each wants to weigh in on the writer’s path and her way of walking along it, things can get confusing. Like a GPS whose discordant voices
- [Writing In Living Color And Two New Lists](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/writing-in-living-color-and-two-new-lists/) - By Sharla Rae I’m sharing not one list today, but two. The first one covers shades of the basic color spectrum. The second deals with adjectives describing color and the possible “conditions” of color, that is, how it’s used. But Writing in living color is more than just knowing and choosing color descriptions. It’s showing
- [The Two Sentence Horror Story Challenge!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/the-two-sentence-horror-story-challenge/) - I don't remember where I first found reference to this writers challenge, but I was intrigued. Writing a horror story in two sentences? How could someone DO that? Well, it’s not only possible, the results are amazing! Go read these twelve, and come back. We’ll wait . . . http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/12-absolutely-terrifying-two-sentence-horror-stories After reading those, who could
- [The Inside Scoop on Publishing by Kensington CEO Steven Zacharius](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/the-inside-scoop-on-the-world-of-publishing-according-to-kennsington-ceo-steven-zacharius/) - Writers In The Storm is honored to welcome Steven Zacharius, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kensington Publishing Corp. Steven has graciously offered to give us the inside scoop on the publishing world from his unique perspective as a New York Publisher. Be sure to find the link below to a YouTube video where Walter
- [10 Tips For Creating a Bestselling Series](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/10/10-tips-for-creating-a-bestselling-series/) - Writers In The Storm welcomes Eve Paludan. I first met Eve at a Desert Rose RWA meeting in Phoenix, AZ. First impression? A bubbly person who lugs around a very warm heart. She now lives in Los Angeles, CA, where she writes fiction and edits for other bestselling authors. She enjoys reading mysteries, science fiction,
- [Agent Wisdom, Volume II: More Advice For Writers From Literary Agents](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/agent-wisdom-volume-ii-more-advice-for-writers-from-literary-agents/) - By Chuck Sambuchino Literary agents are full of great advice for writers. That’s why, whenever I am concluding an interview with an agent, I always end the encounter by asking “Is there any other piece of advice you’d like to discuss?” This open-ended question often draws a fantastic answer, as the agent’s most passionate advice
- [Why Writerly Words Are Not Your Friend](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/why-writerly-words-are-not-your-friend/) - by Shannon Donnelly “In many cases when a reader puts a story aside because it 'got boring,' the boredom arose because the writer grew enchanted with his powers of description and lost sight of his priority, which is to keep the ball rolling.” – Stephen King, On Writing There are three huge flashing signs that
- [Look Away, Away - Creating Unforgettable Settings](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/look-away-away-creating-unforgettable-settings/) - By Kimberly Brock I think writers of any ilk can benefit from a healthy appreciation of setting, but regional – particularly southern writers – are haunted by our connection to, love of, loss of, and clawing crawling, desperate journey back to – the land. Oh, I wish I was in Dixie…away, away. Every song is
- [A Heiry—and Sometimes Relative—Writing Problem](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/a-heiry-and-sometimes-relative-writing-problem/) - By Susan Spann For the past few months, my guest posts here at Writers in the Storm have taken a look at different aspects of the author estate plan. This month, we’ll finish the series with a problem every author faces: selecting the heirs. In some cases, choosing who will inherit an author’s copyrights isn’t
- [Why I Choose a Digital Publisher Instead of Self-Publishing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/why-i-choose-a-digital-publisher-instead-of-self-publishing/) - WITS is happy to welcome Cynthia D'Alba. And psst, she has a giveaway . :-) Hi all! Cynthia D’Alba here. Today we’re going to talk about going with a publisher, be it digital first (such as Samhain Publishing) or NYC publisher (like St. Martin’s Press, Harlequin, Penguin, etc) versus Indie Publishing (do-it-yourself, aka self-publishing). I
- [Hanging Writing Rules Out to Dry](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/hanging-writing-rules-out-to-dry/) - Note: Congratulations to Jeannie Intrieri. She's the winner of the giveaway from Chuck Sambuchino's November 1 post. By Kerry Lonsdale First off, I have to credit Natalia Sylvester’s October 8, 2013 post at The Debutante Ball as the inspiration for this post. It was the first post I’ve read where an author confessed they don’t
- [It’s Party Time, Facebook Style! Tips and Tricks for Hosting a Virtual Launch Party](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/its-party-time-facebook-style-tips-and-tricks-for-hosting-a-virtual-launch-party/) - By Melissa Cutler I'm so excited to be on Writers in the Storm today talking about Facebook book launch parties. I’ve thrown three virtual launch parties and participated in many more, and I’m eager to share what I’ve learned from these great experiences. There are a lot of different kinds of Facebook parties, ranging from
- [10 Steps to Make Goodreads Work For You](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/ten-steps-to-make-goodreads-work-for-you/) - By Lisa Verge Higgins Goodreads – with its 18 million rabid readers – is one of the most powerful places for an author to be discovered. Goodreads is where folks converge to discuss novels, offer recommendations, write reviews, and keep compilations of the books they’ve read and want to read. Etailers like Kobo and Google feed Goodreads reviews
- [Help Writers In The Storm Become a “Top Blog for Writers!”](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/help-writers-in-the-storm-become-a-top-blog-for-writers/) - Jenny Hansen here, popping in to share some topics we've been buzzing about behind the scenes at Writers In The Storm. First of all, this is our 500th post. That is so unbelievable to me. Four years ago, when we started this blog, we had no idea where it would go, or that we'd find nearly this
- [It’s All About the Boots: Why We Love Westerns](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/its-all-about-the-boots-why-we-love-westerns/) - Today we welcome Anne Cleeland, who gives us some insight on why we can’t seem to get enough of those rugged cowboy heroes. Anne will give away a copy of her latest book, Daughter of the God-King, to three lucky commenters. by Anne Cleeland There’s no hero like a western hero. Who can forget Kane
- [Book signings Aren’t Dead](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/booksignings-arent-dead/) - By Laura Drake I’ll say it right up front – I’m a promo-ho. Hey, successful authorship nowadays all about discoverability and I’m not afraid to fall on my face to get my name out there. I wrote and sold a contemporary romance series, Sweet on a Cowboy, set in the world of Professional Bull riding
- [Turning Whine into Gold: The Writer's Spirit is Forged in the Fire](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/turning-whine-into-gold-the-writers-spirit-is-forged-in-the-fire/) - by Kathryn Craft Last week I had to un-friend someone on Facebook for violating my right to pursue happiness. I can only assume he’s had enough of reading about the growing excitement for my debut novel, coming out in two short months now. Perhaps, after years of trading a time card for money, he can’t
- [Emotional Barriers in Fiction: Intro to Emotional Channels (Part Three)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/emotional-barriers-in-fiction-intro-to-emotional-channels-part-three/) - Happy Turkey Day Eve! No time to talk turkey today - I know most of you need to get back to the last lap of NaNoWriMo. I am just going to jump right in with one of my favorite quotes about fiction writing from On Writing Horror, a book put together by The Horror Writers
- [Three Boxes to Avoid for the Holidays](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/11/three-boxes-to-avoid-for-the-holidays/) - by Fae Rowen It’s the morning after Thanksgiving and the ugly truth can’t be ignored. It’s “The Holidays” and with that, it’s the end of another year. Even in my gluttonous post-turkey and pecan (my mom’s from Texas!) pie stupor, I begin to haul out the boxes for wrapping. But these boxes are not for
- [The 10 Most Popular WITS Posts EVER](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/the-10-most-popular-wits-posts-ever/) - by Jenny Hansen I hope all my American pals had a great Thanksgiving and that all my Jewish pals are whooping it up during this year's early Hanukkah. This is the time of year when I begin planning for next year. I assess what worked and what bombed, in both my personal life and in writing.
- [Write Like The Wind in Ten Easy Steps](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/write-like-the-wind-in-ten-easy-steps/) - by Vicki Lewis Thompson Thanks so much to Shar and Jenny for inviting me to guest blog today! When you see the title of this blog, take into account that I’m a Libra, aka an air sign, so that’s probably why, instead of saying I write fast, I have to make the statement airy-fairy. But
- [7 Tips to Design an Effective Author Newsletter](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/7-tips-to-design-an-effective-newsletter/) - by Sierra Godfrey When Writers in the Storm asked me if I would write a post about how to design a newsletter as a follow-up to Steena Holmes’s excellent post on The How and Why of Author Newsletters. My first thought was “sure, but that’s easy!” Of course it’s easy—for me. I’m a mild-mannered graphic designer
- [Writing: The New Fear Factor Game?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/writing-the-new-fear-factor-game/) - I’ll say it right up front – I don’t watch Fear Factor. It gives me the willies. But that’s not the point of this blog. Well, not entirely. I’ve been noodling a new book idea for a while now. Noodling is all I’ve done. For a while. And every time I think I’m ready to
- [One World, Many Authors...How Does It Work?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/debra-holland-one-world-many-authors/) - All of us at WITS do our best to bring you information about every aspect of today's publishing. Today's post delves into a unique project, and New York Times bestselling author, Deb Holland, is here to tell you all about it -- the good, the bad and the OMG! * * * * * * * By
- [Do You Know Your (Copy) Rights?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/do-you-know-your-copy-rights/) - by Susan Spann Writers In The Storm is delighted to welcome back Susan as she kicks off her new series on copyright and rights clauses in publishing contracts. Note: As always, Susan is open for questions down in the comments! * * * * * * As 2013 draws to a close, I’m starting a
- [The 4 Best/Worst Things That Affected My Writing Career](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/the-best-and-worst-things-to-do-for-your-writing-career/) - by Erika Marks Hello, friends! I hope this finds everyone ready for the holiday season—and by ready, I mean totally freaking out! (Just kidding. Well, sort of.) I know this time of year is one during which we can’t help but be especially reflective, not on just this past year but the years before it,
- [Crossing Physical Barriers in Fiction, Part 1](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/crossing-physical-barriers-in-fiction-part-1/) - by Tiffany Lawson Inman Hello and Happy December! I’ve kept my blog a little shorter today because I know you all are busy busy busy with festivities writing. *wink wink* My hubby is currently wondering when I will put the laptop away and finish wrapping presents. Here is Part One of my new series here at
- [Advanced Craft Tips - Writer Strong](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/advanced-craft-tips-writer-strong/) - By Laura Drake As I get better at craft, I’m beginning to catch the nuances of good writing; things beyond the basics of POV, show don’t tell, etc. They’re more subtle and harder to spot, but I believe they can be the difference between a ‘good writer’ and a popular author. These are only a
- [5 Things Readers Want from Novelists on Social Media](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/5-things-readers-want-from-novelists-on-social-media/) - Turning Whine into Gold: 5 things readers want from novelists on social media by Kathryn Craft You may not have a book out, but if you have expressed on Twitter or Facebook your hope to be a published author, you have indeed begun a social media campaign. People are already reading your words on these
- [You Know You're a Writer If . . .](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/you-know-youre-a-writer-if/) - I’m between books. Which is to say that I took two days to clean up everything on my ‘to do’ list, and today I’m diving into plotting my next book. Yeah, right. Everyone who follows WITS knows I’m an inveterate pantser. Well, I’m turning over a new car (this is way harder than a leaf).
- [7 Essential Questions of Plot -- Do You Ask Them?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/7-essential-questions-of-plot-do-you-ask-them/) - A quick summary of The Plot Whisperer's "7 Essential Questions of Plot."
- [Do You Clean Up Your Twitter Account? (3 Easy Tips)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2013/12/do-you-clean-up-your-twitter-account-3-easy-tips/) - by Jenny Hansen If you know everything about Twitter, detest Twitter, or plan to never use it, you can probably skip this post. For the rest of you: This is one of the most easy-to-implement social media posts I've ever done here at WITS. Enjoy! It's the beginning of a new year this week, and
- [Seven Predictions for Your Writing in 2014](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/seven-predictions-for-2014/) - by Fae Rowen Who wouldn't want a sneak peek at 2014? A chance for insider information about what's in store? Well, as the resident science and science fiction geek here at WITS, I'm going to share what my friends in the know, in particular Jeanine Just, have to say about the next 365 days. We're
- [Query Letter Pet Peeves - Agents Speak](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/query-letter-pet-peeves-agents-speak/) - By Chuck Sambuchino Ready to send your book out and contact agents? The last thing you want to do is to rush that submission out the door and hurt your book’s chances. When submitting your all-important query to agents or editors, it’s not just a question of what to write in the letter—it’s also a
- [A Writer's Greatest Crime](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/a-writers-greatest-crime/) - by Shannon Donnelly There are a lot of crimes a writer can commit—the torture of sentences, the mangling of meaning, the wrecking of words through using the wrong one at the wrong time. However, the greatest of these is the crime of lack—to forget to put in the emotion. Now, emotions come in lots of
- [5 Steps for Surviving a Revise and Resubmit](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/5-steps-for-surviving-a-revise-resubmit/) - By Orly Konig-Lopez Querying authors know the feeling: Your email pings with an incoming message. It's from one of the agents who requested your manuscript. Your heart beats in your ears, you close one eye, tilt your head to a 35 degree angle and squint at the words. Maybe this is "the one." "Thank you
- [Do You Own Your Copyrights?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/do-you-own-your-copyrights/) - by Susan Spann Last month, I kicked off a new #PubLaw guest series here at Writers in the Storm with a brief look at copyright law and the rights it covers. When authors learn that copyright protection is automatic and attaches to qualifying works at the time of creation, many assume that means the author
- [How To Negotiate a Writing Life in 10 Easy Steps](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/9710/) - by Susan Squires Whether you’re just starting out or under contract, being productive isn’t easy. There isn’t enough time. Or enough space. Or enough quiet. Or enough organized thinking. There isn’t enough something, always. How many times have you heard writers say, “I sure wish I had more_______. Then I could write.” If wishes were
- [Crossing Physical Barriers in Fiction - Part 2](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/crossing-physical-barriers-in-fiction-part-2/) - By Tiffany Lawson Inman Well gosh, I started to write this blog and realized I jumped the gun during Crossing Physical Barriers in Fiction Part One, when I opened these two topics: Emotional intensity of fictional fights The moment before the fight Completely skipping the moment before the actual writing of the fight. EEK! The
- [How is Writing A Futuristic Novel Like Writing A Historical?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/how-is-writing-a-futuristic-novel-like-writing-a-historical/) - By Sharla Rae All writers have things about thAll writers have things about the writing business we fear. One that comes to mind is submitting our work to an agent or editor for the first time. Well maybe the second and even the third time, too. But there's another fear that isn't discussed much. Switching
- [Let Your Voice Be Heard](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/let-your-voice-be-heard/) - By Travis Erwin Defining voice is a bit like nailing Jell-O to the wall. The harder you try, the messier things get, but let’s pick up that hammer and give it a whack anyway. Voice is a writing style. It is both a particular book's, and its author’s personality—right there on the page. In acting
- [How Does a New Agent Find Wonderful Writers?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/turning-the-tables-how-does-a-new-agent-find-wonderful-writers/) - By Nalini Akolekar For those of you who don’t know me, I started my publishing career back in the Stone Age as an editorial assistant at Silhouette Books. I loved my job and was strongly encouraged to stay in the field, but life and children intervened and I wound up taking a hiatus from the business
- [Are You Too Glued To Your Writing Genre?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/too-glued-to-your-writing-genre/) - by Cate Russell-Cole As writers, we are creatures of habit. We have our favorite words, preferred plot structure, must-refer-back-to writing books and generally, we have “our genre!” I love to see writers wearing their genre with pride and not writing in line with the latest fad, but I have this itch to challenge them to
- [What it Takes to Go the Distance](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/what-it-takes-to-go-the-distance/) - Laura here - Speaking of going the distance, I just wanted to let you know that I'm teaching a course, Submissions that Sell, the in February at Margie Lawson's Writers Academy. Need a query? Need to organize submissions? Covers everything except Synopsis. You can check it out Here. Now, on to the incredible Kathryn Craft!
- [Write Fab Back Story: Not BS!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/fab-back-story-not-bs/) - By Margie Lawson A huge THANK YOU to the amazing Laura Drake for inviting me to be her guest today! Don’t put BS on your pages! Write back story that is fresh and compelling. Readers need some back story. They need to know a few critical points that happened before your story opened. Those points
- [Adding a playlist to your blog or website](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/01/adding-a-playlist-to-your-blog-or-website/) - By Sierra Godfrey Remember back in the day when you made a mixtape for a good friend, a long car ride, or a guy you liked? It was our way of personally selecting songs with meaning that told one larger story. Now it’s all digital when we make playlists. That means we can share our
- [What Makes a Romance? Seven tips.](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/02/what-makes-a-romance-seven-tips/) - Just a quick announcement - the winner of the drawing for the online course at Lawson Writer's Academy is . . . Jamie Beck! Writers in the Storm welcomes Shannon Donnelly to clarify what a book needs to land on the romance shelf. If your WIP a genre "fence-sitter" or if your romance could be shelved
- [What's Love Got to Do with It? - Part 1](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/02/whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-part-1/) - Let me count the ways . . . by Fae Rowen Falling in love is like a roller coaster ride. Filled with anticipation and a little scary to think about, exciting turns and dips precede the grateful sigh when the car stops and you can unbuckle the restraint. Trouble is, there is no safety harness
- [Nonfiction Submission Tips -- Agents Speak](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/02/nonfiction-submission-tips/) - by Chuck Sambuchino Getting a nonfiction book published is a completely different beast than querying for a novel. It involves things like a marketing plan, comparative title analysis, book proposals, professional credentials, and more. To help with this complicated submission process, I’ve compiled great advice for nonfiction writers from established literary agents who are on
- [Crossing Physical Barriers: NYT Bestseller Interviews](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/02/crossing-physical-barriers-nyt-bestseller-interviews/) - The winner of Cynthia D'Alba's giveaway, determined by Random.org, is Mary. Congratulations! Cynthia is waiting for you to contact her with your information. by Tiffany Lawson Inman Welcome to Part Three of Crossing Physical Barriers. Surprise! I’ve decided to add an interview segment into this series. Who better to absorb knowledge from than the best
- [Get Fresh! Write the BEST Body Language with Margie Lawson](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/02/get-fresh-write-the-best-body-language-with-margie-lawson/) - By Margie Lawson Big hugs to Laura Drake for inviting me to post at WITS today. I love teaching writers how to create their best, best, best writing. Writing that draws the reader in so deep, that when the POV character’s heart races, the reader clutches their chest. Best writing carries specificity and clarity. It
- [How Writing a Picture Book Can Help with Writing a Novel](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/02/how-writing-a-picture-book-can-help-with-writing-a-novel/) - by Orly Konig-Lopez Last month Sharla Rae wrote about switching genres. She’s a historical romance writer and has decided to take the leap into a futuristic. The common thread between the two genres that gave her the courage to try: research. That post has been on my mind. I’ve had a particularly bad case of
- [CONTRACTS AND COPYRIGHTS](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/02/contracts-and-copyrights/) - It’s Valentine’s Day and all of us at WITS want to send our heartfelt thanks to our guest bloggers and our amazing readers. Virtual chocolate hearts for everyone! by Susan Spann Even though copyright protection is automatic and attaches to qualifying works (like novels) at the time of creation, an author can—purposefully or accidentally—transfer those
- [Promotion….A Necessary Evil?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/02/promotion-a-necessary-evil/) - by Cynthia D’Alba I was sitting an RWA chapter meeting last month when the older woman beside me said, “I didn’t think I’d have to do so much promotion. I thought the publishing company took care of that.” She sighed. “Things have changed.” I just nodded but in reality, I wouldn’t know how things used
- [Is Fear Freezing Up Your Creativity?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/02/is-fear-freezing-up-your-creativity/) - by Jenny Hansen "There isn’t any secret. You sit down and you start and that’s it." ~ Elmore Leonard Last month, I took a course with Margie Lawson called Defeating Self-Defeating Behaviors, which I would recommend to anyone. Margie might have geared the course toward writers, but I've already talked a painting/designer friend and my
- [5 Tips To Help Writers Embrace Change](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/02/why-writers-must-embrace-change/) - by Kathryn Craft Turning Whine into Gold Everything’s changing. Yep—that’s a whine all right, and a truth, and the summary of this entire post. Change is as constant in publishing as any other industry impacted by computerization in the past twenty years. But change can be especially hard to grapple with for writers. Here’s why,
- [Chart Your Characters’ Lives On and Off the Page](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/02/chart-your-characters-lives-on-and-off-the-page/) - by James Preston The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand. -- Sun Tzu First, thanks for having me back. I really enjoy these opportunities to talk about our work. About this entry -- If you have
- [Who Needs Secondary Characters?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/02/who-needs-secondary-characters/) - By Laura Drake I don’t know about you, but I can’t write a book without secondary characters. Yes, I’ve read books without them (or ones where they had tiny roles), but I can’t write that way. I mean, where would The Lion King be without the hyenas? Where would Westley be without Fezzik? (or Billy
- [10 Dialogue Tips To Make Your Novel Shine](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/ten-dialogue-tips/) - By Shannon Donnelly Great dialogue can make or break a novel. This view may stem from growing up watching a lot of 1930’s screwball comedies. Zingers fly with rapid fire and everyone talks. A lot. But the importance of dialogue really sank in when I wrote A Proper Mistress. I went for a lot of dialogue
- [What's Love Got to Do with It? - Part Two](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-part-two/) - by Fae Rowen This post isn't just for romance writers. As a genre fiction writer you know that to be drawn into your story, your readers have to care about your characters. This is true of all genres-women's fiction, historical, mystery, thriller, science fiction and all the rest, including the new "hybrid genres." As authors, we
- [How to be an Agent's 'Dream Client'](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/10080/) - By Chuck Sambuchino How does a literary agent define their “ideal client”? The question is extremely important because it’s one that factors into an agent’s mindset before and after they sign you. If an agent has read your complete novel or book proposal and wants to sign you, the next step is almost always to
- [Beat Sheets: For Plotters, Pantsers, and Technophobes](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/beat-sheets-and-excel-with-jami-gold/) - by Jami Gold If you’ve heard of beat sheets before, you might have heard about complicated forms or spreadsheets. I don’t know about you, but I don’t do math. Heck, I write my stories by the seat of my pants, so something that forces me to draft in a regimented way doesn’t appeal to me
- [Using the Seasons to Fix a Blah Setting](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/using-the-seasons-to-fix-a-blah-setting/) - By Orly Konig Lopez Quick … what’s your favorite season? Why? Mine is summer. I love the laid back feeling that comes with long, hot days, the smell of fresh cut grass, the sound of sprinklers. Each of us connects with the seasons in a different way. A particular season may trigger certain memories or
- [Copyright Registration – In the Contract and Beyond](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/copyright-registration-in-the-contract-beyond/) - By Susan Spann Today, we’ll continue the #PubLaw guest series on Copyright in the Contract with a look at copyright registration. As I mentioned in last month’s post (you can read it HERE), copyright protection is automatic and attaches to qualifying works (like novels) at the time of creation. Formal registration is not required to
- [Ten Tips for Writing a Short Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/ten-tips-for-writing-a-short-story/) - By Lyn Horner I’m a regular follower of the Western Romance Writers Please Post Here #2 discussion on Amazon’s Meet Our Authors forum. In late 2013, fifteen authors, including myself, agreed to put together an anthology of short stories intended to give readers a sample of each one’s writing style. Rawhide ʼn Roses.(A Western Romance
- [Crossing the Psychological Barrier: There's More to Writing than Meets the Fist](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/crossing-the-psychological-barrier-more-to-writing-than-meets-the-fist/) - The winner of Tiffany's drawing last month is Patrick as determined by Random.org. Congratulations, Tiffany is waiting for you to contact her with your information. By Tiffany Lawson Inman Action is reaction. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I’ve hammered in a few times the simple fact that action and suspense are made up of action
- [10 Tips for Writing Children and a Descriptive List](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/10-tips-for-writing-children-and-a-descriptive-list/) - By Sharla Rae Writing children into our stories can be both fun and dramatic, especially when using them as foils for our main characters. But if it’s been a few years since you’ve interacted with them personally, it’s easy to become out of touch with their world. You’ll find a few references to teens in
- [Do You Dream of Being an Organized Writer?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/do-you-dream-of-being-an-organized-writer/) - by Jenny Hansen I dream of being an organized person, but being an organized writer would be even better. I'm popping in here on a Sunday, so excited to have found my shortcut to organization, that I had to share! Awhile back, I did a post here at WITS called 10 OneNote Features That Will
- [Who Are Literary Agents and Editors Anyway?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/who-are-literary-agents-and-editors-anway-turning-whine-into-gold/) - by Kathryn Craft Turning Whine into Gold In response to a tweet promoting a recent Twitter submission event, I received the following response: “To put it delicately, f*** the agents and editors. Never pander to what they're looking for.” (Asterisks mine.) I would like to thank this “delicate” tweeter. His 92-character comment is so chock
- [Margie-Rule # 1: Never Take Any Word for Granted](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/margie-rule-1-never-take-any-word-for-granted/) - Hot News Flash! Multi multi Margie Grad, Laura Drake, has just been announced as a double RITA Finalist (for those who don't know, that's the Oscars for Romance)! See what a little Margie can do? By Margie LawsonA big THANK YOU to Laura Drake and Fae Rowen for inviting me on WITS , and hugs to
- [How to Avoid the Dreaded Dialogue Tag](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/how-to-avoid-the-dreaded-dialog-tag/) - by Laura Drake Okay, I admit it. I’m prejudiced against dialogue tags. Yes, I know they say, ‘He said/she said’ are invisible to the reader. They're not to me. Even if you don’t share my pet peeve, why settle for something so boring? You write a sparkling line of dialogue, and slap ‘he said’ on
- [Achieving Work-Life Balance...A Story of Balls](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/03/achieving-work-life-balance-a-story-of-balls/) - During weeks like this, when I'm juggling a lot of commitments, I think a lot about work-life balance and how freaking hard it is to achieve. I got some perspective from a very unexpected source recently. I got my epiphany at work. Many of you know that I do adult education by day and I currently
- [What's Love Got to Do with It-Part Three](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-part-three/) - by Fae Rowen If you missed Part One or Part Two in this series on developing a character arc through believable backstory, no problem. Click on the part you missed to get caught up. Do you have a character whose arc has flatlined? Maybe you aren't using all of your character's backstory, so instead of
- [The Things They Carry: Creating a Mobile Sanctuary for your Characters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/the-things-they-carry-creating-a-mobile-sanctuary-for-your-characters/) - by Jessica Topper She keeps a lock of hair in her pocket She wears a cross around her neck Yes, the hair is from a little boy And the cross is someone she has not met Not yet This verse from The Black Crowes’ “She Talks To Angels” always stops me in my tracks. Even
- [A Synopsis Checklist](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/a-synopsis-checklist/) - by Shannon Donnelly Years ago I was struggling to try and figure out how to write a synopsis. It took a lot of input from other writers, and some workshops, but I finally became comfortable with syopsis writing—and now it’s one of my favorite tools. I’m now doing my “Sexy Synopsis workshop again for Outreach
- [Sharing the Love at Writers In The Storm](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/sharing-the-love-at-writers-in-the-storm/) - We’re excited to announce that Writers In The Storm was named in the 15th Annual Writer's Digest "101 Top Blogs for Writers" list! And to show our thanks to our amazing guest bloggers and readers, we're throwing open the comments today for a little “Pimp and Promote.” How does this work? To quote Genie in Aladdin, "There are
- [Hunting Down A Sleuth: Creating a Crime-Solver Readers Will Love](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/hunting-down-a-sleuth-creating-a-crime-solver-readers-will-love/) - by Susan Spann Sherlock Holmes. Jane Marple. Jack Reacher. Three famous names with something important in common … aside from the fact that each of them solves crimes in mystery or thriller novels. What is this common element? Readers love them. The key to writing successful mysteries and thrillers doesn’t lie in careful plotting, clever
- [Performing Your Book](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/performing-your-book/) - By Barbara Claypole White Before the launch of my debut novel, THE UNFINISHED GARDEN, I lost 5lbs to performance terror. Painfully shy as a teenager, my mother and music teacher once had to conspire to sneak Valium backstage so I could perform a solo in the high school band. (It’s okay, we’re talking about the
- [When You’re Stuck, Relax](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/when-youre-stuck-relax/) - by Orly Konig-Lopez Last week my husband convinced me to go on a bike ride with him. My road bike has been in the basement on a trainer for well over a year. To say I was a bit nervous is an understatement. After all, in the basement I don’t have to worry about becoming
- [Do You Know Your Novel's Theme?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/do-you-know-your-novels-theme/) - By Janice Hardy Theme is an often misunderstood and underused aspect of a novel. Years of English classes have made us think that theme is something reserved for literary novels or stories with deep, meaningful messages, not for commercial fiction and good old fashioned stories. Total bunk. Theme is a highly useful part of any
- [Down but Not Out: Finding Inspiration and Moving Forward](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/down-but-not-out-finding-inspiration-and-moving-forward/) - By Michelle Gable Earlier this year you might’ve read about the Parisian flat left abandoned for the better part of a century. Though photographs of the frozen-in-time apartment went viral only recently, I read about the discovery several years ago and it inspired my debut novel A PARIS APARTMENT. It was late in 2010, on
- [Using A Crowd To Create Tension In Your Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/using-a-crowd-to-create-tension-in-your-story/) - By Sharla Rae Personally, I dread crowds. They make me feel a bit claustrophobic and oh, the noise! Perhaps this comes from working in my nice quiet office all day; I don’t know. I strive to hit a mall or grocery store on weekdays and not at end of the day when hungry, tired, short-tempered
- [Unleash Your Inner Writing Child: Word - Play](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/word-play/) - By Laura Drake Think back. Waaaay back, to when you first decided you wanted to write. You sat down, maybe at a computer, maybe with a pen and napkin, or even (in my case) on the back of a motorcycle, and wove a story in your head. Remember how excited you were? Everything seemed possible.
- [5 Steps Toward Your Truest Contribution](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/5-steps-toward-your-truest-contribution/) - By Kathryn Craft Turning Whine Into Gold The lament of the modern author, whose writing must now compete for purchase with every other book, from classics like the Iliad to the newest self-published odyssey, all of which will now be preserved digitally for all time: how do you add to that in any significant way?
- [4 Tips for the Care and Feeding of Dead Blogs](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/04/4-tips-for-the-care-and-feeding-of-dead-blogs/) - by Sierra Godfrey Remember when you started your blog? Maybe you were an unpublished writer and fellow unpublished writers followed your trials with you, cheered you when you got an agent and a book contract, and then became readers. Maybe you’re still unpublished but your focus has changed. Maybe your career was already in full
- [Classifying Your Book: How to Research & Target Literary Agents](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/classifying-your-book-how-to-research-target-literary-agents/) - By Chuck Sambuchino Once your book is finished, it’s time to start submitting to agents. For this, a simple first step is to create a new Microsoft Word or Excel document so you can keep detailed track of your submissions, target agents, resource materials, and more. The document will help you personalize query letters, find more
- [4 Pieces of Facebook Advice You Can Ignore](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/4-pieces-of-facebook-advice-you-can-ignore/) - What to do? Facebook has changed – again. There’s more competition than ever for reader attention. Writers are frustrated and it’s easy to understand why. How do you build a business when the goal posts for success keep moving? What’s the point? Facebook is probably the slowest platform to build an audience on, and shooting yourself in the foot by listening to bad advice only makes it more difficult.
- [Skimming: Never a Good Thing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/skimming-never-a-good-thing/) - by Fae Rowen Skimming is defined as a crime. Well, it is. If you skim money from your job, you’re going to jail. Or worse depending on whom you work for. Skimming is also defined as removing floating matter from a liquid. Can you say pond scum? The third definition says, “To pass lightly and
- [Dr. Watson, I Presume? The Importance of Killer Sidekicks](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/dr-watson-i-presume-the-importance-of-killer-sidekicks/) - by Susan Spann, @SusanSpann Whether you write detective fiction, romance, historical novels or fantasy epics, a lone protagonist never receives as great a reaction as one with a well-developed supporting cast. Foils serve to reinforce and highlight the hero’s good (and bad) characteristics, and also give the protagonist a chance to shine outside the primary narrative.
- [5 Tips for Effective Author Marketing: Small is the New Big](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/author-marketing-small-is-the-new-big/) - by Lynda Bouchard What can an author learn from a pair of Spanx? A lot. I was in a mall last week with my aunt and, as we walked through the pantyhose department, I noticed that one brand stood out. Spanx. How Spanx got noticed and the unique marketing of this product is a brilliant lesson for all authors. Small is the new big.
- [Unforgettable Writing: Use all 5 Senses to Add Emotion](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/unforgettable-writing-all-5-senses-add-emotion/) - by Orly Konig-Lopez, @OrlyKonigLopez The other day I finished a book and when my husband asked if it was good, my answer was a rather drawn out, “Yeeaaahhhh.” The story was interesting and the author had a pleasant, easy style. She’d done a nice job of showing me what the rooms looked like, what the
- [Character Eye Descriptions: The Window to Your Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/eyes-windows-into-a-characters-soul/) - By Sharla Rae, @SharlaWrites If poets are to be believed, eyes are the windows to the soul. Rather than using clichéd or common descriptions, why not use "explicit" eye descriptions to give your reader a real peek into a character’s psyche? I’ll touch on eye color, movement, and appearance and, of course, I have some helpful lists
- [The No-Stress Way To Create Your Story's Logline](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/drama-belongs-in-your-logline-not-in-its-creation/) - by Laura Drake @PBRWriter I love loglines. There’s no better feeling than pulling together words that capture the spirit of your book in a perfect, compelling way. I teach a submissions class for the Lawson Writer's Academy and find that loglines are a major source of stress for my students. Have you ever noticed that loglines
- [Want To Write Like a Best Seller? Write Naked First!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/write-like-a-best-seller-tiffany-inman/) - by Tiffany Lawson Inman, @NakedEditor There it is. LARGE bold print peering out at me from underneath the Life and Home section….THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLERS LIST, nagging me to grab my Kindle and start downloading fabulous fiction at lightning speed. Sounds magical, doesn’t it? Right now I’m talking about that list. You know
- [10 Reasons Why You Should Know How To Format Ebooks](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/10-reasons-why-you-should-know-how-to-format-ebooks/) - By Kait Nolan, @kaitnolan I’ve been around since the fairly early days of self publishing. My first ebook went live in early 2010. Since then, the market has exploded and a thousand things have changed. Something that’s true this month may not be true the next. But two things have remained more or less constant:
- [Writing Agreement # 1: Be Impeccable with Your Word](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/be-impeccable-with-your-word/) - Turning Whine into Gold By Kathryn Craft, @KCraftWriter Last year, Janice Gable Bashman and I co-wrote an article for Writer’s Digest Magazine, The 7 Deadly Sins of Self-Editing, that turned out to be quite popular. Apparently sinning resonated with writers (go figure!) who recognized that greed, lust, gluttony, pride, sloth, envy, and wrath might be
- [Do You Know How To Edit AND Proofread Your Story?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/proofing-and-editing-equals-great-story/) - by Jenny Hansen, @JennyHansenCA Editing and Proofreading: Two separate processes that equal one great story. Like most writers, I hang out with a boatload of other writers. Still, I never saw much of other peoples’ works in progress until I coordinated a contest several years ago. Coordinating contests changed the way I see writing. Period. It was
- [Margie's Rule # 2: Write the Hard Stuff -- Facial Expressions](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/margies-rule-2-write-the-hard-stuff-facial-expressions/) - by Margie Lawson, @MargieLawson If you watch NCIS, you know Jethro Gibbs, aka Mark Harmon, has rules. Fifty-plus rules. My next fifteen (or fifty) blogs will feature a different Margie-Rule for writers. [Click here for Margie's Rule #1: Never Take Any Word for Granted.] Margie’s Rule #2: Write the Hard Stuff: Facial Expressions Write the
- [6 Reasons to Write a Short Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/05/6-reasons-to-write-a-short-story/) - Happy Friday to all our friends here at WITS! We're doing some extra special posts this week as an advance thank you for helping us migrate to our new site next week. All will be unveiled on Monday! Today our pal, Julie Glover, is here. *Jenny jumps up and down* Here's an example of why
- [Writers In The Storm is Having a MOVING PARTY!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/moving-party-2/) - We're kicking off the new site with tons of giveaways and resources for our readers.
- [Writing Contests -- Hell or Heaven?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/contests-hell-or-heaven/) - Writing contests from both the judging and entrant viewpoints. This post will help you consider whether entering contests is for you.
- [Novel Diagnostics---How to Tell if Your Book Might Have Terminal Problems in TEN Pages](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/novel-diagnostics-how-to-tell-if-your-book-might-have-terminal-problems-in-ten-pages-2/) - How to tell if your book has terminal issues in the first ten pages
- [How to Create an Online Writing Community - and Virtual Hugs](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/on-creating-online-writing-communities-and-virtual-hugs/) - How to Create an Online Writing Community
- [4 Tricks to Trapping the Elusive Motivation](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/4-tricks-to-trapping-the-elusive-motivation/) - Finding the motivation to write when everything else looks like much more fun.
- [How to Find Your Perfect Agent Match](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/12545/) - Things to consider when researching literary agents
- [Write Your Own Happy Ending with Scrivener](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/write-your-own-happy-ending-with-scrivener/) - Scrivener, a writer's tool, is the best out there.
- [The Secret Weapon of YA/NA Writers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/the-secret-weapon-of-yana-writers/) - Tiffany Lawson Inman Summer is the perfect setting for first time love. I’m pretty sure everyone, EVERYONE, had a summer love, fling, crush, or even just a sweet moment at some point in their lives. The unrequited variety counts too, because you did in fact feel that way for the first time. And for those
- [How Emotional Peril Keeps Readers Reading](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/how-emotional-peril-keeps-readers-reading/) - Using emotional peril to keep your readers reading.
- [Writing Agreement # 2: Don't Take it Personally](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/12602/) - Kathryn Craft Turning Whine into Gold Continuing to mine Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements for wisdom applicable to writers, we come to number two—and it’s a doozy. Don’t take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When
- [Margie’s Rule # 3: Lock in the Emotional Set](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/margies-rule-3-lock-in-the-emotional-set/) - Margie Lawson If you are an NCIS fan, you know about Jethro Gibbs’ fifty-plus rules. I want to be as cool as Jethro Gibbs. This blog features my third Margie-Rule for writers. Margie’s Rule # 3: Lock in the Emotional Set My term, Emotional Set, refers to the mood of the scene. Writers know the
- [Instant Inspiration](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/instant-inspiration/) - Quotes on writing
- [Sexual Tension: It's all in your head](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/06/sexual-tension-its-all-in-your-head/) - How to write convincing sexual tension
- [Writing Spies: Truths of Spycraft You Don't See in Fiction](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/truths-of-spycraft-you-dont-see-in-fiction/) - Piper Bayard We don't often discuss thrillers and spies here at Writers In The Storm because none of us has any experience writing them. We jumped at the chance to have Piper Bayard visit us. If you've ever been to the Bayard & Holmes blog, you'll know that she's well qualified to write on the topic.
- [Submission Tip Checklist: Double-Check These 16 Things Before Sending Your Book Out](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/submission-tip-checklist-double-check-these-16-things-before-sending-your-book-out/) - Chuck Sambuchino shares sixteen tips for professional submissions.
- [Unblocking Yourself: Ten Ways to Beat Writer's Block](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/unblocking-yourself-ten-ways-to-beat-writers-block/) - Shannon Donnelly shares ten practical tips to unblock your writing.
- [What I Learned About Submissions as a Reader for an Agent](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/what-i-learned-about-submissions-as-a-reader-for-an-agent/) - Lessons learned while reading for an agent.
- [What Should an Author Expect from an Agent?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/what-should-an-author-expect-from-an-agent/) - Do you have reasonable expectations for what your agent should do for you? Susan Spann had tips for finding the right agent for you.
- [Four Secrets of a Writing Contest Judge](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/four-secrets-of-a-writing-contest-judge/) - Fae Rowen shares secrets of a writing contest judge.
- [Small Edits Can Make a BIG Difference](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/small-edits-can-make-a-big-difference/) - Before and after edits and analysis by Laura Drake
- [Writing About Hair: The Thick and Thin of Descriptions](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/writing-about-hair-the-thick-and-thin-of-descriptions/) - Writing about the hair on your character's head sometimes gets boring. This post gives ideas about color, length, style AND how hair illuminates character.
- [Let’s Get Down To It—Writing the Sex Scene](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/lets-get-down-to-it-writing-the-sex-scene/) - Nine tips provide help for writers to craft a sex scene.
- [5+ Tips to Keep You Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/five-plus-tips-to-keep-you-writing/) - James Preston helps writers discover the importance of understanding why they write.
- [Time Management Secret: "YES Makes Less"](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/time-management-for-writers-yes-makes-less/) - The best-kept secret for time management: "Yes makes less." I guarantee it will become your new favorite motto!
- [Writing Agreement # 3: Don’t Make Assumptions](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/writer-agreement-3-dont-make-assumptions/) - Don’t Make Assumptions. Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. With just this small change, you can transform your life.
- [7 Tips for Keeping Your Author Website Fresh](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/7-tips-for-keeping-your-author-website-fresh/) - Website designer Sierra Godfrey shares seven tips for authors to keep their websites fresh.
- [Writer Inspiration: Climbing Over The Brick Wall](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/the-purpose-of-walls-writer-inspiration/) - My favorite quote is from Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture (if you haven’t read that small book, you should - it’s incredibly inspiring). “The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we
- [Writing What You Know Is The Best Revenge](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/writing-what-you-know-is-the-best-revenge/) - Using real life to write fiction, how it's done.
- [Thirteen (Lucky) Golden Lines from RWA14](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/thirteen-lucky-golden-lines-from-rwa14/) - Fae Rowen shares the best of writing tips from sessions at the RWA14 conference.
- [How Bad Can One Page Be? The Hidden Dangers in Short-Form Contracts](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/how-bad-can-one-page-be-the-hidden-dangers-in-short-form-contracts/) - A cautionary article on literary short-form contracts and provisions many of them don't include.
- [10 Bits of Stellar Writing Advice from J.R.R. Tolkien](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/10-bits-of-stellar-writing-advice-from-j-r-r-tolkien/) - Tolkien never expected his books to do more than line the trash heap. Here's great tips from a man who wrote for the joy of it, and never gave up.
- [5 Tips for a Do-it Yourself Writers Retreat](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/5-tips-for-a-do-it-yourself-retreat/) - Five steps to creating a stay-at-home writing retreat.
- [Writing Paranormal, Science Fiction, and Fantasy Romance](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/writing-paranormal-science-fiction-and-fantasy-romances/) - Great tips for writing all types of speculative fiction - focused on the romance genre, but applicable to all.
- [Are Your Characters Stylin'? Descriptive Fashion Phrases and Terms](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/writing-about-fashion-sharla-rae/) - Clothes, and their condition, are a great way to sneak in character description. Here's a cheat sheet to make sure you don't sound like a fashion magazine.
- [Braiding Your Book's Three Parts](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/braiding-your-books-three-parts/) - Laurie Schnebly When you think about the three elements needed to braid your story together, you probably think of plot and character first. That makes sense. If you had to write a book using just those two items, you could do a pretty good job of keeping it interesting and entertaining. Sure, readers might be
- [Margie's Rule # 4: Add Power To Blah](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/margies-rule-4-add-power-to-blah/) - NCIS hottie, Jethro Gibbs, has rules. Smart rules. Our rule today: Add power to blah. No one wants to read "blah." Here's 5 examples showing how to give blah the boot.
- [Writing Agreement # 4: Always Do Your Best](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/writing-agreement-4-always-do-your-best/) - Doing your best is very different than perfectionism. If you’re a perfectionist, your life is all about self-judgment, self-abuse and regret. This series rocks!
- [A Trick For Plotters & Pantsers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/a-trick-for-plotters-pantsers/) - Whether you plot extensively or write the by the seat of your pants, this trick will help you keep track of your story.
- [Book Pregnant: The Five Stages of 'Birthing a Story'](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/08/book-pregnant/) - How writing a book is like being pregnant
- [A September What's-In-Your-Chapter Writing Challenge](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/a-september-whats-in-your-chapter-writing-challenge/) - We're having a bit of fun with a special 9/1 writing challenge for our WITS readers
- [The Ultimate Writers’ Guide to Twitter Pitch Contests](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/the-ultimate-writers-guide-to-twitter-pitch-contests/) - Literary agent Carly Watters shares tips for success with twitter pitch contests.
- [How to Pitch Your Self-Published Book to an Agent](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/how-to-pitch-your-self-published-book-to-an-agent/) - Chuck Sambuchino shares tips on pitching a self-published book to an agent
- [4 Unexpected Writing Lessons from the Galapagos Islands](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/4-unexpected-writing-lessons-from-the-galapagos-islands/) - 4 Unexpected Writing Lessons from the Galapagos Islands
- [Six Steps to Writing Success](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/six-steps-to-writing-success/) - Six steps to writing success
- [Grant of Rights … or Wrongs?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/grant-of-rights-or-wrongs/) - Six common characteristics authors should look for (and some to avoid) in grants of rights
- [An Old Soul’s Guide to Uncovering Your Characters’ Deepest Secrets](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/an-old-souls-guide-to-uncovering-your-characters-deepest-secrets/) - The "old school" way of getting to know your characters' deepest secrets.
- [Margie’s Rule #5: If the Hyphenated-Run-On Fits…](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/margies-rule-5-if-the-hyphenated-run-on-fits/) - Using the hyphenated-run-on to make the mundane more interesting,
- [The Benefits of Doing an Editorial Map](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/the-benefits-of-doing-an-editorial-map/) - Janice Hardy offers 5 tips for creating an editorial map to help during the revision process.
- [When Rejection is Necessary, or I Reject All the Fear](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/when-rejection-is-necessary-or-i-reject-all-the-fear/) - Heather Webb has some tips on getting past the fear of pushing the envelope and playing it safe.
- [NaNoWriMo Prep: Brainstorming the Hero Before You Start Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/nanowrimo-prep-brainstorming-the-hero-before-you-start-writing/) - Angela Ackerman provides helpful prep tips for getting to know your character before diving in for NaNoWriMo
- [Use Adverbs "Consciously" To Make Your Writing Strong](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/adverb-adverse/) - Editing adverbs
- [You Did Me Wrong—Right?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/09/you-did-me-wrong-right/) - Kathryn Craft has suggestions on turning negativity into something positive before getting on social media.
- [How to Show Up for the Best Job Ever](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/best-job-ever/) - Fae Rowen offers strategies for a successful writing career.
- [Social Media: Make the Most of Your Six Seconds](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/social-media-make-the-most-of-your-six-seconds/) - You get two inches, or six seconds, to make your first impression. Hook people quick, or they’re moving on. Here are four easy tips that will help.
- [6 Ways To Know You've Written the Perfect Ending](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/beginnings-to-endings/) - How To Write Satisfying Endings
- [Plotting for Pantsers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/plotting-for-pantsers/) - Tips for pantsers on plotting out revisions.
- [Grant of Rights . . . Or Wrongs?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/grant-of-rights-or-wrongs-2/) - Description of usual rights granted, and what to watch for.
- [NANOWRIMO Prep: Get The Set Pieces Down](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/nanowrimo-prep-get-the-set-pieces-down/) - Getting plot pieces down. NaNoWriMo prep
- [An Author's Assistant - Do You Need One?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/authors-assistant-do-you-need-one/) - Interview with an author and her assistant
- [Make Your Self-Published Content Work Harder for You](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/make-your-content-work-harder-for-you/) - Elizabeth S. CraigWhen writers offer other authors’ advice about generating more income, the advice inevitably is, “Write a lot of good books.” Although it’s true that volume is key to visibility in an increasingly crowded book market, there’s another way to gain visibility—offering our content, our books, in a variety of marketplaces. While working to
- [Your Publishing Career: it’s all about choices](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/your-publishing-career-its-all-about-choices/) - You always have a choice in today's publishing environment. What to do when you have choice.
- [An Agent’s Take on Hybrid Authors](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/an-agents-take-on-hybrid-authors/) - An agent discusses hybrid authors from an agent's point of view
- [I Am Not My Book](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/15703/) - Surviving reviews with your ego and creativity intact.
- [Diving Deep into Deep Point of View](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/diving-deep-into-deep-point-of-view/) - How to use deep POV to make your reader forget they're reading.
- [Branding for the Multi-Career Author](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/branding-for-the-multi-career-author/) - How does the multi-career author handle branding?
- [Cadence - Writer's Glue](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/cadence-writers-glue/) - Examples of how to use cadence
- [5 Signs You Have the Dreaded "Turkey Block"](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/11/5-signs-you-have-the-dreaded-turkey-block/) - For those of you who are unfamiliar with this malady, it's like writer's block...only instead of a fear of the page, it's a fear of the bird.
- [“Nesting” for Writers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/11/nesting-for-writers/) - Tips on simplifying your writing life and making more time to write.
- [2014 “Worst Storyline Ever” Contest](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/11/2014-worst-storyline-ever-contest/) - Welcome to the Worst Storyline Ever Contest, a competition that encourages terrible loglines. If you’ve got a horrible idea for a story, Chuck wants to hear it!
- [Margie’s Rule # 6:  Make Your Opening Pop!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/11/margies-rule-6-make-your-opening-pop/) - Two invaluable lists from writing instructor, Margie Lawson: 1) Top Ten Reasons Why Agents and Editors Stop Reading, and (2) Top Ten Checklist for Openings.
- [Three Gold Nuggets for Plotting from Everyday Life](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/11/three-gold-nuggets-for-plotting-from-everyday-life/) - Fae Rowen shares how to use every day life to generate plots and characters.
- [Sometimes, Two Rights… Make a Wrong](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/11/publishing-grant-of-rights-susan-spann/) - This post covers the high points of some very important contract pitfalls regarding author's "grants of rights."
- [Writing Spies: How the Pros Bug](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/11/writing-spies-insider-tips-on-how-the-pros-bug/) - If you write about covert operatives, you'll love these insider tips on writing believable spies by Bayard & Holmes. Here's insider how-to on planting "bugs."
- [Writerly Gratitude: What's On Your List?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/11/writers-give-thanks/) - Writing is hard. It's easy to get caught up in negativity. It's important to step back now and again and be thankful.
- [The 12 Best Hashtags for Writers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/11/12-best-hashtags-for-writers/) - Hashtags on Twitter do more than just build our author platform - they can be learning tools, provide inspiration, and help us keep up-to-date on the industry.
- [A Recipe for Fear—and its Antidote](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/11/a-recipe-for-fear-and-its-antidote/) - Fear can waylay even the most intrepid writer. Kathryn Craft talks about this confidence-rattling emotion, and its antidote.
- [4 Tips for Working With Book Bloggers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/11/4-tips-for-working-with-book-bloggers/) - You have a new book coming out and not much of a marketing budget. What on earth can you do to get the word out about your book? Book bloggers!
- [6 Ways to Jump on Holiday Sales](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/11/6-ways-to-jump-on-holiday-book-sales/) - While it’s late in the season to be thinking of your holiday marketing strategy, here are six great things you can still do to nudge sales in your favor.
- [Writing Conference Wisdom: A Whirlwind of Speed Dating](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/conference-tips-or-hey-i-know-you/) - James Preston shares conference tips and the writing life.
- [NaNoWriMo: Now What?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/nanowrimo-now-what/) - Tiffany Yates Martin shares tips on macro-editing your novel.
- [Margie’s Rule # 7: Get Fresh!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/margies-rule-7-get-fresh/) - Margie Lawson shares examples of "fresh" writing that sell. She includes her deep edit analyzes to help authors identify fresh writing techniques.
- [Why Social Media Is Central to your Writing Career](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/why-social-media-is-central-to-your-writing-career/) - NYT Bestseller, Laura Kaye offers strategies for changing writers views about the "evils" of social media.
- [The Best Exercise for Writers Is. . .Reading](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/the-best-exercise-for-writers-reading/) - A look at the different types of reading to exercise your writer's mind.
- [The Copyright Naughty List](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/the-copyright-naughty-list/) - Susan Spann shares her Copyright Naughty List, alerting writers to possible infringements around the holidays.
- [Are You Ready to Query? ](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/are-you-ready-to-query/) - Julie Glover shares five questions to help authors determine if they are ready to query a manuscript.
- [Gifts That Matter: What Writers Need Most This Christmas](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/gifts-that-matter-what-writers-need-most-this-christmas/) - Angela Ackerman shares three tips to inspire your writing in 2015.
- [A Fun Exercise for Getting Out of a Writing Rut](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/a-fun-exercise-for-getting-out-of-a-writing-rut/) - Janice Hardy shares ways to look at your story from a variety of new ways.
- [Belt Rankings for Writers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/belt-rankings-for-writers/) - Kathryn Craft compares a writer's growth to moving through martial arts belts.
- ["Pimp and Promote" Gift Exchange](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/pimp-and-promote-gift-exchange/) - Readers are invited to share other's books, articles, or classes that are incredible, as well as their own work.
- [The Perils of Writing in Public](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/public-writing-perils/) - Funny, embarrassing stories from authors writing in public
- [Break All the Rules](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/break-all-the-rules/) - Sherry Thomas shares examples of when to break three writing rules.
- [Why Every Writer Should Be "Swayed"](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/12/the-new-free-program-every-writer-can-use/) - When I told Laura Drake about Microsoft Sway, she agreed: Every writer needs it. Think of it as a digital scrapbook for easy book trailers or storyboarding.
- [Writing Process Throwdown: Orly’s Way](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/process-throwdown-orlys-way/) - Writers always seem to have a bit of process envy. Orly Konig-Lopez talks about her process as a "pantser with suspenders."
- [7 Tips for Balancing Backstory](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/7-tips-for-balancing-backstory/) - Shannon Donnelly provides 7 helpful tips for finding the right balance with backstory.
- [Writing Process Throwdown: Fae's Way](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/writing-process-throwdown-faes-way/) - Fae Rowen details her writing process.
- [Writing Lessons From a Baby Seahorse](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/writing-lessons-from-a-baby-seahorse/) - Susan Spann shares 5 lessons seahorse-keeping has taught her that applies to writing.
- [On Writing: Being Nestless](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/on-writing-being-nestless/) - Author Kimberly Brock shares a story of writing, losing faith, and finding that safe nest to begin writing again.
- [Writing Process Throwdown: Jenny's Story Quilting](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/writing-process-throwdown-jennys-story-quilting/) - Jenny Hansen contributes to the latest Writers In The Storm "throwdown" with a rundown of her own non-linear writing process: Story Quilting.
- [4 Steps to Happy Writing Productivity](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/4-steps-to-happy-writing-productivity/) - Jamie Raintree offers 4 steps to think about incorporating into your writing routine for happy productivity in 2015.
- [How My Writing Destroys Me](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/how-my-writing-destroys-me/) - Steena Holmes talks about writing emotionally charged novels and the toll they take on her as an author.
- [Digesting Criticism & What To Do Next](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/digesting-criticism-what-to-do-next/) - Heather Webb provides some helpful advice on receiving criticism and making it work for you.
- [4 Ways Besides Query Letters You Can Contact Literary Agents](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/4-ways-besides-query-letters-you-can-contact-literary-agents/) - Chuck Sambuchino outlines 4 ways besides query letters of getting your work in front of literary agents.
- [Permission to Quit: Granted](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/permission-to-quit-granted/) - When pressure mounts and whining takes cover, Kathryn Craft says giving yourself permission to walk away can help you fall in love with your writing again.
- [Research trips: No passport required](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/research-secrets/) - Sierra Godfrey offers research tips when your characters need to travel to far off locales.
- [The Art of Collaboration](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/01/the-art-of-collaboration/) - Imagine writing a novel with a partner. Now imagine that partner is your spouse. David Teague and Marisa de los Santos talk about their collaboration process.
- [7 Secrets to Selling More Books at Events](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/02/7-secrets-to-selling-more-books-at-events/) - Author marketing guru, Penny Sansevieri, offers 7 tips to help amp up the sales (and the fun) at your next book event.
- [Writing Process Throwdown: A Mess in My Pants](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/02/process-throwdown-laura-a-mess-in-my-pants/) - Last in a four-part comparison of writing processes.
- [Margie’s Rule # 8:  Beware of Writerly!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/02/margies-rule-8-beware-of-writerly/) - Writing instructor extraordinaire, Margie Lawson, talks about writing that sounds more like the writer than the character...and how you can avoid it!
- [Persistence Pays: For Indie or Traditional Publishing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/02/persistence-pays-for-indie-or-trad-publishing/) - Hybrid author, Holly Robinson, straddles the worlds of Indie and traditional publishing. She answers the oft-asked question: “Which do you like better?”
- [3 Steps to Conquering "Writing Challenge Addiction"](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/02/the-three-step-approach-to-conquering-a-challenge-addiction/) - Orly Konig-Lopez offers a few suggestions on how to enjoy and succeed with writing challenges.
- [Hogwarts vs. the Hindenburg: Copyright Rules for Settings](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/02/susan-spann-copyright-rules-for-settings/) - From Hogwarts to the Hindenburg, learn the copyright rules for scenes and setting from publishing attorney Susan Spann.
- [Desperately Seeking Writing Support?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/02/desperately-seeking-a-writing-team/) - Densie Webb shares where to go for writing support. Includes practical tips on finding critique partners and more.
- [5 Tips For A  Ruthlessly Positive Life](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/02/5-tips-for-a-ruthlessly-positive-life/) - Kennedy Ryan gives five key tips for living a positive writing life. Do you follow them?
- [8 Tips to Outsmart Facebook, Dorothy Parker Style](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/02/dorothy-parker-outsmart-facebook-ellen-meister/) - Ellen Meister shares her tips on making sure your Facebook posts get seen and appreciated by your fans. Check it out!
- [5 Ways to Weather a Creative Winter](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/02/5-ways-to-weather-a-creative-winter/) - What do you do when you're in a "writing void?" Kathryn Craft offers five tips on reorienting.
- [Organize Your Novel With Excel](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/02/organize-your-novel-with-excel/) - Do you long to "see your novel by the numbers?" If so, Laura Drake's method of organizing will change your life.
- [What Is Klout? Do Authors Need It?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/02/what-is-klout-and-do-you-need-it/) - What is Klout and how does it measure social influence? Find out what Klout ISN'T and how to use it to save time on social media.
- [4 (Mostly) Pain-Free Tips for Marketing Your Book](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/18138/) - Non-stressful ideas to help you market your book.
- [Changing It Up-Use the Power of Change in Your Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/changing-it-up/) - Fae Rowen discusses change as a vehicle for deep POV and character revelation.
- [The Social Writer: Ways to Engage Without Living Online](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/the-social-writer-ways-to-engage-without-living-online/) - Where do you go to engage with other writers? Network?
- [Writing Spies:  Which Agency Does What to Who?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/writing-spies-which-agency-does-what-to-who/) - A common writing mistake is confusing the roles and power of U.S. intelligence agencies. This post lays out the who, what and where for the CIA, FBI, DHS & NSA.
- [Keeping a Secret - A Great Backstory Technique](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/keeping-a-secret-great-backstory-technique/) - Effective use of backstory to create a riveting read
- [Protecting Your Copyrights Online](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/protecting-your-copyrights-online/) - Susan Spann, literary attorney, explains how to protect your copyrights, online.
- [Genres Explained: Insights, Tips and Definitions From Literary Agents](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/book-genres-explained-insights-tips-and-definitions-from-literary-agents-2/) - Quotes from literary agents, explaining nuances in genres.
- [You, Storytellers of the Blue World](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/you-of-the-blue-world/) - Kimberly Brock offers beautifully poetic inspiration for writers
- [8 Tips on Writing Faster - and Why You Should Try It](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/8-tips-on-writing-faster-and-why-you-should-try-it/) - 8 tips to write a fast first draft.
- [Writing That Gets Noticed](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/writing-that-gets-noticed/) - Kathryn Craft Turning Whine into Gold Why should anyone pay you for your writing? Few aspiring authors give enough thought to answering this question. It is your key to effective marketing, yet many writers would rather skip the tough questions, whine about discoverability, and resort to gimmicks. Yet I have never bought a novel because
- [Critique Etiquette: The Ultimate Guide for Giving & Receiving Feedback](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/critique-etiquette-the-ultimate-guide-for-giving-receiving-feedback/) - The ultimate guide for giving and receiving writing feedback
- [A Reason to Write](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/a-reason-to-write/) - Orly Konig-Lopez gives her reason to write: to find out what she feels.
- [How You Can Help Your Favorite Authors](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/03/how-you-can-help-your-favorite-authors/) - Ten surefire, easy and FREE ways to help your favorite authors sell more books.
- [How to Write With Your Right Brain](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/right-braining-with-darynda-jones/) - Margie Lawson and Darynda Jones explain the outlining process.
- [Prepare to Write Up A Storm](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/write-up-a-storm/) - Announcement and description of a special writing event on April 20, 2015.
- [Ten Easy Pacing Tips-for Life](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/ten-easy-pacing-tips-for-life/) - Award-winning author Shannon Donnelly shares ten simple ways to help the pacing in your life.
- [Reading as a Writer -- Is It Different?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/reading-as-a-writer-is-it-different/) - James Preston pinpoints how reading is different once you're a writer and shares a list of authors worth reading.
- [Spotting—and Avoiding– “Pay to Play” Publishing Contracts](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/spotting-and-avoiding-pay-to-play-publishing-contracts/) - Susan Spann shares cautions about three ways publishers sometimes try to make authors pay for publishing costs.
- [The Best & Worst Writing Advice](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/the-best-worst-writing-advice/) - Heather Webb shares the best, and the worst, writing advice of her career.
- [Seeking Serenity Amidst Uncertainty](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/seeking-serenity-amidst-uncertainty/) - Vaughn Roycraft shares what he knows--and what he doesn't--about a writer's dilemmas.
- [Write Up a Storm-Six Last Minute Prep Tips](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/write-up-a-storm-six-last-minute-prep-tips/) - Fae Rowen shares tips and links to help you get ready for the Writers in the Storm writing event on Monday, April 23.
- [Write Up A Storm Today!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/write-up-a-storm-today/) - Today is the day! A one-day writing event supporting Writers in the Storm readers in their writing. Word counts posted through the day. Join us!
- [Creating Tension with Lizard-brain Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/creating-tension-with-lizard-brain-writing/) - Tiffany Yates Martin shows how to use your lizard-brain to amp up the tension in your writing.
- [Craft an Exceptional Elevator Pitch](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/craft-an-exceptional-elevator-pitch/) - Penny Sansevieri shares how to craft an exceptional elevator pitch-and why you want one.
- [Making a Difference in the World](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/making-a-difference-in-the-world/) - Kathryn Craft's Turning Whine into Gold series continues with how a writer can "get through" the really bad times by giving back.
- [Author swag and how to swing it](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/04/author-swag-and-how-to-swing-it/) - Sierra Godfrey talks about promotional items for authors.
- [The #HealthyWriter Challenge](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/the-healthywriter/) - Maggie Marr talks about what it took--and takes--to become a #healthywriter.
- [5 Things Becoming a Parent Has Taught Me About Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/5-things-becoming-a-parent-has-taught-me-about-writing/) - Jessica Strawser on what becoming a parent has taught her about writing
- [Choosing the right story to write](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/choosing-the-right-story-to-write/) - Sometimes you pick the story you want to write, and sometimes the story picks you.
- [The Benefits of Mentorship in Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/the-benefits-of-mentorship-in-writing/) - Susan Spann shares some surprising benefits mentors receive when helping aspiring writers.
- [Can We Balance Strong Yet Vulnerable Characters?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/can-we-balance-strong-yet-vulnerable-characters/) - Find balance in your main characters, learn how to keep protagonists heroic yet relatable and avoid the clichés about what a "strong character" means.
- [11 Things To Do When You Just CAN'T Write](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/when-you-just-can-not-write/) - Overcoming grief to get back to writing
- [The Art of the Book Blurb](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/art-of-book-blurb/) - Laurie Schnebly Campbell shares advice on writing a book blurb that will sell your book.
- [4 Signs of an Unhealthy Agent-Author Relationship](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/4-signs-of-an-unhealthy-agent-author-relationship/) - Chuck Sambuchino with 4 signs that it may be time to rethink the relationship with your agent.
- [The Jackass in My Head: Barnyard Lessons From a Rustic Writer’s Retreat](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/the-jackass-in-my-head-barnyard-lessons-from-a-rustic-writers-retreat/) - Kimberly Brock on quieting your inner doubts.
- [Pros & Cons of Skipping Genres](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/pros-cons-of-skipping-genres/) - Laura Drake discusses the pros and cons of writing in two different genres.
- [Disable the Green-Eyed Monster Before it Disables You](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/disable-the-green-eyed-monster-before-it-disables-you/) - Kathryn Craft on conquering envy and staying true to the career path you've chosen.
- [Paths to Publication: The Small Publisher](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/paths-to-publication-the-small-publisher/) - Kate Moretti talks about her decision to go with a small press.
- [Adventures in Genre-land](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/05/adventures-in-genre-land/) - Writing husband and wife team David Teague and Marisa de los Santos on writing multiple genres and what they learned by combining their efforts into a middle grade book.
- [Summer is Coming -- Let's Pimp and Promote!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/summer-is-coming-lets-pimp-and-promote/) - Join Writers In The Storm and their readers for a day of Pimp & Promote (aka shameless self-promotion). Promote something of yours and pimp out someone else!
- [Designing a Book Cover That Tells](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/designing-a-book-cover-that-tells/) - What does your book cover tell potential readers? Learn the backward “6” pattern and how to telegraph the story’s key themes via images, colors and fonts.
- [Are You Sharing Too Much Of The Wrong Thing on Facebook?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/are-you-sharing-too-much-of-the-wrong-thing-on-facebook/) - How much of your own content vs. content from others do you post? Lisa Hall-Wilson answers questions like "profile vs. page" and how to curate the best content.
- [How Actions Determine Character and Arc](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/how-actions-determine-character-and-arc/) - The writer who masters the art and craft of defining their characters through actions is going to be the author whose work gets read. By lots and lots of folks…
- [A Writer’s Summer Break](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/a-writers-summer-break/) - Your kid is out of school for the summer. When are you supposed to write? Rather than breathing into a paper bag, why not schedule a "Writer's Summer Break?"
- [Top 10 Scrivener Features for Writers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/10-best-scrivener-features-for-writers/) - Scrivener expert, Gwen Hernandez, gives ten reasons (okay, ELEVEN) why she threw over the old standby programs for Scrivener, and why she's never going back.
- [Writing Spies:  Finding Bugs – Who, When, and How?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/writing-spies-finding-bugs-who-when-and-how/) - The who, what, how and where of discovering whether a room has been bugged. By senior covert operative, Jay Holmes.
- [Summertime Fiction: Why the Novella Rocks](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/summer-the-season-for-short-fiction/) - Kait Nolan recommends five great (and short) summer reads and gives you the five questions to ask before writing a novella yourself.
- [How Judgmental Are Your Characters?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/how-judgmental-are-your-characters/) - Fiction master Janice Hardy provides four questions to help you get to the meat of your character and make them as judgmental as you need them to be.
- [Embracing Paradox as a Writer](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/embracing-paradox-as-a-writer/) - Kathryn Craft and explains how to embrace the paradox of being a professional writer, weathering today's publishing business, and remaining happy and creative.
- [What Type of Secret Does Your Character Keep?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/what-type-of-secret-does-your-character-keep/) - Readers are drawn in by secrets, clues and the unknown. What secrets are your characters keeping? How do you write them in a believable way?
- [The Difference Between Mistakes and Failure](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/the-difference-between-mistakes-and-failure/) - Writing inspiration to get through the critic in your head.
- [How to Negotiate Like a Pro (Part 1)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/06/how-to-negotiate-like-a-pro-part-1/) - Susan Spann I talk a lot about contracts, here and in other #PubLaw posts. Most authors know that a contract is needed, and many even know what terms to request. However, we don’t talk nearly enough about how to request those terms. Negotiation isn’t a topic most of us learn in school, and many authors
- [How to Tweak an 'Unlikeable’ Character](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/how-to-tweak-an-unlikeable-character/) - Writing craft advice on how to make unlikeable characters compelling
- [Do you write to write? Or write to sell?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/do-you-write-to-write-or-write-to-sell/) - I’m not one of those people who always knew I wanted to become a writer, especially not a fiction writer. I took a couple of creative writing courses during college and grad school out of curiosity. Let’s just say it wasn’t a natural fit. My creative muse laughed her butt off at me with each
- [Tell Better; Show More](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/tell-better-show-more/) - Shannon Donnelly has 7 tips on how to tell better in the right places and show more of the character expressing emotion.
- [Panties or Protein Powder? How to Tighten a Saggy Middle](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/panties-or-protein-powder-how-to-tighten-a-saggy-middle/) - Fae Rowen shares anecdotes to illustrate how to add conflict or humor to fix scenes in your novel.
- [Negotiate Like a Pro (Part 2)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/negotiate-like-a-pro-part-2/) - Susan Spann provides 4 tips on how to prepare for a successful negotiation.
- [Breaking the Law in Fiction](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/breaking-the-law-in-fiction/) - Heather Webb As a novice writer, especially one in search of an agent, we swallow every writing and industry rule hook, line, and sinker. It’s understandable when we’re dying to get our foot in the door. And sure, most of those standards exist for a reason, but those books that break out, usually SHATTER the
- [Thinking About Harper Lee – Processing what’s Under Your Writer’s Bed](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/thinking-about-harper-lee-processing-whats-under-your-writers-bed/) - Kimberly Brock reflects on the scary ideas that writers don't always want to face.
- [10 Mistakes Authors Make that Can Cost them a Fortune (and How to Avoid Them)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/10-mistakes-authors-make-that-can-cost-them-a-fortune-and-how-to-avoid-them/) - Penny Sansaveri with 10 tips on book promotion.
- [Fishing Out Your Manuscript Hook](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/fishing-out-your-manuscript-hook/) - Kate Moretti shares 4 tips on fishing out your story hook.
- [Regarding… Me? The Surprising Revelations of Fiction’s Reflection](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/regarding-me-the-surprising-revelations-of-fictions-reflection/) - Vaughn Roycroft I’m a Believer? I always thought I knew what I believed. Don’t you? I always knew I believed in, you know—stuff. Stuff like … um. Well, there’s my longstanding belief that the best way to a championship is still a consistent running game and a great defense; that the first beer is always
- [Lessons Learned from Foreign Sales](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/lessons-learned-from-foreign-sales/) - Lori Nelson Spielman At one time or another, most of us writers have second-guessed the choices we made about our book. Was the cover a misfit? Should we have gone with the original title? Would it have done better with a summer launch? If only we were allowed a do-over, a chance to republish the
- [Backstory matters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/backstory-matters/) - Kathryn Craft Turning Whine into Gold Writers, like other artists, are among the most socially liberal people I know. The artist within understands that all human emotions and perspectives beg expression; the storyteller within understands that all humans face tough stakes if we can’t reach our goals. As in story, our life journeys matter because
- [The Art of the Flashback](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/the-art-of-the-flashback/) - Sierra Godfrey has 4 tips for dealing with flashbacks.
- [Survival Toolbox for Writers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/07/survival-toolbox-for-writers/) - The other day I was cleaning out some boxes in the basement and came across a gift from a design agency I worked with when I was in corporate. We were in the depths of annual report season and I was ready to pull my hair out from the back and forths and revisions and
- [5 Techniques for Amazing Internal Dialogue](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/5-techniques-for-amazing-internal-dialogue/) - Writing internal dialogue like a pro
- [Golden Lines from RWA 2015](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/golden-lines-from-rwa-2015/) - Fae Rowen shares the best lines from workshops she attended, including the craft of writing, self-publishing, and marketing.
- [Finding the Gold in a Dust-Bunny Book](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/21121/) - Kimberly Belle recounts what it took to edit her first book
- [Where Do Book Ideas Come From?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/where-do-book-ideas-come-from/) - Inspiration for book ideas can come from strange places
- [Using a Free Anthology Sampler To Hook Readers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/how-to-publish-an-anthology/) - Creating a free anthology sampler to hook readers
- [Mind Mapping: A Pantser's Path to the Perfect Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/mind-mapping-a-pantsers-path-to-the-perfect-story/) - Who mind mapping can help you find your focus, even if you're a pantser.
- [Negotiate Like a Pro (Part 3 – The Negotiation)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/negotiate-like-a-pro-part-3-the-negotiation/) - Literary attorney, Susan Spann, offers 5 valuable tips for increasing your chances of success while negotiating book contracts.
- [5 Easy SEO Techniques that Rock Your Search Rankings](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/easy-seo-for-writers/) - SEO for authors... It doesn't have to make you shudder. These five techniques are easy for writers, because they involve writing. Try them and see!
- [Using The Heroine's Journey for Inner Conflict](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/21169/) - How the 13 steps of the Heroine's Journey helps tell inner conflict stories
- [Beyond Happily Ever After: What Story Offers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/beyond-happily-ever-after-what-story-offers/) - How story helps make sense of the world
- [Book Covers - Speaking the Language of Color](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/book-covers-speaking-the-language-of-color/) - How you can use color to subliminally clue readers to your book's content
- [Getting to the Bottom of Your Characters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/getting-to-the-bottom-of-creating-characters/) - Michael Hague on characterization
- [Writing Doubt](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/08/writing-doubt/) - How to power through the doubt of writing
- [5 Writing Lessons from Five Foster Kittens](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/five-writing-lessons-from-five-foster-kittens/) - Fae Rowen shares five writing lessons delivered by five tiny foster kittens and their mother.
- [Meaning What You Say, and a Bit More](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/meaning-what-you-say-and-a-bit-more/) - Sonja Yoerg shares the power of adding symbols to your writing.
- [How to Slay Your Inner Editor](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/how-to-slay-your-inner-editor/) - Use Dragon Naturally Speaking to slay your inner editor, and more!
- [6 P’s to Success in Your Writing Life](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/6-ps-to-success-in-your-writing-life/) - I admit, I’m a sucker for articles about the secret to success. Because, come on, some genius out there knows how to break the system, how to beat the odds, how to make it in a world that just wants to beat the creative stuffing out of you. But here’s the thing, there is no
- [The Legal Side of Writing for Anthologies (Part 1)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/the-legal-side-of-writing-for-anthologies-part-1/) - Susan Spann offers valuable insights, that may save writers money and prevent trouble, when signing anthology contracts.
- [Exclusive Requests From Literary Agents—What Are They and How Do They Work?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/exclusive-requests-from-literary-agents-what-are-they-and-how-do-they-work/) - Chuck Sambuchino defines what an exclusive request from an agent means and offers helpful suggestions for replying to those requests.
- [TV Series Binge Watching--A Study in Character Development](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/tv-series-binge-watching-a-study-in-character-development/) - James Preston shows how binge watching a television series can help a writer with the craft of character development.
- [Explore the Layers of Conflict in Your Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/explore-the-layers-of-conflict-in-your-story/) - Piper Bayard shows how to layer conflict to develop characters and plot.
- [What is High Concept?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/what-is-high-concept/) - Kate Moretti defines high concept and helps you decide if that is what you write. She offers suggestions for writing high concept loglines.
- [Five More Writing Lessons from the Feline Foster Family](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/four-more-writing-lessons-from-the-feline-foster-family/) - Fae Rowen shares insights and writing tips based on her experiences fostering a mother cat and her five kittens.
- [Write Up A Storm - Back By Popular Demand](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/write-up-a-storm-back-by-popular-demand/) - The second "Write Up a Storm" event is on Monday, October 12. Event #1's final word count was 79,591 words. (A full-length novel!) Can we exceed that?
- [Writing and Retreating](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/writing-and-retreating/) - Kathryn Craft shares the whys and hows of a writing retreat.
- [7 Mistakes I Made on the Way to a Publishing Contract](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/09/7-mistakes-i-made-on-the-way-to-a-publishing-contract/) - Colleen M. Story shares seven mistakes she made on the way to publishing her first book.
- [How I Kicked Writing Research in the Butt](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/how-i-kicked-writing-research-in-the-butt/) - Don't let writing research psych you out of a wonderful story before you’ve even begun. Nicole Winters provides tips on finishing the first draft.
- [10 Tips For a Strong Protagonist](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/10-tips-for-a-strong-protagonist/) - The protagonist—your central character—needs to be worthy of a story. Here are 10 tips to create a protagonist who can carry your story.
- [The True Roles of Protagonists and Antagonists In Your Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/true-roles-of-protagonists-and-antagonists/) - The most important characters in a novel are the protagonist and antagonist. Les Edgerton defines their roles, showing you how to identify them in your story.
- [Grants of Rights in Anthology Contracts](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/grants-of-rights-in-anthology-contracts/) - Susan Spann uses clear friendly language to define the main clauses addressing the grant of rights in anthology contracts.
- [Write Up a Storm TOMORROW!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/write-up-a-storm-tomorrow/) - We're writing up a storm from 4:00 a.m. to midnight PDT on October 12. That's 20 hours to connect with others, meet goals, and get your words in. Join us!
- [Margie’s Rule #9:  Cliché Play](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/margies-rule-9-cliche-play/) - The incomparable Margie Lawson provides analysis and examples of how to freshen up your writing and twist your cliches to give them power.
- [Forward Momentum For Your Writing Career](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/choosing-inspiration-amy-sue-nathan/) - An illuminating post from Amy Sue Nathan on finding inspiration for your writing and your career.
- [How to Create a Book that Sells and a Marketing Plan that Works (every time!)](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/how-to-create-a-book-that-sells-penny-sansevieri/) - Author and marketing expert, Penny Sansevieri, defines what makes a book saleable and gives six marketing tips that work EVERY time.
- [14 Authors Share Their Advice on the Rocky Road of Publication](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/14-authors-share-their-advice-on-the-rocky-road-of-publication/) - Fourteen authors answer the following question: "Looking back, what’s one thing you wish you had known about the industry before you were published?"
- [5 Lessons I Learned From Founding a Writer’s Association](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/5-lessons-from-beyond-the-comfort-zone/) - Five life lessons from WFWA founding president, Orly Konig Lopez about stepping out of your comfort zone. Especially great post if you are an introvert.
- [The Most Important Edit No One Talks About](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/the-most-important-edit-that-no-one-talks-about/) - How to do an edit for emotion in your story
- [Love Sells Books](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/love-sells-books/) - Kathryn Craft talks about selling books through "buzz," and how to get some of your own.
- [3 Basics of Author Online Presence](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/3-basics-of-author-online-presence/) - Three valuable tips about building a great social platform. Sierra Godfrey's clear explanations will help every author get noticed (for the right reasons).
- [Using Pressure Points To Reveal Character](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/10/pressure-points-angela-ackerman/) - Angela Ackerman shares 4 tips to push your story forward. These "Pressure Points" force your character to act, opening the door to inner growth.
- [NaNoWriMo:  Don't Get Stuck](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/11/nanowrimo-dont-get-stuck/) - Jami Gold gives strategies to win
- [Small Steps=Big Payoff](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/11/small-stepsbig-payoff/) - Far Rowen shares the idea of scaffolding by using a character's small decisions to reveal motivation, goals, and changes in beliefs for a satisfying read.
- [Becoming your POV Character](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/11/becoming-your-pov-character/) - Point of View Explained
- [Margie’s Rule #10:  Rhythm and Cadence and Beats, Oh Yes](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/11/margies-rule-10-rhythm-and-cadence-and-beats-oh-yes/) - Examples of cadence, rhythm and beats in writing by the incomparable Margie Lawson.
- [Life on the other side of “The Call”](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/11/life-on-the-other-side-of-the-call/) - What it's like on the other side of 'The Call'
- [Understanding Copyrights for Anthologies](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/11/understanding-copyrights-for-anthologies/) - Susan Spann explains Copyrights for Anthologies
- [Why writers MUST emerge...](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/11/emerging-authors/) - Why some of the best things in a writer’s life depend on leaving your chair
- [Margie’s Rule #11:  Power Up with Rhetorical Devices](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/11/margies-rule-11-power-up-with-rhetorical-devices/) - Margie Lawson shows you how to amp up your writing with Rhetorical Devices
- [5 Secrets to Writing with Suspense - Even if You Don't Write Suspense](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/11/23278/) - Write with Suspense, even if you don't write Suspense.
- [WITS Gives Writerly Thanks](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/11/wits-gives-writerly-thanks/) - Today we’re giving thanks for one “writerly” thing that helps us put those words on the page. We're also opening the door for our readers!
- [Share 7 Lines - A Thanks to Our Readers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/11/share-7-lines/) - Share ANY 7 lines of your work in the comments below.
- [I am a Writer—Own it!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/11/i-am-a-writer-own-it/) - You might be a writer, if...
- [When “Writing Every Day” Isn’t Producing the Results You Want](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/12/when-writing-every-day-isnt-producing-the-results-you-want/) - Colleen M. Story shares simple fixes for coaxing your writing muse back to your side.
- [Margie’s Rule #12: Power Punch Your 15 Minutes!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/12/margies-rule-12-power-punch-your-15-minutes/) - Margie Lawson shares ways to use just fifteen minutes to power punch your writing. Not to be missed!
- [3 Twists to Move Past Stereotypes and Freshen Your Characters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/12/3-twists-to-move-past-stereotypes-and-freshen-your-characters/) - Julie Glover shares three simple ideas to make cardboard characters come alive.
- [Honey, I broke the writing process](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/12/honey-i-broke-the-writing-process/) - What do you do when your tried and trusted writing process stops working?
- [Show Me the Money: Royalties in Anthology Contracts](https://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/12/show-me-the-money-royalties-in-anthology-contracts/) - Susan Spann shares a legal view on royalties for anthologies.

## Pages

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- [Writer's Block](https://writersinthestormblog.com/category/writers-block/)
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- [RJ Redden](https://writersinthestormblog.com/category/rj-redden/)
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## Tags

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- [American Druids](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/american-druids/)
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- [Modern Druidry](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/modern-druidry/)
- [Modern Druids](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/modern-druids/)
- [Pantheism](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/pantheism/)
- [The Beginner's Guide to Druidry](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/the-beginners-guide-to-druidry/)
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- [Amanda Quick](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/amanda-quick/)
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- [Cleopatra](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/cleopatra/)
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- [George Lucas](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/george-lucas/)
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- [EDITS system](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/edits-system/)
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- [Finger Lickin' Dead](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/finger-lickin-dead/)
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- [Orson Scott Card](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/orson-scott-card/)
- [Plot vs Character showdown](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/plot-vs-character-showdown/)
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- [Sun Signs for Writers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/sun-signs-for-writers/)
- [What Would Your character Do?](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/what-would-your-character-do/)
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- [winner of 6 hand-crafted cards to be announced Monday](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/winner-of-6-hand-crafted-cards-to-be-announced-monday/)
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- [Conflict Lock](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/conflict-lock/)
- [John August](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/john-august/)
- [writing to theme](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/writing-to-theme/)
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- [fan letters](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/fan-letters/)
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- [early America](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/early-america/)
- [early Spanish land grants](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/early-spanish-land-grants/)
- [how to research a novel](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/how-to-research-a-novel/)
- [historical facts](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/historical-facts/)
- [research your book](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/research-your-book/)
- [Google+](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/google/)
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- [Warrior Writer's Boot Camp](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/warrior-writers-boot-camp/)
- [Especially Ordinary Me](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/especially-ordinary-me/)
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- [The Lost Hours](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/the-lost-hours/)
- [The Memory of Water](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/the-memory-of-water/)
- [writing process](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/writing-process/)
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- [Laurie Maddalena](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/laurie-maddalena/)
- [Darkness My Old Friend](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/darkness-my-old-friend/)
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- [the shining](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/the-shining/)
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- [Belly dancing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/belly-dancing/)
- [Diet](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/diet/)
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- [Kauai](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/kauai/)
- [Perspiration and Writing](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/perspiration-and-writing/)
- [Seeing things differently](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/seeing-things-differently/)
- [Snorkeling](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/snorkeling/)
- [Throwdown](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/throwdown/)
- [Sweat Equity](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/sweat-equity/)
- [Hickory Smoked Homicide](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/hickory-smoked-homicide/)
- [how to write a mystery](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/how-to-write-a-mystery/)
- [mysteries](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/mysteries/)
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- [Jenny Hansen's More Cowbell](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/jenny-hansens-more-cowbell/)
- [6 KEY LESSONS I’VE LEARNED FROM HORSES](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/6-key-lessons-ive-learned-from-horses/)
- [attitude](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/attitude/)
- [force](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/force/)
- [HORSES](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/horses/)
- [hubris](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/hubris/)
- [Monty Python Killer Bunny](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/monty-python-killer-bunny/)
- [suspension of disbelief](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/suspension-of-disbelief/)
- [Trust](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/trust/)
- [Links for Writers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/links-for-writers/)
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- [thanks](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/thanks/)
- [deconstructing a novel](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/deconstructing-a-novel/)
- [James R. Preston](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/james-r-preston/)
- [writing conferences](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/writing-conferences/)
- [chapte-by-chapter outline](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/chapte-by-chapter-outline/)
- [Character Worksheet](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/character-worksheet/)
- [final climax](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/final-climax/)
- [goal of the scene](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/goal-of-the-scene/)
- [inciting incident](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/inciting-incident/)
- [internal conflicts](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/internal-conflicts/)
- [middle crisis](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/middle-crisis/)
- [plan scenes](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/plan-scenes/)
- [Planning your novel](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/planning-your-novel/)
- [Read-On Prompt](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/read-on-prompt/)
- [relationship conflicts](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/relationship-conflicts/)
- [Set Pieces](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/set-pieces/)
- [The Doctor's Lady](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/the-doctors-lady/)
- [The Preacher's Bride](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/the-preachers-bride/)
- [three-strand conflict](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/three-strand-conflict/)
- [A Story is a Promise](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/a-story-is-a-promise/)
- [Beth Hill](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/beth-hill/)
- [Bill Johnson](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/bill-johnson/)
- [horse](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/horse/)
- [Imagination](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/imagination/)
- [James Scott Bell](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/james-scott-bell/)
- [Kathryn Stockett](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/kathryn-stockett/)
- [Knowledge](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/knowledge/)
- [learn in layers](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/learn-in-layers/)
- [Lessons I learned from horses](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/lessons-i-learned-from-horses/)
- [Story](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/story/)
- [Susan Ramer](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/susan-ramer/)
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- [The Geyser 5-Step Approach to Revision](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/the-geyser-5-step-approach-to-revision/)
- [The Help](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/the-help/)
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- [You is good](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/you-is-good/)
- [you is important](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/you-is-important/)
- [you is smart](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/you-is-smart/)
- [A Rough Guide to the World](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/a-rough-guide-to-the-world/)
- [books on a deserted island](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/books-on-a-deserted-island/)
- [Chapterhouse Dune](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/chapterhouse-dune/)
- [Dan Brown](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/dan-brown/)
- [Digital Fortress](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/digital-fortress/)
- [Dorsai!](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/dorsai/)
- [Downbelow Station](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/downbelow-station/)
- [Foundation](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/foundation/)
- [Gordon Dickson](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/gordon-dickson/)
- [Isaac Asimov](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/isaac-asimov/)
- [Johanna Lindsey](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/johanna-lindsey/)
- [keeper books](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/keeper-books/)
- [Make the Most of Your Time on Earth](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/make-the-most-of-your-time-on-earth/)
- [Mistress](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/mistress/)
- [Regency romance](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/regency-romance/)
- [River God](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/river-god/)
- [Robert Heinlein](https://writersinthestormblog.com/tag/robert-heinlein/)