Top 5 Things NOT to Do When Self-Publishing

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, Editing, Encouragement, Independent Author, Indie/Hybrid Publishing, marketing, Publishing, Social Media, tips, writing 13 Comments

By Desiree Future @Desiree_Future As a self-publisher of two Christian romance novels, I’m sharing with you the top five things not to do when self-publishing. It is my hope, you will learn from the mistakes that I’ve made. Do not underestimate how much work it takes to self-publish a book. As a self-publisher, you take on the responsibility of running …

Five Things I Learned from Launching a Book

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, creativity, Encouragement, marketing, Social Media, tips, writing 4 Comments

By Felicia Ferguson @Felicia_writer 1: Marketing a book is more than hosting a launch party. From guest blogs, to book reviews, to social media posts and ads, the author must be 70% marketer and 30% writer. Yes, I know. Most of us writers didn’t major in PR or Marketing in college. If you’re like me, you have nightmares that book …

A World of Inspiration

ACFWAdvice, Brainstorming, research, tips, writing 8 Comments

by Deborah Raney Last Wednesday I returned from the dream trip of a lifetime, one I wasn’t sure would actually happen before I died. It was our first time to travel overseas and we spent three glorious days in Paris, then wound our way through the United Kingdom—England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland—over the next ten days before returning to London to …

God’s Inspiration and The Butterfly Effect

ACFWACFW, Advice, Authors and writing, Encouragement, Faith, writing 5 Comments

By Darlene Corbett @darlenecorbett.com Remember the Butterfly Effect? For those who forgot or are unfamiliar with its origins, here’s a quick reprisal: In 1963, the scientist Edward Lorenz proposed a startling idea. He suggested that the slight movements of a butterfly’s wings could create tiny changes in the atmosphere, causing a greater impact later. Many scientists viewed this as outlandish, …

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? A Rebel Writer’s Guide to Breaking the Rules of Writing

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, Characters, Encouragement, tips, writing 2 Comments

By Kathleen Y’Barbo Turner @KathleenYBarbo When my daughter was in kindergarten, her teacher asked the children to interview an adult about his or her job and come back to class the next day with a report on what they learned. Hannah grilled me about my job as a writer, and I answered her questions about how I constructed my stories. …

Reach THE END, Press SEND, Repeat

ACFWAdvice, Authors and writing, Books, Distraction, Encouragement, Procrastination, tips, writing Leave a Comment

By Kathleen Y’Barbo-Turner @KathleenYBarbo As the author of more than 100 books, I often get asked how I manage to write all those books. My answer? One book at a time! I know, but it’s true. I also get asked for my secret to how I manage to reach THE END and press SEND time after time. Please understand I …

Ten Tips to Help You Write More Words

ACFWACFW, Advice, Authors and writing, Procrastination, Time Management, tips, writing 5 Comments

by Carrie Turansky @carrieturansky Whether you’re an aspiring author or multi-published, it’s often a challenge to meet your writing goals. Here are ten tips that will help increase your writing productivity. 1. Write with instrumental music playing in the background. I recently saw an informal survey that found those who listened to music while writing were able to write more words …

A Fresh Start

ACFWAuthors and writing, Friends of ACFW, Outlines, research, Story Structure, tips, writing 1 Comment

By Darlene L. Turner Every writer loves to type “THE END” on their latest work-in-progress, but that dreaded flashing cursor on a blank “Chapter One” page sends tremors down our spines. Can I get an amen? However, starting a new manuscript doesn’t have to be daunting. Authors can make it fun. How, you ask? Maybe change your process up a …