By Aaron Gansky @ADGansky Charles Baxter, in Burning Down the House, Essays on Fiction, devotes an entire chapter to a principle he calls “Stillness.” To paraphrase a rather lengthy and well documented argument, he proposes that stillness, a moment in fiction where action subsides and characters/narrators focus on the minutiae of their…

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28 I can’t help but think of Christmas decorations even in September. After all, there’s less than four months between now and the most wonderful time of the year. If we start now, we have time to prepare Christmas presents (I make mine), find just the right…

By Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites Agent’s and publishers scan the Competitive Analysis section of a proposal to see if your book is similar enough to published books, yet different enough to grab those reader’s attention. It provides information on how well your book might sell. Publishers and agents love to a…

By JP Robinson @JPRobinsonBooks Every indie author knows that standing out from the crowd is an uphill battle. And, like most battles, it won’t be won by sheers numbers of dollars or manhours. Instead, authors are most likely to succeed if they implement effective marketing strategies. When I mention marketing,…

By Candyce Carden @CandyceDeal I write nonfiction, yet I don’t outline before I write. I start with an idea of where I’m going and see where the road leads. Lots of writers proudly proclaim to be a Pantster — one who flies by the seat of her pants. No thoughts…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Exploring our character’s whims gives the writer insight into juicy morsels of personality and unusual plot points. Impulses, sudden desires, and uncharacteristic actions show our character is real. Reader can experience the story through an original outlook on life, identify with someone they know, or see…