By W. Terry Whalin @terrywhalin The publishing world is full of things which drop through the cracks. Your ability to use the gentle follow-up is a critical skill to acquire and use. Repeatedly in my years in publishing, I have used the gentle follow-up to keep things from getting stalled and…

By JP Robinson @JPRobinsonBooks In my last article, I introduced the idea of an author creating a brand personality and outlined three ways an author can create a solid personality. Simply put, your book’s personality is the way it makes readers feel when they pick it up or read it.…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Separating ourselves from the normal and often demanding schedules of day-to-day often means participating in a fun event or hobby that refreshes us. We choose to be alone or with others, depending on our personalities and preferences. Our characters are the same. A vacation is a…

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28 “If you’re a writer, you need a blog.” Have you heard that? But do you think, “I just want to write.” After all, writing on a blog takes time away from writing books. So why have one?  Why Should We Start a Blog? Instant encouragement. A…

By Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites When I first heard the phrase, “Query letter” I was confused and embarrassed.  I did not know what a query was or even how to pronounce it.  Google to the rescue.      The definition of query from Dictionary.com    An inquiry from a writer to…

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea How many batteries does it take to power the average American post-Christmas playtime? If I were to make a joke out of that question, it would probably include a clever play on words—maybe something about lithium ion versus lead oxide. No doubt we’d all get a big…