by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes @khutch0767 As a mom of three talented athletes, I’ve spent countless hours cheering from the sidelines of track meets. Each of my children had their specialty—one a sprinter, one a long-distance runner, and one who did a bit of everything. Watching them compete was exhilarating, but over…

by Ane Mulligan  @AneMulligan When I’m teaching about writing dialogue, my first confession is I cut my authorial teeth on dialogue as a playwright. I was the creative arts director for 11 years at my church. We did everything from the 30-second sermon starter to full-length musicals. When I first…

by Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites “Can I really compare my book with a bestselling author’s book?” “Why do I need this? Won’t I shine the light on their book and not mine?” “How many books do I need to compare and contrast?” “What is a competitive analysis, anyway?” These are just…

by A.C. Williams @ACW_Author  “Are all your books rip offs?” How does an author answer a question like that without sounding defensive? The question itself is intended to provoke, but getting upset won’t solve anything. Getting upset about it might even make the situation worse. This is the question I…

by Alycia Morales @AlyciaMorales Coming up with blogging topics on a regular basis can be difficult, even for those of us who are passionate about our chosen blog theme, whether it be writing, DIY, cooking, etc. Some days we just sit and stare at the screen, wondering what to post…

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28 We all want a happy ending. But no life reaches a happy ending without some conflict. That’s why we need novels and nonfiction books. We want to see someone overcome the odds and win the victory, find their true love, or solve the crime. We want…