by Rebecca Forster

When I started writing, my definition of a fan was anyone who loved my books and me for writing them. I wanted a thousand-million-zillion fans. Over the course of 40 years, as both a traditional and independent author, I managed to collect a few.

The Oxford dictionary tells us that fan is short for fanatic, a word introduced into English around 1550.  The word is defined as “marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense, uncritical devotion”.

The Good Fans...

My first fan was a woman who wrote me a lovely note on beautiful stationery. We corresponded and finally met at the airport for lunch when she passed through town. Her husband, wary because, as he pointed out, I could be an ‘800-pound gorilla”, came to protect his wife from me, a rather short, newly minted author. Later, my first-fan’s husband sent me a tiny gorilla that still lives on a lampshade in my home. We still laugh about it.

Another letter, written in a shaky hand, was signed “Mavis”. I believed I was writing to an old woman. Imagining her to be frail and lonely, I sent her free books which I could ill-afford in those days. I was actually writing to an older gentleman with bad handwriting named ‘Marvin’. He was a stock broker to the ultra-rich. We remained friends and fans of one another until he passed away.

There are so many more stories of fabulous people I have met because of my books. And then there are the unbelievable and frightening ones.

And the Not-So-Good…

One day, I opened a fan letter to find three pages of praise for my work written in a tight hand. I was humbled by the detailed notations. Then I got to this: When I get out of this hell hole maybe we can have coffee. I looked at the envelope and saw that the return address was a notorious California prison, and the writing was typical of inmates for whom paper is a luxury.

I did not write back.

And the Truly Ugly Fans…

Once we entered the digital age, interaction with readers grew by leaps and bounds. Readers wrote often, some with praise and some because they found typos. I was energized by the give-and-take until two more crossed the line.

My first stalking began with an avalanche of phone calls, my number gleaned from a writing group’s roster. The woman showed up at every book signing, taking pictures of me with a telephoto lens. One morning I found an envelope on my doorstep, the pictures inside. Every new encounter felt like an escalating threat.

Another, a man, believed I would leave my husband for him. I dreaded my email and worried that he might travel to find me.

A third—along with her family— bombarded me with emails, begging me to be the woman’s friend. If I refused, then she would refuse a life-saving operation. Her life was in my hands and I didn’t even know the woman.

The stories of these encounters are long and better told over a glass of wine, but the point is that public caution should be part of your writing life.

6 Tips to Prevent “The Ugly”

Here are a few tips to keep you safe from the fanatics and open to your fans.

1. P.O. Boxes

Get one. It is tax-deductible. Even though we are in the digital world, fans sometimes want to send cards and gifts. The return address on thank-you notes should be the PO Box number.

2. A digital address

Funnel your website and social media e-mail communication through a dedicated generic email.

3. Language

In any communication, be aware of overly effusive language about your work, hyper-focus on you personally, and/or questions about your private life. These are red flags.

4. Phone calls

Use extreme caution. An innocent phone call ‘just to say hello’ from my first stalker became a nightmare. Politely say,“ I’m not much for the phone, but I would love an email.”

5. In-person meetings

Only on your terms, in daylight, at a busy venue, after you have vetted the fan. Email or text your location, time of meeting, and name of person you’re with to a trusted source.

6. Vet a fan’s social media

Posts about family, friends, hobbies get a thumbs up. Long posts about depression, health, and traumatic events are a red flag. 

Final Thought

Our work as authors is solitary but never really lonely. Our bursts of energy and inspiration are what we live for. Even when they desert us, we revel in the challenge of problem solving.

When a person contacts us to say they appreciate the story we’ve told, the seamless way we tell it, the way we brought our characters to life, our hard work is joyously validated. It is an unfortunate fact of any creative profession that there will be outliers, people who read more into our work than we intend and want more of ourselves than we are willing to give.

So our final job is to control our personal narrative. Do that and there will always be happy endings.

What are your experiences interacting with your fans and readers? Do you have any tips to add (or your own crazy stories to tell)? Please do share them down in the comments!

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About Rebecca

Rebecca Forster started writing on a crazy dare and found her passion. Now a USA Today and Amazon best selling author, Forster is known for her legal thrillers and police procedurals. Over three million readers have enjoyed her Josie Bates thrillers in the Witness Series alone. With over 40 books to her name, Rebecca had a long career in traditional publishing before becoming an indie author. Her fast-paced tales of law and justice are known for deep characterization and never-see-it-coming endings.

In an effort to make her work as realistic as possible, Rebecca has graduated from the DEA and ATF Citizens academies, landed by tail hook and spent two days on the nuclear submarine U.S.S Nimitz, engaged in police ride-alongs, and continues to court watch whenever possible.

Rebecca has taught at the acclaimed UCLA Writers Program and various colleges and universities. She is a sought-after speaker at bar and judges' associations as well as philanthropic groups and writing conferences. Rebecca is also a repeat speaker at the LA Times Festival of Books.

Rebecca has just released The 9th Witness, the final book in her acclaimed Witness Series, Josie Bates Thrillers. Find all her books at any online bookstore or here: https://www.rebeccaforster.com/.

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Featured photo created in Canva.

By Jenn Windrow

Writers in the Storm readers know that craft is where art meets heart. We talk about pacing and plot and structure, but at the center of it all—especially in romance and women’s fiction—is emotion. The kind that makes readers stay up past midnight because they can’t not turn the page. The kind that makes them laugh, cry, and text their friends about your book the next morning.

But here’s the thing, writing emotion is one skill. Editing for emotion is another skill entirely. Editing for emotion is where the story’s heart gets polished until it shines. And developmental editing is about sculpting those raw feelings, refining motivations, shaping arcs, and fine-tuning the rhythm of connection, so every emotional beat hits home.

Let’s talk about how you, as a writer, can approach your next draft with a developmental editor’s eye and elevate the emotional resonance that keeps readers coming back for more.

1. Character Motivations Must Be Crystal Clear

If readers don’t understand why a character feels something, the emotion won’t land. You can spend hours writing the most heart-wrenching scene imaginable, but if the reader doesn't buy the character’s motivation, it’s just noise.

When I edit, I always ask:

• Is this emotional reaction in proportion to the situation?
• Do past wounds, fears, or desires explain it?
• Are internal and external conflicts working together—or at odds?

Clarity doesn’t mean spelling everything out. It means letting the reader sense the logic beneath a character’s choices. If your heroine snaps at her best friend, we should feel the echo of all the betrayals that came before.

Pro tip: Chart your character’s emotional progression the same way you’d outline a plot. Each chapter should show movement—forward, backward, or sideways—but never static. Emotion needs momentum, just like story.

2. Pacing the Emotional Beats

Think of your story’s emotional rhythm like a rollercoaster. Readers want the thrilling highs, but they also need a few slow climbs and quiet pauses to breathe. If every chapter is an emotional meltdown, readers will tap out. If nothing happens for too long, they’ll drift away.

Developmental editors often help writers:

• Space out emotional highs and lows for balance.
• Delay gratification to build tension (especially in romance).
• Layer contrast—humor before heartbreak, calm before chaos.

Pro tip: Try color-coding your scenes by emotional intensity. When you look at your story map, you’ll see instantly if your highs are bunched together or if your emotional arc is sagging in the middle. Adjust pacing accordingly.

3. Deep POV = Deep Connection

Romance and women’s fiction thrive on intimacy. Not just the romantic kind, but emotional intimacy between reader and character. The deeper you dive into your character’s head and heart, the more your reader will feel what they feel.

Editors often flag:

• “Head-hopping” (jumping between POVs mid-scene).
• Filter words like she felt, he realized, I noticed.
• Emotional shorthand that tells instead of shows.

Pro tip: When revising, do a “filter pass.” Cut phrases that distance us from the emotion. Don’t tell us your heroine feels anxious—show us how her chest tightens, how her phone feels slippery in her hands. That’s what makes readers’ hearts race right along with hers.

4. Dialogue That Reveals, Not Just Informs

In real life, we rarely say exactly what we mean, and neither should your characters. Subtext is your best friend. What’s unsaid is often more powerful than what’s spoken.

Ask yourself:

• Does this conversation hum with tension or vulnerability?
• Do both characters have distinct voices?
• Are pauses, miscommunications, or interruptions used purposefully?

Pro tip: Read emotional scenes out loud. If the dialogue sounds flat or “too on the nose,” dig deeper. Real emotion hides between the words and in the silences, the stumbles, the things they can’t quite say.

5. Emotional Arcs Matter More Than Plot Arcs

Romance and women’s fiction often follow familiar structures. The meet-cute, conflict, dark moment, and resolution. But the emotional journey underneath is what makes each story unique. Readers don’t fall for your plot points; they fall for your characters’ growth.

When editing, look for:

• True emotional transformation, not just changed circumstances.
• Relationship shifts that are earned, not forced.
• Setbacks that lead to genuine insight or healing.

Pro tip: Reframe your story beats in emotional terms. Instead of asking “What happens here?” try “What does my character feel here, and how does that feeling change by the next turning point?”

Final Thoughts

Editing for emotion isn’t about dialing up the drama until everyone’s crying on every page. It’s about truth. Emotional truth. When you refine each beat, the motivation, pacing, POV, dialogue, and arc, you create a story that doesn’t just entertain; it connects.

Readers of romance and women’s fiction don’t want to be spectators. They want to live the story. They want to ache, swoon, rage, and heal right alongside your characters.

Your draft might already sparkle with chemistry and heart, but a thoughtful developmental edit ensures it also has depth. Because the best emotional writing doesn’t just make readers feel something. It makes them remember why they read in the first place.

Think about the last time a book made you cry or laugh out loud, what do you think the author got right emotionally? How can you bring that same magic to your next draft?

About Jenn Windrow

Jenn Windrow once attempted to write a “normal” book—and promptly bored herself into a coma. So now she sticks to what she does best: writing snarky, kickass heroines, broody supernatural men, and more sexual tension than a vampire in a blood bank.

She’s the award-winning author of the Alexis Black novels and the Redeeming Cupid series, where the undead never sparkle and the drama is always delicious. Jenn moonlights as a developmental editor, helping other writers wrangle their wild plots and tangle-free prose.

When not arguing with her characters or muttering about Oxford commas, she can be found binge-watching trash TV, wrangling the slew of animals that live in her house (husband and teenagers included), or telling herself she’ll only have one more cookie.

You can find her at jennwindrow.com or lurking on social media where she pretends to be an extrovert.

Header image by Brock Wegner - Unsplash

by Gale Leach

This article follows one that appeared in WITS in January 2025: https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/01/charting-your-course-how-should-you-publish/

At a writing conference in 2008, the question asked most was whether self-publishing would be viewed as a legitimate path for authors, or if it would always be labeled vanity press. Nearly twenty years later, more and more authors, new and established, embrace self-publishing because of the advantages it offers. This article will describe what many consider the best methods for making your work available to others, how these methods differ, and why you would choose one over another.

Romance, fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, and non-fiction (mainly self-help) work well with self-publishing. Traditional publishing is better for literary fiction, children's books, and academic works because it offers established credibility.

Traditional or Indie

To succeed in traditional publishing, you must be able to meet deadlines, write quickly, and have more books ready. If you want the publisher's help and expertise, you'll have to let them handle editing, design, and marketing. Your best book could be rejected in a market that prioritizes sales over quality. (This is one reason I self-published.)

With independent (indie) self-publishing, you act as publisher, manager, and business owner. First you hire the people or services to edit, design, publish, and distribute your book. You decide which distributors or retailers to use. Then you retain complete control over artistic and business decisions; you keep all profits and rights. You pay nothing until the books sell. When that happens, the retailer takes a cut, and, if you use a distributor, they take a cut as well.

The In Between

Intermediary solutions exist: assisted publishers handle some or all of the publication tasks (editing, design, formatting, distribution). You retain all rights and receive all or the bulk of the majority of the royalties, but you pay an upfront fee for services rendered. If you don’t wish to navigate the sometimes murky online waters, these services are a viable option. While I don’t believe most people with straightforward projects need them, it’s a personal choice.

Most self-published authors today choose between independent publishing and assisted publishing, depending on their expertise with the tasks involved and how much they can or want to afford for professional help. My recommendation is to give indie publishing a try. If there are steps you can’t complete, then consider asking for help from freelancers or signing on with an assisted publisher. Just be sure they are vetted—check Writer Beware and look for individual publisher names + "scam" or "review" in Google searches. Be sure to retain your rights and understand the services you're paying for.

Note: You may hear of hybrid publishing, which is a cross between independent and traditional publishing. The publisher invests in your book and helps you get it to market, while you also supply funds along with your manuscript. Rights can vary, as can payment. Be sure you know what you’re getting into if you choose this path.

Key Steps in Independent Self-Publishing

An indie author can access the same retail distribution as a traditional publisher, for both print editions and ebooks, using online services such as Amazon KDP, Draft2Digital, and IngramSpark.

8 Key Steps

1. Writing and revision

Complete the manuscript, then revise it yourself and again with the help of a critique group or other reviewers.

2. Cover design

I placed cover design second because it’s critically important, and you can begin creating your cover long before your manuscript is done. Your cover is the first thing readers see, and it must drive them to look at the description or open the book. Make sure you know the look of other books in your genre. Your cover shouldn’t mimic them, but it will sell better when it reflects the current depiction of your genre.

People may see your cover in black and white, grayscale, color, high-resolution, low-resolution, as a thumbnail, or full size. It needs to be readable at all sizes and look good on low-quality or mobile devices. I highly recommend that you hire a professional to create your ebook or print book cover. One designer recommended often is Damonza.

3. Editing

Includes line editing, copyediting, and/or proofreading. Have your final draft edited by a professional—not your Aunt Maggie, who was an English teacher, or your husband or wife.

4. Design

Get professional interior formatting (typesetting) for both print and ebook if you can afford it. Alternatively, online services have improved and work well; don't be discouraged if you use one.

5. Conversion

Prepare the manuscript file for different formats, such as EPUB for ebooks and a high-resolution PDF for print.

6. Distribution/uploading

This means choosing distribution channels (generally print-on-demand [POD] for print books and/or aggregators/distributors for ebooks) and then uploading the final files, setting the price, and writing the book description.

7. Book description

Don’t skip over the importance of this short piece of text that will be used on Amazon and elsewhere and may be printed on the back of your book. Starting on this early—even before you begin your manuscript—will clarify what your book is about and will help your book sell with a great description.

8. Marketing and promotion

You are responsible for all marketing, which can include social media, paid advertising (like Amazon Ads), email newsletters, blog tours, and arranging promotional deals.

I can’t do justice to the topic of marketing here—my hope is to tackle it in a future post. Still, be aware of certain important things that often go unsaid or unread:

Important Considerations

• Self-publishing and traditional publishing both produce similar monetary outcomes. Some authors rise to become bestselling authors. Sadly, few can support themselves with either method.
• When authors write books, they don’t consider what must happen when they finish. Previously, publishers assisted with marketing and promotion, but that day is long gone (except for bestselling authors). Today, authors must handle these things on their own, whether self-published or with a publishing group.
• This reality can be tough for authors. They struggle to gain an audience, deal with unforeseen obstacles, and face financial constraints. Authors who self-publish typically need several books and years of effort in writing, editing, marketing, and promotion to make good money.
• Be sure you are dedicated to the continual creation and promotion of your work before embarking on the publishing path, as this is a cycle that repeats as you broaden your reach.
• Note to children’s authors: you don’t market to children but to their parents or persons procuring books for schools or libraries.
  
  

Self-Publishing Platforms

Dozens of self-publishing platforms are available to DIY authors. The most popular platforms can be categorized as one of two kinds:

• Retailers (Amazon KDP, Apple Books, Kobo Writing Life), where the author publishes directly to that platform which sells books to consumers.
• Distributors (Draft2Digital, IngramSpark) that send books and/or ebooks to retailers and libraries.

Additionally, there are print-on-demand (POD) services that allow you (or other distributors) to print as few as one copy to as many as are needed without created excess inventory. IngramSpark, Lulu, Amazon KDP, Barnes & Noble Press, Draft2Digital, Kobo, Apple Books, and Smashwords have this feature and more. The landscape can be pretty confusing.

Below is a list comparing the features of the top publishing platforms.

The top self-publishing platforms generally include Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) for its massive reach, IngramSpark for print distribution and wide access, Apple Books and Google Play Books for mobile device ecosystems, and aggregators/distributors like Draft2Digital (which merged with Smashwords) for distribution to multiple retailers. Other services are Barnes & Noble Press for its specific market, Kobo Writing Life for international reach, and service providers like BookBaby.

Top Platforms and Their Strengths

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)

IngramSpark

Apple Books

Google Play Books

Draft2Digital (D2D)

Other Important Platforms

• Barnes & Noble Press publishes eBooks and print books directly to the Barnes & Noble marketplace.
• Kobo Writing Life: Kobo is a dominant ebook player in several international markets, including Canada, parts of Europe, and Asia. Offers up to a 70% royalty rate on ebooks. Provides a channel for audiobook distribution.
• BookBaby: A powerful aggregator and service provider offering editing, publishing, marketing, and distribution services.
• Lulu: A platform for creating and selling many types of print products.

I have more to share, but I’ve run out of space. Stay tuned for how to create ebook files, how to self-publish a print book, maximizing your sales, and more in the third installment of “Charting Your Course.”

Which publishing route have you or do you plan to take? What platforms have you used?

* * * * * *

About Gale

Writing The Art of Pickleball in 2005 launched Gale Leach’s career as an award-winning author. From 2011 to 2020, she also created her own company, Two Cats Press, which published the works of six Arizona authors, including seven of her own fantasy adventure novels for children and teens. Currently, she’s at work on a fantasy series that involves technology and magic, multiple worlds, and creatures you only thought were mythological.

Gale and her husband reside in Arizona, accompanied by a rescue dog, two rescue kittens, and a bearded dragon. Her interests outside of writing include singing, playing music, genealogy, reading, crafting, and many types of puzzles and games.

You can connect with Gale on social media or her website.

Top Image was made by Gale using ChatGPT.