by Lisa Jordan I’m a sucker for happy endings. I admit it and make no apologies for it. I’ve heard complaints about romance novels being predictable-they end the same way with the hero and heroine concluding with the realization they’re in love and want to spend the rest of their lives together. Isn’t that the point of a romance? So, …
Do You Need That Character?
by Mary Connealy I’m doing an interesting and very educational thing with a book. The third book in the Kincaid Bride series which releases this August. Over the Edge, the crazy brother’s story. At my editor’s suggestion I’m taking out a character. Not taking out a character like I’m a a HITMAN or something, that would be rude. No, my …
Honest Criticism: What Every Writer Needs
by Fay Lamb A writer who will not listen to honest criticism of his work, who continues to march solo into his writing adventure without heeding the suggestions of others, is unlikely to fulfill his dreams of publication. And this is why critique partners are essential if you wish to grow and to achieve success as an author. A critique …
Thanks to Authors
by Lorraine Walker I have found the advice of established authors to be invaluable on my writing journey. To all of you who are inundated with deadlines, revisions, research, and marketing, please know that your writing tips, blog posts, and info on your websites are golden nuggets to others. You have lived the writer’s life and your expertise helps those …
Make a Difference with the Doing
By Davalynn Spencer This winter as I highlighted passages in a writer’s magazine, dog-eared favorite pages in a how-to book on fiction, and sucked the life-blood of encouragement from the tale of a successful writer’s personal journey, I recognized a note of familiarity. I’d read it all before. Was there nothing new under the publishing sun? Since embracing professional development …
Research Can Be Fun
by Lena Nelson Dooley Does researching a subject sound boring to you? I used to feel that way, too. Now research is a mainstay of my writing, whether I’m writing a contemporary or a historical novel. When I started writing Maggie’s Journey, book one of my McKenna’s Daughters series, I had a hard time picturing Seattle in 1885. That hindered …
Formatting a Manuscript
by Jill Williamson When I started writing, I didn’t know anything about how to properly format a manuscript. I gathered this information over the years from books and lectures and online and eventually figured it all out. But I’m a visual learner, and I had always wished that someone could have simply shown me how to do these things. A …
Working (And Laughing) With a Critique Partner
By Victoria Bylin This past year, I decided to stretch my wings. In addition to writing the proverbial “book of my heart” aka BOMH, I started working with a critique partner. I’ve written fourteen books for Harlequin Historical and Love Inspired Historical, but I’ve always worked alone. I thought I was an experienced writer. I thought I knew how to …
Writer Interrupted
By Deborah K. Anderson Have you ever felt as though someone, or something, tries to stop you from writing? You know, an evil force on a perverse mission hinders you from finishing an article, a short story, or perhaps even that next novel? It may sound crazy, but I’ve encountered this more times than I can count. Several years ago, …
A Thousand Words a Day?
by Donna L. Rich “But, let’s just stop and ask for directions,” I plead. “I don’t need directions.” “Honey, come on, I feel like Moses’ wife, here. We’ve been wandering for an hour now, and I want to get out in that sun. There’s a gas station on the corner. Let’s stop, please.” “I don’t need directions. I feel like …