by Lynn Blackburn @LYNNHBLACKBURN I’m a firm believer that you can learn lessons about your writing life anywhere—as long as you’re paying attention. Case in point? I got the idea for this blog post from taking my oldest to three different orthodontists. Stay with me. My daughter has disabilities and nothing—nothing—is…

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 Aaron Gansky @ADGansky If you’ve followed my blog much, you’ll know how much importance I put on the first line. Just as important, and just as tricky, is the final line. If I could make one observation from my years as a literary editor, I’d say that the best…

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…