book marketing novel book promotion book publicity building an author platform novel novel novel writing novel writing novelists novels Uncategorized writer platform Writing life

Promoting Your Book Should Be Fun and Easy

Promoting your book should be fun and easy — are you crazy? When there are millions of books out there competing for attention, getting your published book to shine in a spotlight that readers can find seems at first like finding a gold ring that’s been thrown into the ocean. If you’re a new author and waiting for your book to launch, or it has just launched and you’re obsessing over not doing enough, you…

Continue reading

#fiction book publicity book sales craft tips novelists novels writing techniques writing tips

Have to Write a Book Blurb? Writing Tips to Make It Easier

Becoming a novelist is a major amount of fun, but it’s also very hard work. The unexpected challenges are the ones that come after it’s been accepted for publication. One of the big challenges is to write a short persuasive summary of your book, if your publisher requires you to write it, or you’re self-publishing. Wonderful writers have been known to tear out their hair over this. But because these blurbs or book descriptions are…

Continue reading

A Man Called Ove characters great characters great novel openings novel writing novels unique characters Writing

What Makes a Great First Page in a Novel?

Someone in one of my writing groups asked what makes a great first page. It’s an excellent question, and no two answers will be alike, despite what the bestseller lists and books on writing “the breakout novel” tell us. Character always draws me into a book. I don’t read many thrillers or fast-paced stories. Someone reported the advice that a first line of a novel should make you nervous. I think that works well for…

Continue reading

debut authors novelists novels Twitter Twitter for authors Twitter for writers writers #amwriting #writinglife

Twitter for Authors — Writing Tips

Twitter — with all you have to do writing an entire novel, and then spendig nearly as much time finding a publishing house and marketing it after publication — why jump into this fast-moving river that is Twitter? Why grab your 15 seconds of attention in the feed to try and sell your book to readers? The simple answer is because any social platform gives you the chance to benot just an author to potential…

Continue reading

#amwriting #fiction Broadway fantasy novel musicals novels

Which Broadway Musical Illustrates Your Writing Process?

I’m having a Saturday writing morning that’s deep into Crazy Lady Writer Head, thanks to too many exciting things to to work on at once. Plus my work-in-progress new novel, I have a novel to edit, a play to finish, a poetry manuscript to edit, and a memoir to edit. I feel like the bride above, who almost wants to call it off when it comes down to really doing the thing. It’s been a…

Continue reading