What is Fan Fiction and Do You Want to Write It?
When I first came across fan fiction I was amazed – not at the idea of writing my own stories with TV and literary characters as heros (I used to do that as a kid) – but at the volume…
New Literary Forms for Self-Publishers
One of the least discussed benefits of ebooks and digital publishing is how they are giving rise to interesting new literary forms. Self-publishers, being more nimble and less constrained than trade-contracted authors, are finding fruitful niches and changing what it…
Tips on Effectively Conveying Character Emotion
All successful novels, no matter what genre, have one thing in common: emotion, writes Bella Puglisi one half of The Bookshelf Muse blogging duo, and co-author of The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression.
It lies at the core of every character’s decision, action, and word, all of which drive the story. Without emotion, a character’s personal journey is pointless. Stakes cease to exist. The plot line becomes a dry riverbed of meaningless events that no reader will take time to read. Why? Because above all else, readers pick up a book to have an emotional experience. They read to connect with characters who provide entertainment and whose trials may add meaning to their own life journeys.
It is easy to see the power of emotion and how it connects a reader to the story and characters. The difficulty comes in writing it well. Each scene must achieve a balance between showing too little feeling and showing too much. Above all, the emotional description needs to be fresh and engaging. This is a tall order for writers who tend to reuse the same emotional indicators over and over.
Five Tips to Help Indie Authors Prepare for NaNoWriMo
So... It's almost November and writers across the world are stocking their fridges scribbling notes. Yes, it's NaNoWrMo time. Natalie Wright, ALLi Member and a veteran, leads the charge. Last year, I participated in NaNoWriMo (Nat'l Novel Writing Month) for the…
Beyond The Book
Joanna Penn
Your book Is only the beginning, says writing and publishing expert and ALLi Advisor, Joanna Penn. Technology and online tools now enable any author who is willing to learn a few simple skills to turn their book into a variety of multimedia products.
Non-fiction writers in particular have the opportunity to make their books the basis from which they expand into multiple products in different formats.
This can be the most effective way to make an on-going income from your creative work.
Authors: How To Protect Your Writing Time
Writers must protect their time.
Kelly McClymer counts the ways.
Writers, especially self-published writers, often feel like they need a time bodyguard. There are always other pesky things to do like raise children, make dinner, do laundry, work. When I first began to write, I dreamed of the day I’d get an advance big enough I could justify holing up in my office for a full day of uninterrupted writing time.
Despite a dozen published novels, that day never came. I chalked it up to my inability to snag that coveted seven figure advance, and kept on writing, working, cooking, and cleaning (well…talking about cleaning, at least).
Write For Yourself, Edit For Your Reader
John Potter writes: In this time of emergent digital publishing, writers have never been more empowered to write the kind of books they want to write. There is an audience for everyone. But are we doing ourselves and our readers an…
Writer: Who Are You? A Guest Post by Dan Holloway.
OK, I’m the first to admit I’m subject to a not insubstantial influence from Ginsberg, 
Cassady, Patti Smith and various other parts of late mid twentieth century American countercultur — but this really has nothing to do with navel-gazing, primal screams or the Age of Aquarius. Just like those slightly awkward elements of hippydom, though, this is one of those topics that makes authors shift uneasily in their chair, shuffle and generally look for an exit.
I get why writers resent the question: “What do you stand for?” You can understand it in two ways. First, it sounds like a