By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Writers are always learning. It’s a requirement for success in the publishing world. We read blogs, attend conferences, and study the how-to books. Our eyes and ears are like magnets, drawing us to seek ways to better our craft. But sometimes we miss the good stuff.…

by Alycia W. Morales     @AlyciaMorales How long should a novel be? Most posts I've researched give the following guidelines (these are averages, so books could go a little shorter or longer, depending on various aspects): Women's Fiction/Literary/Contemporary: 80,000 - 90,000 words: Keep in mind that you could go as high…

by Bethany Jett, @betjett So far in this series on How to Get an Editor to Say Yes, we’ve covered Part One: Self-Editing Tips and Part Two: Avoiding Tattle-Tale Mode. Our goal is to cover some tips that seem to pop up again and again in submissions...errors that make an editor's eyes…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Do you feel your characters lack the vitality of bestselling writers? Are you willing to work hard to ensure your story is a success?  Learn how to create characters that will live in your readers' hearts and minds long after the last page of  your story.…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Lions fascinate me. They represent nobility and respect, much like I hope my stories resonate to the reader. Their muscular bodies are to be feared and admired. Hmm, sounds like a novel. If you think your story lacks zeal, this blog will help you make your…

by Bethany Jett, @betjett The two best ways to learn self-editing is to (1) have a great editor pour red ink all over your own work and (2) edit other people's. I. First Readers and Editors My first reader is not my editor. Neither is my second. Their purpose is…