The Hubster and I recently spent time with our daughter in Dallas, and took the opportunity to visit the Holocaust Museum. There was an exhibit of Otto Frank’s family photographs, father of noted diarist Anne Frank. Diary of a Young Girl was a life-changing book for me, along with many other adolescents. Anne’s naïve, yet…
Scene 2013 Conference Fast Approaches
If you missed the KWA meeting in February, HB Berlow–president, fills us in. Discussing the idea of Writers Conferences, HB pointed out that there are “three primary reasons to go to a writer’s conference: learning, networking, socializing.” A conference is a great opportunity to learn from other writers, to see what has worked. Their experiences…
The Best Books on Writing
I realize that many of the writers in the KWA have found their personal strides. But I am a writer still exploring my creative voice. As both a writer of fiction and a poet, there are several books that I return to time and again to refuel and bring zest to my work. Hopefully a…
How to Write a Killer Author Bio in Three Easy Steps
A clean, concise author biography is your calling card, and can mean the difference between future sales and languishing in the bookstore bargain bin. Creative writing may be your bread and butter, but tooting your own horn can be a difficult task. Here are three categories to consider: Short form: Two sentences. In third person….
Incorporating the Five Senses in Your Writing
I’m a foodie. The anticipation and joy in my heart that I experience while waiting for a restaurant entrée or homemade dinner is ridiculous. When the steaming plate is finally placed before me, I’m blissful. It is a feast for the senses. If you want to engage a reader into your written world, you must…
Ten Things Your Author Website Should Contain
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…
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…