By Penny Reeve There are days when being a writer is amazing! We write wonderful words. Lots of them. We make connections with an agent or publisher. They request our manuscript. Our beta readers love our writing. Our blog followers double. We attend conferences and come away with new friends,…

By Darlene L. Turner @darlenelturner Every writer loves to type “THE END” on their latest work-in-progress, but that dreaded flashing cursor on a blank “Chapter One” page sends tremors down our spines. Can I get an amen? However, starting a new manuscript doesn’t have to be daunting. Authors can make it…

by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes, Ed.D. @khutch0767 During my career as a school principal, our district upgraded the computer system for all administrators. We went from PC to Mac. This was supposed to make our lives easier and sync our laptops, phones, and desktops seamlessly. Preferring the status quo, I was skeptical and…

by Lynn H. Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn I love being able to talk to new writers and give them some encouragement. I love sharing from my own experience—the things that worked and the things that didn’t. But here’s the scary part. I still have no idea what I’m doing. There are a lot…

By W. Terry Whalin @terrywhalin For many years, I’ve known about the Catch-22 of publishing. The Merrian-Webster dictionary defines Catch-22 as “a problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule.” Several years ago in Spokane, I taught a workshop…

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson Over and over, I’ve been asked when a writer should get active on social media. And the answer surprises many. The truth is, you need to have a solid social media platform BEFORE you ever get published. If you wait until you get a contract, you're…