Character Names: Methods and 5 Tips for Naming Characters in Your Novel
As Juliet asks Romeo in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, “What’s in a name?” Well, a whole world of meaning if you, the author, wish it. Choosing wisely helps ensure the characters come alive for readers and stick in…
How To Find Beta Readers To Improve Your Book
Before you send your manuscript to an editor for a final polish, your book should go under the microscope of beta readers. They are a group that scrutinizes your book after you’ve completed the first draft. Beta readers…
What Is a Metaphor
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a metaphor as, “A figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between…
How To Write a Memoir? Tips and FAQs
A memoir is an engaging account of the writer’s slice of life. It is a narrative reflecting the storyteller’s perspective, voice, memory, and reflection. By narrating your significant life moments, you gain the self-realization that your life was…
The Politics of Writing Contests
A few years ago I learned a lesson obvious in hindsight yet difficult to foresee. The nature of this lesson, an instruction in fairness, is inseparable from the circumstance in which I learned it. I am appreciative of…
How To Write a Novel in 6 Simple Steps
You’ve had that idea for a novel going on in your head for weeks, months, maybe even years. It bugs you day and night, until you can’t stand it any longer – you simply must tell your story….
Writing Your First Book? Let’s Find Out if You Are Ready
In the words of John Dufresne: “The purpose of the first draft is not to get it right, but to get it written.” So, how many of you have had “your firsts” in life? Oh! I hear a…
Write Clearly: Five Steps to Clutter-free Writing
Are you struggling to write clearly – those extra words, sentences, and punctuation marks that serve no purpose other than to take up space? Getting rid of clutter will strengthen your writing and make it more coherent for…
Writing a Book – Steps by the Numbers When Hiring a Ghostwriter
Some of the most common questions about writing a book revolve around the numbers that the industry accepts as ‘standard’. This article will attempt to demystify these numbers, thereby establishing a plan of action that can be used…
Reader-Centered Writing: Inferences About One’s Audience Through Theory of Mind
The concept of being aware of another person’s thoughts and knowledge is often taken for granted; yet, without this concept society likely would not function. Theory of Mind (ToM) is the term used in psychology to mean taking…