The key to online visibility for an author/writer is a superior website. It is the foundation on which to build your writing career. A quality website can bring notoriety, popularity, respect and brand recognition. Conversely, a poorly-crafted URL may give you little notice in the digital world. Following is a list of the ten items…
Category: Local Authors
Blogging: The Diary You Want Everyone To Read
I have a standing date with my computer on Monday night for the last five years. During the previous week, I take notes, compile thoughts and research. I spend at least two hours crafting a cohesive essay. Once finished, the piece is uploaded to Female in Motion’s Blogger site and Networked Blogs sees that it…
The Dramatica Theory to Story Structure
Plot, climax, rising action, falling action, structure; all terms writers use when talking about stories, but often their exact definitions tend to elude us. One would think that with all the brilliant minds that have written stories over the course of history, we would have found one definitive method of writing that worked for everyone,…
Sliding Doors Between Reality and Fiction
You’re halfway through the climatic final scene in your work-in-progress. Typing furiously for four and a half hours, you’re finally making some real progress. That’s when it happens… “Mom, I’m hungry! It’s 7:30. We ate all the chips an hour ago.” You glance up from the monitor and realize the sun has set and the…
Becoming a Sought-After Public Speaker
As promised, the following is a sequel to last month’s blog post, “Planning a Unique and Popular Book Event.” You are an expert on (at least) one topic: your book. All that research you did for the project can come in handy for a speech topic. A great way to increase sales of your book…
Planning a Unique and Popular Book Event
Table. Check. Comfy chair. Check. Attractively arranged pile of your books. Check. Plenty of pens for autographs. Check. You are happily ensconced in a corner of the local book store or library, ready to host your first book signing. There’s only one thing missing…readers to buy your books. Perhaps the best venue for your…
Character Development
Atticus Finch. Holden Caulfield. Hamlet. Jane Eyre. Anna Karenina. Madame Bovary. According to The Fictional 100, by Lucy Pollard-Gott, PhD, these characters live on in our imaginations. There are basic personality types that all players in a story should embody. These tips will help you construct a framework to design your memorable characters. People-watching…
The Complete Writer
Writers talk about inspiration and where story ideas come from; characters and their names and quirks and personalities; locations and locales, whether they are gritty or exotic; where the story is going and how to get there. Writers talk about agents and publishers and query letters and pitches; self-publishing versus traditional publishing; their blog or…
When Life Gets in the Way
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February, following a routine mammogram. Two days later, I finished my first book. Great timing, huh? I’m sharing this because sometimes life sneaks up behind you and pounces. It doesn’t have to be an excuse to set aside your burning passion for publication. If you have the…
Comparisons
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”—Oscar Wilde Comparing your writing to others is a fast-track to a killer case of the blues. Don’t subject yourself to this downward spiral; it’s a waste of your precious time. Concentrating on sharpening your craft, educating yourself and building a platform are much better uses of your effort….