By Ramona Richards  @RamonaRichards A few weeks ago, I had a lengthy conversation with an author about those greatest of author expectations: sales. Oh, we all dream of receiving “The Call” (or more likely these days, The Email), celebrating that first contract, having those great marketing moments and interactions with…

By Larry Leech @LarryJLeechII Sun. Sand. If not sand, maybe a pool instead. Or maybe a nice, quiet cabin in the woods. Whatever your pleasure, a good book, or books, is necessary. With summertime right around the corner, compiling a summer reading list might be near the top of your…

By Aaron Gansky @ADGansky Admit it, you’ve seen the plot mountain to the left countless times. This is how you learned the parts of plot, yes? But, if I may be so bold, I’m not a fan of this diagram. Sure, all the parts are present, and the names are…

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson By and large writers are an observant lot. Things others might brush over or miss entirely stay with us, sparking ideas that blossom and grow. An overheard conversation can lead us to the plot of entire book. But like any skill that comes naturally, there's still room…

By James Hannibal @jamesrhannibal The Search Engine Swamp. The Wikipedia Wastelands. The Data Doldrums. Look out! It’s the Research Bog. Stay on the path.  But wait. What should you do if you lose the path and get lost in the muck? [tweet_box design="default" float="none" inject="#Writing #research"]Research: Escaping the Research Bog…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Finding the perfect literary agent can be a daunting task. With so many writers looking for representation and so many agents looking for the next bestselling novel, where does a writer begin? But the task isn’t impossible. With a few guidelines, a writer can navigate onto…