Why You Should Set A Reading Goal For 2020
The health and emotional benefits of reading are reason enough to read more, but there are plenty of others... so set a reading goal and get to it!
Creative Leaps Are The Lifeblood Of Great Writing
Writing prompts are one way to work your creative-writing muscles — and while scenario-based prompts can help you practice creative leaps, images can sometimes open the door even wider.
Can You Trigger Creativity?
Sometimes, taking a problem on head-on isn't the most creative solution. Why not try Oblique Strategies, the I Ching, or a coin flip? Changing your mental approach can lead to a side-door solution you didn't see before.
Who Are Your Literary Influences?
I encourage you to consider your own foundational inspirations when it comes to the written word. Who made you want to write in the first place? What works do you think are perfect — the ones you keep coming back to? Whose skill do you aspire to channel or match?
Develop Your Story By Listening To Your Cast
You can listen to your cast of characters at any stage in the writing process, but it might be especially useful near the end when most of the story is fleshed out. It can be a good check of your story logic and add a last ingenious layer of polish.
Self-published Authors Are Empowered Authors
Self-publishing used to mean forgoing the resources of traditional publishing and running your entire independent enterprise by yourself. Thanks to technology and the increased connectedness allowed by the Internet, indie authors now have access to experts, marketplaces, and readers. What's not to like?
Getting — And Interpreting — A Reader’s “Thought Map” Of Your Book
Authors want to manipulate readers' thoughts — this is why we read, after all. We love getting swept away into new worlds, with new people and ideas. Getting a reader's thought map is a great way to hone this skill.
