Tag: guest post

How to Write a Great Story in 5 Steps

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date November 10, 2024
No Comments on How to Write a Great Story in 5 Steps

People have always had a natural talent for telling stories. It is an essential means of communication and understanding the world, from old stories to contemporary discourse. Everyone has a tale to tell, and putting pen to paper can help you become a better writer and communicator. But what makes a good storyteller? Here are five easy ways to improve your story writing skills.

What is a Story?

At its essence, a story is a connected sequence of events. However, a well-rounded story contains these five essential elements:

Setting: Where and when the story takes place.
Plot: The sequence of events in the narrative.
Conflict: The problem or challenge faced by the characters.
Characters: The people or beings involved in the story.
Theme: The underlying message or lesson conveyed.

Famous Examples of Storytelling

Consider Hemingway’s famous six-word story: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Despite its brevity, it prompts the reader to infer the deeper elements such as setting, characters, conflict, and theme.

Another example is “Cosmic Report Card: Earth.” This short story gives a brief yet impactful evaluation of humanity’s existence. The power of storytelling lies in its ability to provoke thought, even with minimal words.

Similarly, “ThingsFromMars.com: A Portal to the Weird and Wonderful” captures the curiosity and imagination of visitors through its creative narrative. The story behind the brand compels readers to explore a world of quirky and unexpected gifts, making it both engaging and memorable.

Types of Stories

According to author Christopher Booker, there are seven basic types of stories:

Overcoming the Monster
Rags to Riches
The Quest
Voyage and Return
Rebirth
Comedy
Tragedy

Each type follows its narrative arc, but all share core storytelling elements.

Steps to Write a Great Story

1. Find Inspiration

Every great story begins with an idea. Inspiration can come from anywhere—your own experiences, current events, or even a “what if?” scenario. Keep a notebook to jot down ideas as they come to you.

2. Brainstorm

Once you have an idea, start brainstorming. Think of plot ideas, character traits, and possible conflicts. This is where you explore the potential directions your story can take. The more you brainstorm, the clearer your vision becomes.

3. Outline Your Story

Outlining is key to structuring your story. Include the main events in the plot, key character developments, and any essential details. A good outline helps keep your story focused and ensures you cover all necessary elements.

4. Write the First Draft

Now it’s time to write. Don’t worry about perfecting it—just write the story down on paper. Avoid editing as you go. The first draft is all about letting your ideas flow naturally.

5. Revise and Edit

Once your first draft is complete, take a step back. Seek feedback from others, and revise your story based on their input. Afterward, edit for grammar, spelling, and punctuation to ensure your writing is polished and error-free.

Examples of Timeless Stories

Some stories have withstood the test of time. Consider:

The Tortoise and the Hare: A fable that teaches the value of perseverance over speed.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: A tale exploring the conflict between humanity and nature, filled with timeless themes of life, death, and morality.

Conclusion

By understanding the elements of storytelling and following a structured writing process, you can write a great story. Whether you’re writing a novel or flash fiction, remember that every story starts with a single idea. Embrace your creativity, and let your unique voice shine through your storytelling.

Story Writing FAQs

What is a story?

A story is a connected series of events with key elements like setting, characters, conflict, and theme.

How do stories work?

Stories communicate messages through characters who face conflicts, ultimately leading to resolution or transformation.

What are the different types of stories?

Stories can fall into categories such as overcoming the monster, rags to riches, the quest, voyage and return, rebirth, comedy, or tragedy.

Evelyn Johnson is a creative writer and entrepreneur with over 7 years of experience in the writing industry. As the founder of thingsfrommars.com, she combines creativity and business savvy to craft unique content that captivates audiences. Evelyn specializes in storytelling, corporate writing, and product marketing, sharing her expertise through industry insights. Connect with Evelyn on LinkedIn.

Tags guest post, guest posting, story, story development, story foundations, story goals, story structure

Guest Posts

Book signing 101

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date May 9, 2024
No Comments on Book signing 101

The release date of my first book was etched in my mind. I eagerly shared the news, and excitement filled me. This was the beginning of my journey as an author.

I decided to celebrate my book’s publication with a big party—a book signing. This would be a celebration. Not in a ‘look at me’ way, but I planned to enjoy this milestone and wanted those I loved with me.

I learned a lot along the way and want to share with other new authors what worked and what I would change.

Preplanning Stage

Decide what kind of celebration you want – big, small, fancy, intimate, casual – and where you’ll hold it – your home, the library, a rented facility
1 ½ to 2 hours is a great time frame. A pre-lunch with coffee, tea, water, and a cake. Brunch if you want to feed your guests. I chose mid-afternoon and served finger foods and cupcakes.
A good rule of thumb for party planning is that you’ll get about half the number of people you’ve invited. I invited everyone! I put up flyers in area businesses and sent out press releases to the closest newspapers. Still, I knew almost everyone who came to my book signing.
Set a budget. I didn’t do this. Instead, I went into it willy-nilly and spent too much money.
Enlist help. My sister helped with food, my youngest daughter made a playlist and acted as photographer, and my husband took the money while I only had to sign books. One friend took care of the raffle items, and another manned the sign-in table and handed out swag bags.

Decisions, Decisions

I couldn’t decide what to wear. I’m a blue jeans or capris and T-shirt kind of person, but I wanted to dress up a bit for my very first book signing. My tip: be comfortable. If you’re not stressed about how you look, you will enjoy yourself that much more.

Raffle Items

When attendees signed in, they received a raffle ticket. My oldest daughter rounded up donations, and I ended up with fifteen bags to raffle off, plus one grand prize that held a bit of everything.

What to Take on the Big Day

You’re dressed and ready to go. The location is perfect; you’ve planned how to decorate it and what food to serve. Everything has been purchased, and you’re ready. Then panic sets in. What do you need to take?

Books – take a few more than you think you’ll need.
Change – and something to keep it in. Also a sign for how people can pay besides cash. QR codes for alternate payment options are helpful.
Pens – so you can sign the books! Take more than one, just in case.
Bookmarks and/or business cards. I also have postcards to hand out. They include the QR code for where to buy my book, a picture of the book cover, and the book’s blurb.
Food and drinks – do you need tablecloths, plates, cups, and silverware? We had charcuterie cups with food on skewers. I found the idea on Pinterest, and they were a big hit. We served mini soda cans, small water bottles, and sweet tea. We also had cupcakes and cookies that were donated.
Swag bags – attendees received a swag bag at the sign-in table. It contained a bookmark, a pen with my name and my book’s name, and a sticker with my book cover on it.
Newsletter sign-up sheets
Decorations – my book is about an empty nester who starts a birding group, so I had bowls of birdseed in the middle of each table. I bought small organza drawstring bags so people could make birdseed bags to take home. I also had pictures that were beachy or bird-themed. I displayed paintings that my oldest daughter did for my book.
Tape, permanent marker, scissors – these always come in handy

During the Signing

Enjoy yourself! Smile, laugh, sign books, talk to people. Be prepared to speak—just a short “speech” thanking everyone for coming and celebrating with you. You can also read a section of your book. I finished with a Q&A. Remember, these are your family and friends (and possibly a few strangers), and they came to be with you!

After the Signing

Be sure to clean up the area and remember that saying thank you goes a long way. Thank the people who helped, and send written thank yous to people who donated items. Emails are fine, but handwritten thank-yous are better. Why? They make a good impression and are professional.

Last but not least, what I’d change: AKA how to save money

Ask for food donations (cake, cupcakes) and raffle items.

I gave out bookmarks, but I will stick with the postcards. They’re less expensive, and I added a QR code to purchase the book. Personalized pencils are less expensive than pens; if I give out stickers, I will find a cheaper place to get them.

At my next book signing, which is with multiple authors, I’ll bring personalized pencils, birdseed and drawstring bags to make and take, a tablecloth, books and pens, a newsletter sign-up sheet, change and QR codes for other payment options, and my postcards.

Oh, and candy. You don’t have to serve food, but everyone likes a little something sweet.

Jen Dodrill uses her faith and passion for healthy families to write novels that encourage and inspire hope. A retired Navy wife, former homeschool mom, and mother of five, her favorite title is Grandma. When she isn’t writing, reading, or drinking coffee, she spends time with her family in West Tennessee. Her first book, Birds Alive! An Empty-nesters Cozy Mystery released February 27, 2024.

Tags book launch, book signing, guest post, guest posting, guest posts, launch party

Guest Posts

Silence: Two Worlds Collide

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date February 22, 2024
No Comments on Silence: Two Worlds Collide

I attended the Blue Ridge Writer’s Conference for the fourth time last May. I did not know if I would be released by my doctor because I had had a heart attack in January. When he gave me the green light to travel, I immediately wanted to be part of the Third Path Bible study led by Eva Marie Everson. Miracles happened and I was the last one to be accepted. God directed my writing path and everything changed.

The class was gut-wrenching. Eva Marie posed hard questions every day. We journaled in silence, sometimes sharing, other times, listening intently. God spoke to each of us. I prayed, “What would you have me write?” I stayed in a state of anticipation. Throughout the week, I grew close to my study mates, one even praying with me on the last day,

Find out what God is doing and get on board with that.

I have kept that close to my heart over the last nine months. I celebrated one year of heart attack recovery. Now when I write, everything has changed. Often the writing goes on hold because I am busy presenting in schools, civic groups, and senior groups. God is using that too. I write for a magazine for senior citizens. The editor asked me to double up on my articles.

On an ordinary day last week, the sky grew dark. The weatherman warned us to be prepared for power outages. We collected candles, flashlights, and a headlamp. The rain lashed against the windows making it impossible to see outside. We watched the news quietly when my mother’s words came back to me, “Be still, this is the Lord’s work.”

The power went out.

The light from outside was enough that we could read so I gathered my stack of books. I have a habit of reading three or four at a time. There was no background noise, no football game, only wind. I picked up my copy of The Third Path and read, “How do you define silence?” It blew my mind.

It was like two worlds colliding.

The directive for the devotion to be silent was paired with true silence, something I am unfamiliar with. The house phone did not ring. Other than the wind and rain, I heard the ticking of a wind-up clock that hadn’t been used in years. There was no hum of my computer or social media.

I fretted about my wet clothes that sat still in the dryer. My refrigerator did not hum. My husband said, “Don’t open it, the food could spoil.” No cars were going by and we could see that others were out of power. My hand was forced, I had to be silent. We prayed for friends and family. We prayed for power workers and tree cutters.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Philippians 2:13

When the power came back on, we left the television off. After reading into the night, we turned in early. Silence; with plans to attend Blue Ridge again, my mission is clear. Listen, learn, and let God lead.

Theresa Parker Pierce is a presenter, docent, and writer living in historic Salisbury, N.C. where she enjoys spending time with family and friends. Theresa likes storytelling about her childhood in eastern North Carolina and the history of Rowan County. She writes monthly for Senior Savvy magazine. She shares her volunteer time between the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer and the Rowan Museum in Salisbury. Theresa speaks in schools and to civic groups making use of the skills learned from Toastmasters.

Tags guest post, guest posts, writing, writing conference, writing journey

Guest Posts

Forgiveness

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date December 26, 2023
No Comments on Forgiveness

“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32 NKJV)

Sometimes I catch myself praying for God to change circumstances and behavior when what’s needed is for Him to change hearts—often my own. Negative actions and reactions, like symptoms, stem from, but may not identify the underlying problem. We need to treat the root, not the fruit, if we want true and lasting change. When God transforms hearts, the change spills out to influence circumstances and relationships.

Relationship problems arise from sin. Sin is the culprit—our own brokenness, the gap in our relationship with Christ—where we are, as opposed to where He would have us to be.

When I focus on my unmet needs to the detriment of others, I indulge in a self-serving pity party. If I want to see change, I must give Jesus the reins of my heart.

But to forgive the incessant provocations of life—to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son—how can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning what we say in our prayers each night, ‘forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us.’
C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Forgiving means wiping the slate clean, canceling the debt, and not retaliating.

I ponder. Will the tears ever stop? What if I dared to speak the words I’ve feared to utter—set them free from the captivity of silence? Would the chains of pain be broken, or would the weight of regret be too great to bear? Once let loose, I cannot call them back. “Lord…?”

God’s word reins me in.

“He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3)

Oh, the power of our words, whether spoken or written, to bring harm or healing. Help me, Lord, to handle them wisely, to use them to serve even those who hurt me.

Extending forgiveness requires humility, putting aside my pride and errant emotions. It means valuing relationships and being right with God over enforcing my rights.

Life is too short, and eternity is too near to be easily offended by those I’m called to love. Keeping a record of wrongs embitters and enslaves us. The stony walls of offense I build to protect my hurting heart imprison me and keep Christ and His healing out. The sweet waters of forgiveness break through the barrier of bitterness and open the road to resolution.

As the lyrics to the spiritual goes, “It’s not my brother, not my sister, but it’s me, oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer.” Rather than try to fix others (which I can’t do) I need to fix my relationship with Christ.

Other’s wrong actions toward me do not excuse my sinful reactions. While we shouldn’t enable abuse or needlessly place ourselves in toxic situations, we must extend forgiveness, even if the other person is wrong and unrepentant.

To be Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because Christ forgave the inexcusable in you.
C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

Jesus didn’t die only for those who would accept Him. He paid the penalty for the sins of all those He knew would reject Him, too. The great I Am bore the sins of all humanity to provide forgiveness we do not deserve.

We must let go of unforgiveness if we want to receive the forgiveness Jesus offers.—We cannot hold on to both.

But forgiving is often beyond my natural ability.

To err is human, to forgive divine.
Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism

It helps me when I remember people mistreat others because of what’s broken in them. When I focus on their need for healing, the injustices I receive become much easier to handle. When I pray for someone, not just for my vindication or relief, I find God gives me the heart, the grace, to forgive them. And besides, I need forgiveness too.

Jesus wants us to bring our brokenness, shortfalls, and failures to Him so He can change and imbue us with His supernatural empowerment.

Regardless of the behavior of others, if I forgive and yield to Jesus’ refining of my heart and character through the circumstances in my life, He rewards. A right heart yields a closer relationship with Jesus and His unsurpassed peace.

***I’m guilty, Lord. I fail, I fall. Remember I am dust. Help me.***

God’s love for humanity drove Jesus to the cross to purchase our pardon. God commands us to love and to extend grace and forgiveness to others as He does to us. When I set my heart and mind to love and serve others as Jesus calls me to, even if it is unrequited, He fulfills me.

When we let Jesus overhaul our inward man, the core of who we are, many of our relationship problems resolve themselves. He is defender and restorer. We encounter struggles, pitfalls, and pain in life’s journey, but Scripture promises that God works all things for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28) And the most important good is Christ formed in us. He is the Master Builder. There is joy and contentment when I focus on Jesus, rest my heart in His hands, and walk in His ways.

—————

The above is in response to requests to share the devotion mentioned in my article, The Absent Author.

Rachel M. Colby has a heart for reconciliation and a passion to uplift those who serve in tough places. She writes to connect cultures’ questions with Christianity’s answers, inspire faith, and motivate.

Rachael’s work has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog, online publications,compilation books, and the Oak Ridger newspaper.

This Jamaican-born multi-genre award-winning writer, wife, and mom resides in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She runs on chocolate and a lotta “Help me, Jesus.”

Website: TattooItOnYourHeart.com Twitter: @RachaelColby7 Facebook: Rachael M Colby Instagram: Rachael M Colby

Tags devotions, devotions for writers, forgiveness, guest post, guest posting, relationships

Guest Posts

The Art of Mind Mapping: Unleashing Creative Potential Unconventional Ideas to Inspire Your Next Masterpiece

Nothing beats the thrill of writing the opening paragraph of your next novel or the first stanza of a new poem. The words come easily at first and ideas seem bountiful in the early days of a writing project.

However, as you get stuck into your piece, you may find that you lose track of your plot and forget the plans you’d laid out for your characters. This can be frustrating if you only have a short time to write after work. It can even lead to writer’s fatigue.

Rather than lament the loss of your creative energy, use the time to mind map your project. Mind mapping lets you zoom out from the paragraph or chapter you’re currently working on so you can see the bigger picture again. Mind mapping can help you figure out why your story is falling flat and generate a more compelling narrative arc for your reader too.

Structure

Unless you want to write a rambling postmodern masterpiece, you’ll need a clear idea of structure to guide your narrative and give you a sense of purpose. This holds true for even the most experimental of novels, like Italo Calvino’s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler, which eschews a linear plot yet still follows a clear structure to guide readers through the novel.

If you’re some way into your project, consider bullet-pointing all of the major plot points you’ve written so far. This can help you discover a chain of cause and effect and may nudge your creative faculties in a more compelling direction.

You may find that mind-mapping your own creation still leaves you feeling a little lost. This is entirely normal, as few writers know how their story will start, progress, and end before they put pen to paper.

Rather than getting frustrated, pull your favorite book off the shelf and start to mind-map its structure. Note down the major plot points and keep a record of all that has happened to the main characters. You can even jot down the page numbers next to major events, as this will give you an idea of how you might space out your own narrative events.

This approach to mind mapping will give you a deeper understanding of the genre you’re working within and may help you figure out if you need more (or less!) major events to shake up the plot and recapture the reader’s focus.

Ideas

Understanding the structure of a story is key if you’re working on a longer project like a novel. However, if you want to write a series of short stories or poems, you may be better served by focusing your attention on the major ideas that you wish to present.

This sentiment is echoed by Edgar Allan Poe who, when reviewing a collection of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short stories,

“A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build.”

This approach to writing can be mentally taxing as every sentence works to build the “mood” of the story and help convey your overarching idea. A mental map can help you pick up the thread of your big idea by helping you assess whether or not a sentence or stanza works.

Avoid the temptation to mind map while you’re writing. Instead, take out a large sheet of paper when editing and jot down the big idea in the center of the page. Then start copying down sentences from your draft; connecting similar-sounding sentences and branching out as the idea grows. This will help you hone the craft of the sentence and make the kind of micro edits that are essential for all good short stories.

If you struggle to edit your own work, it may be a sign that you need more sleep. Sleep is critical for creativity, as difficulty concentrating is a tell-tale sign of physical fatigue. If this is the case, you may be better served putting the pen down and getting a few “Z’s” instead.

Finding the Flow

Once you’ve completed your mind map, you need to get back in the flow of things ASAP. Getting back in the flow is key, as you may find that mind mapping makes you overcautious when writing more content or editing your existing work.

You can find your writer flow by sitting down to work in a quiet, calming place. You may even want to pour yourself a glass of wine, as wine can loosen you up and get your creative juices flowing. As an added bonus, red wines contain antioxidants that reduce inflammation and may give your body the boost it needs as you focus on your writing.

Keep your mind map at close hand but keep your attention on the screen. If you run into writer’s block, simply start writing sentences that sound right even if they can’t be used in your project. This is like firing up the engine of a car after it’s been in the garage for some time and will get you back to your best in no time.

Conclusion

Mind mapping can help you find structural flaws and superfluous sentences in your work. It can also generate new ideas and help you find the flow after some time away. Consider copying down the structure of your favorite author if you’re struggling for inspiration and play some calming music to get your creative flowing again.

Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in the art of writing, mental health, and education. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter.

Tags Create Motivate Inspire, creative potential, guest post, guest posts, mind mapping

Guest Posts

What is Sustainable Publishing?

Post author By Amanda Winstead
Post date October 28, 2023
No Comments on What is Sustainable Publishing?

Sustainability is a hot topic in every industry. 69% of consumers say they’ve made changes to their shopping habits to become more sustainable and 50% say they intentionally reuse more products to minimize waste. In fact, increased interest in sustainability has bolstered the second-hand book market in recent years. The compound annual growth rate (CARG) of the used book market is currently 6.6% as readers show a preference for low-waste reading options.

As an author, you can minimize your carbon footprint and increase demand by pursuing sustainable publishing options. Going carbon-neutral can help you stand out in a crowded market and may gain you a loyal following of carbon-conscious readers.

Carbon Neutral

Going carbon-neutral can be a boon for your brand as an author and could help bolster your book sales. However, you may find that actually achieving a net-zero publication is harder than it seems. Start by taking simple steps to achieve carbon neutrality like:

Measure: Ask your publisher to track emissions during every stage of the publishing life-cycle. This includes everything from ink usage to shipping and sales.
Reduce: As an author, you can reduce your carbon usage by opting for low-energy computers and energy-efficient suppliers. This will make achieving net-zero carbon use that much easier.
Offset: Carbon offsets aren’t a perfect science, but they do play an important role in combating climate change. Before launch, fund some projects that align with your book and appeal to your audience.
Communicate: Eliminating carbon emissions entirely may be impossible for you at this time. Be open and honest about your current operations and share yield analysis findings with your readers.

Going carbon neutral is a noble goal. However, you’ll need to account for every step of the writing, publishing, and distribution process if you want to truly claim to be net zero. Avoid the temptation to trump up sustainability claims, as greenwashing can undermine your brand image as an author.

Finding a Publisher

As an author, the publishing process is largely out of your control. You don’t get to decide what paper the book is printed on and may not even choose the cover of your upcoming title. That means you need to find a publisher that you trust to deliver on sustainability promises.

Even major publishers, like HarperCollins, are starting to switch to a net-zero business model. The publishing giant (which owns Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster) has already reduced emissions by 30% over the past five years and aims to achieve a 60% reduction by 2030.

If you’re still building your brand as an author, you may want to consider a smaller publisher instead. Small-scale publishers offer higher royalties and may give you greater control over the way your book is turned from an MS manuscript to a printed book.

Before signing with a new publisher, do your research and ask them key questions like:

Do you disclose your carbon emissions?
How do you source paper for your printed materials?
What is your Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policy?
What steps do you take to reduce waste and how do you measure progress?

These questions ensure that you only work with publishers who take climate change seriously. They’ll help you uncover any evidence of greenwashing, too.

Low-Waste Supply

In the U.S. alone, the publishing industry fells 32 million trees every year to produce books. This makes publishing the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gasses related to paper and pulp. Fortunately, many publishers now work with sustainable suppliers who are committed to reducing waste and recycling old books.

As an author, you can take the reins by getting involved in the process. Learn how paper recycling works and push your publisher to turn discarded paper and pulp into bags, kitty litter, insulation, or packaging. This keeps your unsold books and off-cuts out of the landfill and can significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

If you’re a new author, you may be able to pursue print-on-demand publishing. This means that your publisher will only print a single copy of your book every time an order is placed. While this isn’t an appropriate business model for bestsellers, it can be a great way to reduce costs and minimize waste if you’re selling to a niche audience in low volumes.

Conclusion

The book industry produces massive amounts of pulp and paper waste every year. As an author, you can do your part to reduce waste by opting for sustainable publishing. Sustainable publishing minimizes your carbon footprint and can mitigate most of the by-products associated with printing. Just be sure to avoid greenwashing, as this will derail your book launch and undermine your brand image as an author.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Tags guest post, guest posting, guest posts, publishing, publishing industry, publishing tips

Guest Posts

The Absent Author

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date October 19, 2023
4 Comments on The Absent Author

“You’ve drawn back,” that familiar voice whispered to my heart. I tried to shrug off the nudge. I knew I needed to be transparent with my readers, but it made me uncomfortable, as if naked in a crowd.

One night at writers group, I showed up with several miscellaneous pieces to share. An unfinished article lay at the bottom of the pile. I felt unqualified to write it because I still wrestled with the subject—forgiveness. I certainly didn’t want to read it to my writers group. It scared me to share any of my writing, let alone something that made me vulnerable. So, I read the pieces that cost little and allowed me to keep a safe emotional distance.

I always positioned myself at the table so I could see our leader.

While we shared our work, I watched the nuances of his expressions to get a real feel for his responses. I noted how he measured his words when he commented. As everyone stated what they liked about what I’d read, Jack leaned back, silent, in his chair.

“Jack, you’re awfully quiet.”

“I want to hear Rachael. I want to see Rachael on the page. I want to hear your voice.”

“They’re all me,” I said. But Jack stared stone-faced. “You just want to see me bleed, don’t you?”

“Yeah, you’re right. I do.”

So much for being incognito. All eyes fixed on us. I sighed and pulled the unfinished piece from beneath the pile of papers and read what would become my article entitled Forgive to my writers group.

“There you are,” Jack said. “There’s Rachael.”

A hush fell on the room. Though this took place at a public library, it felt like church.

I finished my article on forgiveness and posted it on my blog. A few days later, I received a message from a young man I’d never met who was attending a Bible conference put on by one of our churches across the country.

“Thanks for this post,” he said. “It’s exactly what I needed to hear. A huge weight lifted off me tonight. I was struggling all week to hear from God concerning a troublesome situation. There have been powerful sermons all week that were very applicable to my life, but I needed clear direction from God. Your blog post on forgiveness cut to the heart of the matter. I haven’t been able to leave any of the services with peace, but now I can. Thanks.”

Sometimes I fall short of the tall order of vulnerability in my writing, but I’m no longer resistant. My new writing mentor, Cec Murphe y , appears determined to draw me into the startling light, and that’s a good thing. “Where’s Rachael in this piece?” he says. Yes, a bared soul can touch hearts in ways polished prose and hard facts alone cannot.

Oh, how rich the reward when we truly give of ourselves to serve others.

Rachael M. Colby has a heart for reconciliation and a passion to uplift those who serve in tough places. She writes to connect cultures’ questions with Christianity’s answers, inspire faith, and motivate.

Rachael’s work has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog, online publications, compilation books, and the Oak Ridger newspaper.

This Jamaican-born multi-genre award-winning writer, wife, and mom resides in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She runs on chocolate and a lotta “Help me, Jesus.”

Website: TattooItOnYourHeart.com
Twitter: @RachaelColby7
Facebook: Rachael M Colby

Tags be genuine, Be real, be vulnerable, Discovering Writer's Voice, guest post, guest posting, voice

Guest Posts

Unconscious Creativity: How I Wrote a Novel in Five Weeks

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date September 22, 2023
No Comments on Unconscious Creativity: How I Wrote a Novel in Five Weeks

In 2001, I signed a contract to write four children’s science-fantasy adventure books with an impossible deadline. The contract required me to write about 200,000 words in six months—and I had never been that productive before. I wasn’t sure I could do it.

While writing, I abandoned plot outlines in favor of plunging in, imagining scenes, and piling up mountains of words. Along the way, the characters repeatedly surprised me. I wrote faster and more freely than ever before. I’m proud of the quality of those books (each is rated 4.6 stars on Amazon).

That experience launched me on an exploration of the creative process. I studied the insights of Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, John Steinbeck, and Madeleine L’Engle. They all attributed their uninhibited creativity to the power of the unconscious mind—our dimly understood storehouse of memories, fears, desires, and dreams.

Fast forward to early 2023. I was pondering a science fiction thriller about the extinction threat from super-smart artificial intelligence. Finally, on February 19, 2023, I awoke before dawn and wrote in my journal, “This book won’t let me sleep!” And I began writing Chapter 1.

I completed the first draft of the 50,000-word novel exactly five weeks later, on March 25. The novel, Its Name Is Legion: A Human Novel about Artificial Intelligence, was published in June 2023.

I wrote without an outline, heeding the advice of Ray Bradbury:

“Jump off a cliff and build your wings on the way down.”

Every day, I was “writing in overdrive”—writing “in flow.” Here’s the creative process I followed during those five weeks:

Step 1: Trust Your Unconscious

Imagination and inspiration flow from the unconscious mind.

“[I] allow my unconscious mind to control the course of the story.”
Ursula K. Le Guin

And Ray Bradbury kept a sign by his typewriter that read, “Don’t Think!” He told an interviewer, “I never plan ahead. Everything is always spontaneous and passionate.” Bradbury learned the unconscious approach to writing at age eighteen when he read Dorothea Brande’s Becoming a Writer. Brande wrote, “The unconscious must be trusted to bring you aid from a higher level than that on which you ordinarily function.”

I have learned to trust my unconscious imagination. That’s why I was never blocked, never at a loss for words, during those five weeks.

Step 2: Set Ambitious Goals

The unconscious mind craves a challenge, so aim high. Set goals that require you to be more creative and productive than you’ve ever been before. Your goals should objectively measure your progress—a specific daily word quota, page count, or the completion of a chapter or story. Productivity quotas force us to persevere and produce.

No one enters the overdrive zone while doing something easy. Only when we accept a bold challenge can we experience the creative thrill of writing in overdrive.

Step 3: Give Yourself Permission to Write Badly

It’s okay to write badly at times. That’s what first drafts are all about. To write brilliantly, give yourself permission to write badly.

“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”
Jodi Picoult

Silence your inner critic. Stop striving for first-draft perfection. Shed your inhibitions and write quickly, with childlike abandon.

I call first-drafting “finger-painting with words.” When children fingerpaint, they’re creative and spontaneous. When you write in first draft, make a glorious mess.

Step 4: Write with Emotional Intensity

To enter the overdrive zone, you must be emotionally involved in your work. Haunted by the horrors of Nazi death camps, Elie Wiesel wrote Night. Enraged by social injustice, John Steinbeck pounded out The Grapes of Wrath.

I felt emotionally driven to write Its Name Is Legion. I poured everything I had into that novel, including my fears about the threat of super-smart AI. My emotional involvement drove me to write with speed and boundless inspiration.

What do you love? What do you fear? List your passions, then transmute them into compelling fiction.

Step 5: Relax

Ray Bradbury urged writers to adopt a mindset of “dynamic relaxation,” a state of being emotionally engaged yet so relaxed that we become one with the act of creation. “Relax and stop thinking,” he said. “True creation occurs then and only then.”

“Many things—such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly—are done worst when we try hardest to do them.” Lewis relaxed by walking in the woods. He told a friend, “My imagination only works when I am exercising.”
C. S. Lewis

Stuck for ideas? Take a nap, take a walk, listen to music. Relax—then write brilliantly.

Step 6: Start Strong and Push to Completion

As you write, you’ll have doubts. You’ll question your talent, your plot, and your characters. Every writer has doubts. Successful writers ignore them.

I experienced doubts while writing Its Name Is Legion, but I refused to give them space in my head. I went to work—and I always found a way into the story. I willed myself to finish.

Your goal is not perfection but production. Write quickly, never analyzing, but simply jotting down the scenes in your imagination. Do this every day and you’ll soon have a reward for your persistence—

A novel that will astonish the world.

Jim Denney’s books Walt’s Disneyland: It’s Still There If You Know Where to Look, Your Writing Mentor C. S. Lewis, and his children’s fantasy novel Battle Before Time are all rated 4.6 stars or higher on Amazon. He is a member of SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America). Find him at WritingInOverdrive.com.

Tags creative writing, creativity, guest post, guest posting, write a novel

The World is Not Black and White

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date August 19, 2023
13 Comments on The World is Not Black and White

Unless you’re a whale, walrus, or flat haired rat, your world is not black and white. And since none of these critters buy books, let’s talk about adding a splash of color for those who do. A good place to begin this discussion is with the magnet you hope will draw thousands of potential readers.

The Cover

While no color is exclusive to any genre, it’s crucial to be aware of current trends. When I searched Amazon for “bestselling romance novels,” up popped a row of pink book covers. Not the hot and steamy kind—not the ones featuring a shirtless hunk.

Drool

These pink books were of the Hallmark/Nora Roberts/Summer Reading flavor.

While cover designers point and click and the color changes, authors subtly use words to convey emotions, expectations, and associations. For example, writing a romance scene may call for spring colors that create a sense of love, hope, and joy, while an erotic romance plot seems more at home with shades of flesh set into a nighttime environment.

In a thriller or mystery, up your danger quotient by weaving red and black into the conflict. A historical or religious character may wear purple to signal royalty, wisdom, or power. Gold lights up all that is around it, an appealing trait at the fingertips of a fantasy author building a magical world of wonder in which a quest will unfold.

Contrasting colors, those positioned straight across the color wheel from each other, create tension, irony, or surprise. Experiment with a burst of a bright orange set in a midnight-blue scene to highlight an unexpected, perhaps shocking, disclosure.

Make sure your colors ring true!

The bank president isn’t credible when wearing a jewel-toned silk suit. On the other hand, would we even recognize Terry Crews if he donned the bank president’s navy-blue suit with its matching tie? Hmm … with all those muscles, we probably would. Okay, so that’s not the best example. Still, it’s up to you to select the hues that best enhance the physical appearance of your settings and characters, thereby conveying subliminal messages about their personality, mood, and emotions.

You are the color wizard.

But please, please, please do not write this: The brown-haired woman, dressed in a brown dress and matching shoes, leaned against the wall across the room from the man wearing a black pinstriped suit.

Yawn. Who cares?

Engage the reader by using color to tell the readers something important without “telling” them it’s important. Think about this:

Her mood was as brown as her dress. When not a single person looked her way, she leaned against the beige wall, unnoticed, exactly as she had hoped.

From these two sentences, we learn she is not happy. She feels down in the dumps. You, the author, have conveyed her as sad, depressed, and low-spirited. Yet you build suspense by not explaining why, even though other people are in the room, she prefers to remain unseen.

This leaves much to disclose as you design your protagonist’s arc. How will your reader’s perspective change as your character evolves and behaves as she does in the following scene?

Across the room, the woman pushed a glossy strand of mahogany hair back from her eyes and winked at the man. He removed his ebony suit jacket and flung it casually over his shoulder. When she raised her champagne glass and stepped toward him, the slit in her scarlet gown revealed a golden, sun-kissed thigh.

Oh, my. How color has tinted this relationship.

In my historical novel to be released in September, Golden Boxty in the Frypan, the protagonist, six-year-old Katie, has issues with her new brother. These are her thoughts:

Purple veins crisscross his hairless head. Red eyelids, puffy as a frog’s, bulge from his blotchy face. Yellowish bubbles gather in the corners of his lips. Overwhelmed with grief, maybe anger, or perhaps a mix of both, I dash to my hiding place and remove Molly from my pocket. She has a tear in her eye, just like the one in mine. I prayed for the Holy Virgin Mother to send a girl, so we’ll have a friend. And what did we get? A boy as ugly as ground beef.

What do we learn from the colors Katie uses to describe her brother in the first minutes of his life? Purple, red, and blotchy show that this newborn had a rough arrival. Does the red also signal a fiery relationship for these siblings? Yellow is credited with the ability to cause anger and frustration, and we experience that through Katie’s internal thoughts. We may even feel sorry for her as she vents her irritation over not getting the sister she requested in her prayers.

Be bold … But cautious!

Don’t insult your reader. Overuse is tedious, redundant, and annoying.

Consider: The black crow sent a shiver down her spine.

Black crow?!? Please! What other color would the crow be?

Color should either add to the story or suffer the fate of the delete key. Don’t employ a rainbow of hues just to appear inspired or cutting edge. Because then it is not. Color only becomes creative and original when it informs the reader in a way no other words can.

You are the artist. Paint the world with your words.

Dr. Pat Spencer is the author of the international thriller, Story of a Stolen Girl. Her historical novel, Golden Boxty in the Frypan, will be released September 6, 2023, by Pen It Publications. Sticks in a Bundle, literary/historical fiction, is under a three-book contract with Scarsdale Publishing. Her writings appeared in The Press-Enterprise, Inland Empire Magazine, and literary and professional journals. A Healing Place won the short story category of Oceanside’s 2019 Literary Festival.

Tags black and white, guest post, guest posting, using color

Blogging Basics

How to Write Your 1st Blog Post

Post author By Nancy Howard
Post date April 20, 2023
No Comments on How to Write Your 1st Blog Post

A welcome post is a pinned post on your blog that appears first in your entry feed. But let’s leave the technical side of the question for later, it’s the easiest one here. The most important and complex part is the ideological component because a welcome post is a blogger’s calling card.

How to make the most of the opportunity and simply and succinctly tell readers about yourself, your blog, and interest the reader? In this post, we look at how to write the perfect welcome post, based on analyzed publications from custom writing Write My Essays.

Show yourself as an author

An author’s personality is the most valuable thing in a blog. That’s why we start our welcome post by talking about ourselves.

Tell us about who you are in plain and simple language, as briefly as possible. What is your name, or who do you want people to call you? You are free to withhold your age and personal information. If you are a themed blogger or a profession-related blogger, include your education and what you do.

Write about your award-winning authorship or involvement in meaningful writing programs or courses. For example, provide links to your books if you are a published author. One more thing is if you’re not hiding from your readers – add your favorite photo in the welcome post.

Introduce your blog

The second important part of the welcome post is the presentation of the blog. Essentially, you need to answer two questions: what is your blog about, and what is its format?

Do this, literally, in one sentence – make it short and to the point. If you’re struggling to articulate your blog in one sentence, think about whether readers will be able to make sense of extensive content. That’s a reason to think about a serious overhaul of your blog and its concept.

Show the reader the most interesting things

Introduce the reader to the rubrics of your blog. It is the headings, not the thousand-and-one links to everything you think is most interesting. Describe each of them briefly, in one or two sentences. Do not put hundreds of links to individual entries, as just a few people will scroll through a long page – give a link to the tag, which will combine the posts in the headings. Put the title of the rubric in bold, and link it to the tag.

Options for contact

Describe the rules by which you can be contacted. For example: for cooperation questions, write to official emails; for other questions, write in person, and so on.

You may also give links to social networks and services, in which you as a user are presented. Do not give links to resources where you are not active.

Common mistakes when writing a welcome post

Sometimes a welcome post needs to get the desired response. One of these mistakes was made in the content writing.

Lots of facts in one post – the reader gets lost in the abundance of information and doesn’t remember anything. Decide what you are writing the post for. If you are telling a personal story – write about the fundamental facts in general terms, and vice versa – do not go into the biography when describing.
There are a lot of narrow professional terms in your post – these words are incomprehensible to ordinary users, so they will not read your post. There’s nothing wrong with terms, and sometimes you can’t do without them – let’s say when writing a post about medicine or law. Remember to explain difficult words simply and briefly and don’t make them the main focus of the publication.
Your publication has no structure – if you write about yourself first, don’t finish the thought and jump to services, then go back to the story, the reader will be confused by your thoughts and will probably leave the page. Decide what to write about at the beginning, what to write about in the middle, and how to end the post. Stick to that logic, and the text will be coherent and clear.

Final thoughts

All in all, the welcome blog post is the fundamental part that defines further blog success. This is your chance to present your personality, your sphere of activity, and your offer as a blogger. A well-written welcome post tells your story in a way that is accessible and interesting to users and increases the credibility of the blog and the product you’re selling.

Nancy P. Howard has been working as a journalist at the online magazine in London for a year. She is also a professional writer in such topics as blogging, IT, and digital marketing. She loves travelling, photography and is always welcome to meet new people.

Tags blog, blogging, blogging advice, blogging tips, guest post

Guest Posts

You’re A Writer, But Success Requires More than Just Great Grammar

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date April 10, 2023
No Comments on You’re A Writer, But Success Requires More than Just Great Grammar

Whether you write professionally or simply want to publish your first novelette, your success depends on more than just your ability to pen a good story. Today, Almost An Author shares a few tips on how to grow your audience so that you can craft a career in creativity.

Keep your resume up-to-date.

No matter what writing path you’ve chosen, you need a resume. Make sure that you keep this updated and on the cloud, and go with a PDF editor to ensure it stays up to date. An editor lets you update a PDF more easily than a word processing file, and they are smaller files that can be downloaded, shared, and opened by virtually all systems.

Make sure you have a dedicated writing space.

Although there’s nothing wrong with grabbing your laptop and plunking paragraphs at your local coffee shop, you should have a quiet and comfortable place to write. The kitchen table doesn’t count. If your home doesn’t currently have a dedicated writing space, make one. But also make sure that you document and track updates so that you can get a higher appraised value on your home when your book becomes a success and you sell so that you can finally buy that secluded cabin in the woods.

Get to know your audience.

Who is your audience? If you answered “everyone,” you’re wrong. Each style of writing is geared toward a different demographic. Young adults, for example, tend to consume different books, magazines, and short stories than their younger siblings. A great tip here is to create what’s known in the marketing world as a buyer persona. HubSpot explains that creating this concocted customer can help you better tailor your product (in this case, your writing) to appeal to your real-world buyers’ wants and needs.

Take to social media.

Social media is an excellent tool for promoting your writing business. It’s also a wonderful platform for connecting with other writers. In addition to networking, you can use free and paid social media posts to get feedback on ideas that you’re not quite sure about.

Write a business plan.

Many of us hope for an angel investor to come along and pay our way until we get the novel from our heads to the presses. But that rarely happens in real life. If you want to make money with your writing, you have to look at it like a business. This requires writing a business plan, which is a document that helps you best outline your marketing, business, and sales strategies.

Run your work past an editor.

When you’re just getting started with writing, the idea of having someone blatantly critique your work is intimidating. You get over that eventually, and you shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that editing is a crucial step in the writing process. Take heart knowing that your editor won’t try to change your piece fundamentally, but their role in your success can’t be underscored enough. Master Class explains that there are many different types of editors, including developmental, structural, line, and copy. Sometimes these are the same people, but it never hurts to have your pieces edited in different styles. If you work in digital marketing, you may also have an SEO editor or others that ensure that your content matches the technical specs needed to rank online.

Is this everything you need to know to be a successful writer? Not even close. However, the tips above, from keeping your resume and writing spaces up to date to using social media for feedback and having a business plan and editorial reviews, can all help you improve both your business and writing skills so that you can pursue your passion as a profession.

As a former banker, Jim McKinley uses his background and skills to provide advice and valuable resources to anyone who needs help with their financial literacy. In his spare time, Jim spends time with his family and his dogs and he maintains his website Money with Jim.

Tags guest post, guest posting, writing advice, Writing tips

Guest Posts

How to Write the Intriguing Titles for Your Articles

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date March 19, 2023
No Comments on How to Write the Intriguing Titles for Your Articles

A headline is the title of an article or any other publication the purpose of which is to get the audience’s attention and tell the visitor what the content body is about. A well-written headline motivates the user to read the article or watch the video—it must be interesting, clear, catchy, and intriguing. That is why writing a headline is sometimes more challenging than a text.

You should dedicate enough time to create an exciting title. At the same time, a bad headline can kill even the most amazing blog post from the best translation company or social media publication.

Fortunately, today we have access to research results in this area. Successful authors are constantly experimenting with headlines and sharing the results, and we can also take note of these tests. Here are just a few helpful tips for creating catchy titles for your articles.

The title should outline the benefits for the target audience

Ensure you choose a headline that shows the benefits that your readers will get from your product or service. The ideal headline solves problems or helps your audience achieve their desired goals or provides solutions they can get with your products/services.

Let’s go ahead and compare the following headlines:

Graphic Design Tools and Techniques.
Improve Your Design Skills: An Essential Guide to Fundamental Design Tools and Techniques.

The first title simply mentions the topic of the article, while the second explicitly focuses on the benefits the reader can receive from reading the publication.

Add relevant keywords and key figures to show the content value

Adding precise details like key figures and high-volume keywords in your headline can significantly enhance engagement with your content.

People are likely to get their attention towards well-organized information. Including such details in your title creates a certain content structure, promising that the content will offer something valuable. Commonly, numbers catch attention more actively than plain text, for instance:

10 methods for boosting emotional well-being.
The 5 essential secrets of human productivity.
7 helpful tips for enhancing your sleep quality.

Create an engaging element

A captivating headline provides a sneak peek into the content but doesn’t reflect the whole picture, which makes readers want to finish reading.

However, it’s essential to note that the content should provide answers to the reader’s curiosity that the title generates. For example:

Unveiling the real reason why low-carb diets don’t work effectively.
A disastrous car-buying experience: my cautionary tale.
Breaking news: deadly virus outbreak in China—here’s what we know so far.

Display the positive and the negative components

Have you heard the story of a radio station that broadcasted only positive news? It went bankrupt since it turned out that people expect to be aware of negative news as well.

Thus, to add some diversity to your content, consider presenting a list of insufficient advice or beginning with a story of life and business challenges that later turn out to be a success story. This approach has been successful in the past, and it continues to be effective these days.

Common mistakes to avoid when writing titles

Headline writing can be tricky, and content creators sometimes can make common errors. Here are some mistakes you should avoid:

Using wordplay in the headline: while a clever headline can catch attention, it’s not always easy to create. If you’re not confident in your ability to write a good wordplay headline, it’s better to avoid it.
Relying on clichés: try to avoid hackneyed phrases in your headlines. If a popular phrase is stuck in your head, think twice—readers are often more interested in an original title.
Creating titles without a call to action: often content creates headlines that merely state what the article is about, like a research paper headline. However, this can make it unclear what the article is really about.
Using too short titles: the headline should accurately outline the content of the article. If you try to keep it brief too much, it may be difficult for readers to understand what the article is about, and they probably skip reading.

Final thoughts

The aforementioned tips and tricks might not be brand new for you. But the approaches and techniques we describe in this article always work beneficially for your content and its promotion. So, you should definitely consider them for your writing practice, like writers from custom writing GrabMyEssay do. We hope, after reading this article, you’ll realize that creating a great headline is not as difficult as it may seem.

Tags article writing, guest post, guest posting, guest posts, intriguing titles for your articles, titles, Unforgetable title

Guest Posts

What Are You Aiming For?

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date October 9, 2022
No Comments on What Are You Aiming For?

I stared at the one-inch thick pine board and sighed. I had attempted the side-kick break for what seemed like the hundredth time, but it refused to break. Aggravation mounted along with the belief that I would never accomplish the task. I was a girl. I wasn’t strong. I was new to martial arts. My list of excuses grew by the moment but the board remained the same, completely intact.

Memories of that day popped up as I read the email. My article query had been rejected…again. Suddenly the hundred rejection challenge didn’t seem like much of a challenge after all. Why bother?

No one wants to read my writing.

Frustration mounted along with a belief that I would never be a full-time writer. The field was already saturated. There was too much competition. I didn’t know the right people. My list of excuses grew like the rejection emails in my in-box, yet something about that memory from martial arts class stuck out.

When I started Taekwondo, I was only one of two females in the class, not counting our female instructor, who looked like a blonde Xena Warrior Princess. I was the only teenage girl in a room full of football players. They made board breaking look easy, but then again they had big muscles. The senior student, one step away from black belt, was walking me through the technique…again.

“Your side-kick technique is good.”

“So, what am I doing wrong?”

“You’re kicking the board.”

“Funny. What else am I supposed to be doing?”

“The board isn’t your target,” he said. He tapped the front jacket of the student holding the board. This is your target. You need to follow through on your kick. You stop when you hit the board.”

Something began to click in my brain. I was intimidated by the board, so I stopped when I got to it.

I was focusing on the wrong thing.

“The board isn’t your target. It’s the obstacle between you and your target. Try again.”

The board holder assumed position again wrapping his fingers around the top of the board with one hand and the bottom of the board with the other. He locked his elbows, holding the board forward, level with my kick height. I backed up and took my fighting stance, hands up. I took a deep breath and stepped forward into a side-kick, aiming for the holder this time. When my foot landed on the mat, the sound of applause startled me. I looked down and the board was in two pieces.

As a writer, rejection slips are just one of the obstacles between me and success as a writer. My goal is to be published, but like learning how to break a board, it requires learning the right techniques and practicing them. All the excuses about why I can’t become a published author are just obstacles that I have to break through. I can’t let them stop me.

What goals are you aiming for?

The key is keeping your eye on the goal, not on the obstacles in the way. We have to figure out how to get over, around, or through the obstacles. We have to do the work. In Taekwondo, I came to class twice a week for two hours. Every class we exercised, practiced kicks and punches, and practiced sparring. I showed up every week, and I got better with each practice. Eventually, I took a test and passed my yellow belt, which included a board break. The path to black belt included several more levels, each increasing in skills learned.

Whatever you are aiming for in life, it requires keeping your eyes on the target.

It also requires showing up and doing the work. You have to work through the obstacles; you have to work through the excuses. When you aim at the right target and follow through, you will have a break-through too.

Linda Lyle is a writer, knitter, and single mama to two crazy cats. When she is not running the office at a machine shop, she is working part-time at The Taming of the Ewe: A Yarn and Tea Boutique or scribbling ideas on her blog, The End of My Yarn.

Connect with Linda at website is https://lindalyle.com/.

Tags guest post, obstacles, rejection, success, what are you aiming for, writer, writing

Guest Posts

Writing Process for Business Communications

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date October 5, 2022
No Comments on Writing Process for Business Communications

For many people, writing is difficult. But writing can become faster and more efficient with practice. When writing effectively for business communications, keep the reader in mind. For the audience to understand, you must be imaginative and communicate your point.

Do not drag out unnecessary details, and try to remain focused on your main goal. Read and explore various sources to enhance your knowledge and improve your vocabulary. To write for effective corporate communication, there are three main steps to follow:

3-Step Writing Process for Business Communications

The 3-step writing process for business communications includes:

1. Make a Plan of What You Are Going to Write

Making a plan for the content of your message is the first stage. Make the purpose or goal of writing clear first. Once a goal has been established, gather data while keeping the audience’s needs in mind. After that, devise a plan or choose a platform to deliver your message.

For the delivery of your desired message, use the appropriate communication channel. It’s time to organize the thought and decide whether to use a direct or indirect technique to convey a message. Wonders happen when writers’ motivation is practiced. The ideal strategy is to create an outline so you won’t forget to include key details. Thus, the process involves:

● Investigate the Situation

You establish the purpose of your writing in this step and create a profile of your audience. Without knowing your writing purpose, you risk having a limited comprehension of your target audience and creating a message that is ignored or receives no reaction.

● Collect Data

This step involves identifying the audience’s needs and gathering the data necessary to meet those needs. What information must your audience have? This process aids in helping you concentrate on the key components of your message.

● Select the Correct Delivery Vehicle

Now you must pick the most efficient means of communication delivery (medium). Does your intended audience read textual correspondence such as emails and letters? To effectively communicate your message, you must choose the appropriate media. If you don’t, your intended audience won’t hear you.

● Put the Data in the Proper Order

Once you’ve completed the fundamental tasks of obtaining, analyzing, and selecting how to present your information, it’s time to organize it all. In this section of the planning step, we will establish the key communication concept and decide whether to deliver the message directly or indirectly. In accordance with best practices, the communication’s substance should be outlined at this point.

2. Get Started with Writing Phase

Compose the message after careful planning. You will concentrate on the “You” mindset strategy during this phase. This approach seeks to engage the audience and effectively deliver the message.

This technique will help you learn more about your audience’s preferences in terms of fashion, age, education, and professional issues. It’s time to write a strong, concise, and meaningful statement. It would be beneficial if you used terms that impacted the readers.

● Awareness About Audience’s Requirements

The objective is to discover as much as you can about your audience. Find out about their prejudices, education, age, status, sense of style, and personal and professional issues. Convey the message in clear English with a conversational tone using the right voice.

After figuring out how to tailor our business communication to our target, you must write the message. Write the message with our audience in mind, in other words. You can communicate with them to meet their needs using this knowledge. Additionally, in this step, you should aim to develop credibility to forge a close bond with the audience.

● Write the Message

The final phase in the writing process is to select powerful words that result in phrases and paragraphs that make sense. If you are writing for a general audience, make sure you distinguish between abstract and concrete words in your writing and eliminate any jargon.

When writing to a technical audience, jargon is allowed since they will comprehend your message better than a general audience. Choose terms when writing your message that will affect both the reader and the message.

3. Final Phase

In this final phase, you will evaluate your message. Check whether it is effective or in presentable form. Now you need to revise and review the message. See whether the information is accurate and relevant to the target audience or not.

Ensure the message format is fine such as fonts, digital, analog, etc. After this, proofread the message to fix the grammatical mistakes and errors. Now it’s time to distribute the message to your audience. Use a reliable and authentic channel.

● Proofread Your Work

Check the communication component for layout mistakes. Verify your grammar and spelling as well. Read your message numerous times, paying attention to various areas with each reading. By reading your work backward, you can check for spelling mistakes.

After your initial examination, put the document aside and return to it a few hours or a day later. You will be able to find any errors you might have missed during the initial review with the aid of fresh eyes. Ensure that all the materials and documents you intend to distribute relate to your message.

Conclusion

Regular practice and use of the three-step writing process for business communication will help you become a better writer. Adhere to the above instructions to accomplish your goal.

For more information, check out these links:

1. https://sugermint.com/the-importance-of-business-education-for-creating-better-quality-of-life/

2. https://slocumstudio.com/a-10-step-guide-for-effective-business-writing-to-win-clients/

Pearl Holland writes well-researched articles for Perfect Essay Writing. She holds a good grip over the composition and structure of the English language. Her diversified abilities in crafting informative pieces in a unique style are a source of inspiration.

Tags business communication, business planning, collecting data, guest post, message, proofread, writing phase

Guest Posts

How to Write an “About Me” Page for Your Blog in 2022

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date September 21, 2022
No Comments on How to Write an “About Me” Page for Your Blog in 2022

The About Us page of your blog provides the possibility to compile and express all words of gratitude and value to your readers. This page is commonly dedicated to discussing the story of the creation of your blog, your first steps in the area, the efforts you had to take to grow your audience, and why you actually decided to be a blogger.

Further, you can find helpful tips researched from reviews on the writing service Rated by Students that will make the About Us page of your blog appealing and engaging.

Specify the goal and value of your blog

The About Us page is an excellent opportunity to show the value your blog provides for your regular and potential subscribers. No matter how many competitors your niche has, your main task is to show how you differ, what is peculiar about your blog, and what goals you are following by having this blog.

For example, if you own a travel blog, which area is highly competitive, you need to write about the differentiators that make your travel blog unique. These indicators can be focused only on road trips in the car or RV, or your blog can be dedicated to exploring the culture of the most ancient nations in the world, etc. Any type of blog is also hard work which requires time, money, and effort. So the more resources you dedicate to your blog and describe it on the About Us page, the more appealing your site will look to users.

Highlight the key points of your story

The story of your blog foundation can be very exciting and long, but we recommend highlighting only the key points of your story. For instance, initially, you can write down everything you would like to tell your subscribers on the About Us page and read it several times to define the core things you would like to share with your followers.

Such stories commonly include the moment of how this idea came to your mind, how you succeeded in growing your blog and audience, who helped you and how many content writers work on your content, and what inspires you to keep developing. If you add too much information to this block, there is a huge probability that lots of your potential subscribers will just pass it, not even giving a chance to your blog.

Make an appealing and intuitive page design

The design of your About Us page is half of the success in attracting new subscribers via this page. As the About Us page consists of various blocks, they have to be placed intuitively and conveniently for subscribers. You can boldly define the structure for your page, but make sure it will be handy for readers.

For example, taken from writing reviews on Top Writing Reviews, each text block like the story or the team has to be readable from a single screen, with no need to scroll down to continue reading. Also, think of adding infographics where you can include a part of your text to make it more appealing and easy to read. The About Us page has to sound with the general design of your blog or business website.

Think of enabling CTAs

Each page of your blog or website needs to contain call-to-action blocks. It can be placed in the page header, at the end of the text block of the page, or within the articles, and the About Us page is not an exception. The entire page needs to enable readers to subscribe to your blog or leave their contacts. If your blog is a part of the business website, then you have to enable readers to use your services or products, but if your blog is a separate resource, then the main task is to make users subscribe to your blog and newsletters.

To sum up

Finally, we would also like to note that the About Us page needs to be regularly updated according to the change in your blog or company when, for example, your team changes, your blog changes direction, etc. The information on this page has to be fresh and relevant.

Nancy P. Howard has been working as a journalist at the online magazine in London for a year. She is also a professional writer in such topics as blogging, IT and marketing.

Tags blogg, call to action, content, guest post, value of blog

Writing Coach & Mentor Interviews

Interview With Writing Coach Allie Pleiter

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date September 19, 2022
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Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?

While I never set out to be an author, I’ve always been a storyteller. I see the world in stories, I learn in stories, and I think we grow from the stories we hear and the ones we tell ourselves. There is no deliberate theme to all my fiction and nonfiction books, but I would say that all center on the idea that we are capable of more than we know. I want to show people “you can get there from here,” or perhaps “God can get you there from here”—no matter where “here” is and what you are facing.

How long have you been writing?

I began seriously pursing publication in 1997, published my first book in 2001, and now have over 50 published titles to my credit. In fact, I’ll publish my 60th book the week of my 60th birthday later this year!

Tell us about one of your greatest joy(s) in your writing career.

There’s no greater joy than having a reader tell you how you touched their heart or gave them a much-needed boost at a challenging time. I love teaching my productivity method, The Chunky Method and watching the light-bulbs of possibility go off over writer’s heads!

Tell us about one of your darkest moment(s) in your writing career.

I had a friend once say “publishing will hand you a reason to leave every single day.” Most days, the daunting odds, whopping workload, and the sheer flying into the midst required to write a book can drag you down. This is a business where your best weapon is resilience, which is why I published My Daily Momentum to show others the daily journaling practice I use to keep going in the face of writing’s uphill climb.

Rejection is a common experience for writers. How do you overcome rejection? How has rejection shaped you or your career?

Having started life as an actor, I learned very quickly that rejection is an unavoidable part of the process. Until you learn to hear “no” as “not now” or “not here,” it can be tough going. After a twenty-year career, I have enough personal stories of rejections being gifts wrapped in disappointment. But do I still reach for pie or chocolate? You betcha.

In what ways has God led you to coach other writers? Were you surprised when a certain skill or connection led to coaching opportunities?

The Chunky Method came to me from my professional days as a grant-writer, where deadlines and breaking things down into manageable pieces were essential skills. The “ah-ha!” moment for me happened when I realized we can absolutely apply these tactics to art. In fact, applying a personalized structure to art only empowers greater creativity. I take tremendous gratification from unlocking a writing practice for a writer and watching the great work that flows from it. Was I surprised? My writing career has been so packed full of God-surprises that while I was astonished and grateful, I wasn’t startled.

Tell us about a facet of coaching that particularly excites you.

So often people here “you must do this” when talking about writing. “Serious writers write this amount of words or write every day.” Nonsense. What every writer needs is a structure built on how their creative mind works—and that looks different for everyone. I love to watch writers light up when they realize “that’s why _____ is so hard for me” or “now I understand what works for me.” It’s like watching a rocket take off—which is why I call my initial coaching program “The Chunky Launch Package.”

What venues/methods have you found most effective for meeting and coaching writers?

I am a highly extroverted person—rare in the writing world, I know. My favorite is always teaching in person at events (all those lightbulbs going off over all those heads….), but I’ve adapted to our virtual reality and coach more often now over video and phone as well as webinars. Many writers meet me through The Chunky Method Handbook, too.

Have you organized or led groups to support writers? (Retreats, ACFW chapters, etc.) How has that experience helped you to coach writers?

I work extensively with business book coach Cathy Fyock on a weekly on-line writers forum and retreats. I often speak at conferences, ACFW chapters, RWA chapters, and other writers groups. It’s always a great way to introduce writers to the Chunky Method.

Have you organized or directed a writers’ conference? Tell us about that experience, and/or share an anecdote that illustrates how you saw writers being coached and encouraged through the event.

I’ve never organized one myself, but I’m often booked to speak at them.

If you speak at writers’ groups or conferences, what are some of your favorite topics to speak about?

I speak almost as much as I coach and write! Aside from The Chunky Method, I teach craft classes on characterization and dialogue, on fiction skills for non-fiction writers, and several other topics.

What advice do you have for writers as we interact with our peers? What can we do to be better supporters, mentors, and coaches of our fellow writers?

Ditch the comparisons! We’re so quick to line ourselves up—usually wrongly—against others, forgetting that our paths are unique to us. I’ve been speaking a lot this year on professional jealousy, and how that can be such a trap for any artist.

Do you have a favorite resource or two that you recommend to beginning writers?

Well now, I wouldn’t be doing much of a job if I didn’t say The Chunky Method Handbook is my favorite, would I? There are loads of great craft books out there, but I do think writers need to get a solid writing practice established in order to have a successful career.

Do you have a favorite resource or two that you recommend to writers who are struggling with discouragement?

Other than chocolate and pie? My usual advice is this: take 24 hours and allow yourself to yell OUCH. Hurt. Journal out what you’re feeling, pray, whine to friends. Then call it done and get back to the next right step.

What are common mistakes you see aspiring writers make?

Trying to be someone else. Be you. Be authentic, be well-crafted, strive for excellence, but be you. A distinct voice is one of the greatest assets you can have in this business.

What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?

I got great advice from the beginning: “Allie, hush up and just WRITE.” Nothing begets writing like writing. Reading books on craft or tactics is great, conferences and classes are useful, but if you’re doing that and not writing, it won’t work. There are no substitutes and no shortcuts.

Book Cover:

Purchase link: https://alliepleiter.com/books/true-north-springs/a-place-to-heal/

An avid knitter, coffee junkie and firm believer that “pie makes everything better,” Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction working on as many as four novels at a time. The bestselling author of over fifty books, Allie has enjoyed a twenty-year career with over 1.5 million books sold. In addition to writing, Allie maintains an active writing productivity coaching practice and speaks regularly on the creative process, publishing, and her very favorite topic—The Chunky Method of time management for writers. Visit her website at www.alliepleiter.com to learn more.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alliepleiterauthor/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/alliepleiter

Facebook group (books): https://www.facebook.com/groups/firesidewithallie/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allie-pleiter-6a021b139

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alliepleiter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/453346.Allie_Pleiter

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/allie-pleiter

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Allie-Pleiter/e/B001H6IEUO/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

To subscribe to Allie’s newsletter: http://www.alliepleiter.com/subscribe/

Tags guest post, interview, interview questions, writing

Guest Posts

All About Publishing A Photo Book As a Photographer

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date September 13, 2022
No Comments on All About Publishing A Photo Book As a Photographer

Living in the high-tech age means storing all your best moments on devices. Although technological progress promotes photos to look better and better on screens as time passes, this still makes paper photo books only more valuable. Even the most high-quality digital picture can’t replace the feeling of paging through the book and the emotions evoked by that process.

To publish your own photo book can be pretty challenging since it requires clear understanding, profound research, and a well-thought-out strategy. But, no matter whether you target presenting an essential personal project or your top-notch shots for engaging leads, there are plenty of ways to create an impeccable photo book. That way, our core task is to cover how to craft a selling self-published photo book. So let’s consider the most efficient tips to make it a roaring success.

1. Exploring Self-Publishing Resources

Before immersing yourself in independent publishing, it is worth undergoing some workshops. It will give you priceless insights into the process from A to Z and warn you about potential pitfalls. In addition, there are numerous platforms where you may educate yourself and find out the best ways to select, store and sequence your shots for the book. For example, such hottest courses hosted by New York’s ICP, Maine Media and Anderson Ranch will doubtless point you in the right direction.

2. Overall Concept

Another crucial point that may influence the final outcome is defining the subject, which will be cross-cutting the whole photo book and the audience who might have an interest in it. Decide on the key idea and make a specific photo editing plan based on it. The best practice would be to review related blogs. That way, you will kill two birds with one stone: get needed inspiration and reveal sites for your book’s further promotion. See for yourself lifestyle blogs that accept guest posts.

3. Editing and Sequencing Shots

As practice shows, it stands as the most daunting part of photo book publishing as a photographer. This is because you should thoroughly think about what to include and miss out on. Besides, make sure the photos correlate with the book’s written description. No less significant is to realize that pictures’ consistency aims at telling some story or conveying specific messages.

If you know the approximate number of pages, it may incredibly aid in narrowing down shots selection. It also needs to consider if images match each other by palette, subject, general idea and size. The last point is often decisive since sometimes it is better to mix up different sizes, giving viewers a visual break and making a photography book unique. Repetitive pictures aren’t always a win-win option, so try to cut down on them even if they are high-quality equally. You can also use outsource photo editing company to save your time and to avoid some photo retouching work.

4. Textual Filling

The golden rule to remember if you strive to publish your own photo book is to describe the project at the very beginning. Create an appealing statement from your artistic perspective and outline your work’s essence and what you wish people to pay attention to while looking at your pictures. Some photographers resort to the services of experts for crafting text. However, no one knows your workpieces better than you and sometimes, even grammatically flawless text can’t arouse any feelings as there is no artist’s touch.

In addition, don’t neglect font style. You may wonder how it impacts, but in some cases, the right fonts can extremely engage the audience and sky-rocket photo book sales. Visit fontsarena.com to learn more about this.

5. Printing

You can’t surely do without such a component as printing to craft the best self-published photobook. The printer choice is vital, so you must research and monitor recommendations to find your cup of tea. Especially, look over the book’s specifications and what printer kind may suit the most. There are commonly two variants – offset printing and digital printing. You should make up your mind, relying on your ultimate goals. If you are already a well-known photographer and intend to volume quantities, then offset printing is just the thing. And opposite, in case you only have started building successful career in photography, opting for digital printing will perfectly fit.

Frank Hamilton is a blogger and translator from Manchester. He is a professional writing expert in such topics as blogging, digital marketing and self-education. He also loves traveling and speaks Spanish, French, German and English. Meet him on Facebook and Twitter.

Tags guest blogging, guest post, guest posting, photos, publishing, Resources, self-publishing

Guest Posts

Getting Kids Excited About Creative Writing

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date June 14, 2022
No Comments on Getting Kids Excited About Creative Writing

Whether you have a child of your own or you’ve worked with them before, you already know that most kids have incredible imaginations. They are naturally creative and great at storytelling. However, they don’t always get the opportunity to write down those incredible stories on paper.

Getting kids excited about creative writing gives them a chance to hone in on their natural storytelling talents.

Beyond that, creative writing is beneficial for kids. It fosters their imagination, encourages self-expression, and can boost their self-esteem. It can also broaden the way they think, allowing them to come up with alternatives to problems and creative solutions they can use in real-world situations.

So, how can you get the children in your life excited about creative writing? What can you do to encourage them to put their incredible stories to paper and foster a love of the written word from an early age?

Spark Their Imagination

It’s usually easy for kids to come up with interesting stories, but when you tell them to sit down and write something, it’s just as easy for them to draw a blank!

One of the easiest ways to encourage young minds to start writing is to give them a prompt that sparks their imagination. Use creative story starters to get their wheels turning, and you might be surprised what they can come up with on their own. Some ideas to offer include:

What I could do if I could fly
What I would do with one million dollars
What I would do if I was famous for a day
The person I most admire

You can also spark their imagination by reading an existing story! You never know what a child might pick up on from a book they enjoy. They might be able to relate to certain situations and experiences and write about their own. Or, they might be inspired by a particular character and use some of those traits to create someone completely new. It’s just one more reason that daily reading should be a part of every kid’s routine.

Keep Them Engaged

Let’s face it – kids don’t always have the longest attention spans. Even when they’re excited about something, it can be hard to keep them dedicated to a specific project for any length of time. Letting them verbally share a story is different from having them write something down.

So, how can you keep kids engaged while they’re writing?

Try offering a fidget toy to help them while brainstorming. It can help them stay focused on the task at hand and encourage new ideas that excite them.

Keep in mind that kids can feel “stuck” or experience a block in their writing just as easily as adults. They might feel overwhelmed with having to come up with new ideas while learning about the ins and outs of grammar and punctuation.

Do what you can to be encouraging. Teach them not to give up when things get tough. By using positive statements in your encouragement, you’ll foster a growth mindset, and teach them to embrace and overcome challenges well into adulthood.

Finally, don’t be afraid to let them take breaks. Even adult writers need to step away from their work so they don’t get burnt out. Children might need more frequent breaks to stay excited and inspired. Let them spend time outside, socialize with others, and use their imaginations in different ways before coming back to their writing.

Let Them Share

Again, most kids have no problem being creative and coming up with unique stories on the spot. While writing things down will take more time and effort, every child should be acknowledged and praised for their work.

With that in mind, make sure you offer opportunities for your kids to share their writing. If they’re doing it at home, sit and listen to their stories before bed each night, or have a weekly “story day” where they share what they’ve written with the family.

If you’re a teacher, encourage your students to share their stories with the class, and let them answer questions from their peers. Discussions about creative writing can lead to even more unique ideas in the future.

Getting kids excited about creative writing is easier than you might think. With positive encouragement and a little help along the way, you can foster the next generation of writers, and they’ll experience lasting benefits as they continue to learn and grow.

Tags guest post, imagination, keeping them engaged, kids excited to write

Guest Posts

Getting Kids Excited About Creative Writing

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date May 9, 2022
No Comments on Getting Kids Excited About Creative Writing

Getting kids excited about creative writing gives them a chance to hone their natural storytelling talents.

Spark Their Imagination

It’s usually easy for kids to come up with interesting stories, but when you tell them to sit down and write something, it’s just as easy for them to draw a blank!

Some ideas to offer include:

What I could do if I could fly
What I would do with one million dollars
What I would do if I was famous for a day
The person I most admire

Keep Them Engaged

So, how can you keep kids engaged while they’re writing?

Try offering a fidget toy to help them while brainstorming. It can help them stay focused on the task at hand and encourage new ideas that excite them.

Let Them Share

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Tags guest post, keep kids endgaged in writing, spark kids imagination

Guest Posts

How Not to Write a Book Review

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date April 22, 2022
No Comments on How Not to Write a Book Review

The rich used to be the ones who did book reviews. Everybody is now a critic. There are sites for online book reviews. These online book recommendations can make a lot of difference: customers nearly always skim through book reviews before actually making a purchase choice, and your observations can be really useful.

We’ve all heard of the ranting review, where someone either loves or hates a book. A comprehensive review is harder to write, but it is more beneficial to your fellow readers. Many readers are often curious about your thoughts on the novels you’ve read. Individuals will find books that are perfect for them if you share your genuine and precise thoughts about the book, if you liked it or not.

5 Mistakes To Avoid While Writing Book Review

If you’re having trouble deciding what to write in a review, pretend you’re speaking to somebody who wants to know whether they should read the whole thing. Before we go to the mistakes you should avoid, it’s important to know that your book review needs to be unique and not copy-pasted from the book, or author’s point of view. In this case, you need to use a plagiarism checker to see if everything is right. Now, let’s go to the point:

1. Too Many Opinions

Reviews are objective summaries, not opinions. Many novels do include the author’s point of view. The role of a reviewer is not to dispute the author’s point of view, but to analyze how he or she expresses it. Is their position well-thought-out or unnecessarily so? Are readers smiling in accord or screaming in rage? They should have the impression that the reviewer is fair, unbiased, and an arbitrator of the debate rather than a player.

2. Not Focused On The Point

Reviews should be succinct and precise. They can be neither at times. This occurs frequently because the reviewer is uncertain about what they’re expressing and is hoping to provide enough words on paper to hit the target for the majority of the people. Longer reviews must be packed with substantial information rather than fluff.

3. Don’t Use Narrow Perspective

The author described their own firsthand story in their writing. True, the reviewer’s narrative is exceptional and different from the author’s, but that’s not the point. Demonstrate how purpose, subject, and goals resonate with a wide range of audiences, even if the character, narrative, and place are creative and exciting.

4. Don’t Use Domination Tone

Reviewers are not here to pass judgment on authors; instead, they’re there just to assess them. Writing a book review is a valuable piece of work and needs to be correct, and non-judgmental. After all, reviewers provide advice to help readers decide to choose whether or not to read more by this writer.

5. Don’t Spoil The Book

Please don’t ruin it. Really shouldn’t give away important plot details or the story’s finale if you’re evaluating a work of fiction. Just put the primary plotlines in action so that the audience may decide whether or not the story is a great fit for their preferences. Also, don’t be sarcastic or nasty if you didn’t appreciate the book. Explain your disappointment to your readers in a calm and non-emotional manner.

To Sum Up

Book critique has its inherent patterns, and creating a nice, stimulating flow for a piece of writing is a fine skill. While front-loading story exposition and keeping the back half mostly for critical analysis is a smart, basic structure, wrapping up your work purely anecdotal and conceptually, with a stinger that ingeniously refers back to your opener, is intelligent and enjoyable.

Nicole Garrison is an expert in writing, content marketing, and research. She has a passion for writing educational and engaging material that will help the readers. Nicole also writes for the best essay writing service. Nicole consistently attends different courses, seminars, and conferences that keep her knowledge up to date

Tags guest post, writing book reviews

Guest Posts

The Ultimate Email Writing Script to Creating An Engaging WElcome Email Sequence

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date March 26, 2022

One of the best ways to market your books, especially when starting out, is through stellar email writing.

Email writing? you might be wondering. How much of a difference can emails make?

Well, a lot.

Consider your inbox and the kinds of emails you receive daily. Do you even open most of them? How many do you delete after just one glance at the subject line?

Most people won’t open an email that doesn’t seem worth their time. Chances are you do it every day, and your target audience certainly will, too. That is, unless there’s something in the email to draw them in.

Here are some of the best practices when writing your email campaigns, including a welcome email sequence that will keep customers coming back. Find out how to get your customers to click “open,” rather than “delete.”

Welcome Emails Should Be, Well, Welcoming.

Start with a greeting to welcome your readers. Of course, you wouldn’t write a welcome email that was cold and distant. Still, it’s one thing to say your welcome emails should be warm and welcoming, and another to do that yourself. So, what does this look like in your emails?

In short, you make your customers feel welcome by having an in-depth understanding of who they are, and how they would like to be talked to. What’s your brand voice? What is your customer looking for from you?

A welcome email begins — like most emails — with a greeting. Here are some examples to give you an idea of how to approach that for your business.

We’re happy to have you here.
Welcome to the club!
You made it!
Thank you for joining our mission.
Hey there, buddy!

Do you see the way that these greetings acknowledge that the reader is new? They’ve just made it to the party, so to speak. But despite them all having a similar effect, they all have a different voice. What’s the right voice for your specific customer?

Important stuff? Bring It to the Front.

Getting someone to open an email is an accomplishment in and of itself. But once the customer is in the door, what should you say?

Say exactly what you need to tell them — and don’t forget to do it fast. If you have coupons or discount codes, you might consider putting that information towards the beginning of your email, or even in the subject line if it’s big enough.

Everyone is working with limited time, and your audience doesn’t have the bandwidth to listen to all the tiny details of your day. Take this advice from a copywriting agency who writes hundreds of emails every month — your audience will appreciate you not wasting their time.

Another important piece of your welcome email is how you make the customer feel. They have a problem that you’re looking to solve, and you’re here to provide value to them. Make them feel special and like you’re in it for them, because at the end of the day, it IS about them.

If you’re struggling with how to center your audience, don’t overlook taking online copywriting courses to get your messaging right!

Include a Call-to-Action

Your audience has opened your email and they’re listening to what you have to say. You’ve come this far! There’s only one thing left to do to seal the deal.

A call-to-action (CTA) is one of the most important parts of any email campaign. It signals to the reader what they should do with the information they’ve just received and where to go next. Some examples include “Contact us,” “Shop now,” and “Schedule your consultation.”

The Ultimate Email Writing Script

Without further ado, here’s a script to get you started writing the ultimate welcome email. While this script is pretty great, if we do say so ourselves, you can’t go wrong with customizing it to your business and customers.

Think of it less as a script and more as an example or a jumping off point for your business goals. Happy writing!

Welcome Example

Welcome to the family! We’re so happy you’ve decided to join us.

Example #1

As part of our family, we know you care as much about the arts as we do. So what if your dollar could do more?. With each purchase, we’ll donate 15% to sustainable arts programs around the country.

To show our appreciation, you’ll also receive free shipping if you order today!

Example #2

Thanks for signing up to stay in touch. We have a lot of cool things in the works.

Head to our website at this link to view our news line of products. Want to know something awesome? You can see the materials and their origin points for each item that you view. We believe in a transparent shopping experience, and want you to feel good about your purchases.

Thanks for choosing a company that is moving us all towards a better world!

Call to action

Shop Now!

Get to Writing!

The perfect welcome email doesn’t exist, but you can get close. Use our scripts as guidance to write your own welcome email that highlights what you can do for the customer to provide value and make them feel special. You can do it!

Over the past decade, Liz Slyman has worked as a copywriter and digital marketing executive for a multitude of companies from startups to and mid-sized businesses to working as the VP of marketing for award-winning, platinum-selling artists. Leveraging an understanding of the nuance of language in marketing, Liz founded Amplihigher, a content marketing and copywriting agency, designed to connect consumers to companies in a way that results in next-level brand expansion.

Tags emails, guest post, guest posting

Guest Posts

How to Financially Stay Afloat Between Writing Projects

Post author By Norma Poore - Managing Editor
Post date December 17, 2021
No Comments on How to Financially Stay Afloat Between Writing Projects

Surviving a writing slump can be challenging. Getting paid by the word or the project hardly equates to a steady flow of income.

This means it’s important for writers to properly manage their finances in order to ensure that they’re ready to stay financially afloat in between writing projects. Here are a few tips and tools that you can use to set yourself up to survive during your next dry spell.

Start with a Budget

A budget is ground zero for healthy finances. It allows you to grasp the state of your finances at any given moment.

At its most basic, a budget is simply a statement that adds up your various forms of income and contrasts it against your expenses. This can help you assess things such as:

Your fixed expenses: These are costs like your rent or car payment that you know will happen on a regular basis.
Your variable expenses: These are expenses such as eating out or going to the movies that can change from one month to the next.
Your ability to save: Subtracting your expenses from your income can show you if you have any extra income to squirrel away for a rainy day (more on that in a minute).
Your debt: A budget reveals how much money you owe and how well you’re working toward paying it off.

A budget serves as a window into your current financial status. By maintaining a budget, you equip yourself with the knowledge to prepare for any financial slumps that may occur in the future.

Find Professional Help to Get Things Set Up

If you’re concerned that your budgeting skills won’t be on the same level as your writing abilities, you’re not alone. There are millions of contractors who are left to figure out their finances on their own.

Fortunately, there are ways that you can get help. One of these is by hiring an accountant. This may seem like something that only large corporations have access to, but the rising demand for accounting professionals doesn’t just apply to those crunching numbers for big companies.

There are many accountants and financial advisors who are, themselves, working on a contract basis. They can be hired, usually for a very modest fee, to help with things like taxes and other financial services.

If you’re worried that your budget is sub-par, consider finding an accountant or adviser to help you out. If you hire them to do your taxes, you may even be able to ask for their input on your budget without any extra charge.

Build Up an Emergency Fund

Once you have a solid budget in place, you can begin actively preparing for your next financial slow season. This should revolve around building up an emergency fund.

An emergency fund, also known as a “rainy day fund,” is simply a lump of money that you have set aside and ready to help if your finances fall short at any given moment. This can happen for a variety of reasons.

For instance, the most obvious issue a contractor can face is running low on work. As you look for more jobs, it can take weeks and even months to get those paychecks rolling in again.

But even if you have solid clients providing a steady flow of work, your income may struggle for external reasons.

A good example of this is the coronavirus pandemic. When that began, many businesses cut their marketing and content budgets short as they scrambled to make ends meet. This led to less work for many of their freelancers.

While the pandemic isn’t likely to repeat any time soon, an economic crisis in one form or another is certainly likely. In fact, there have been 32 different economic recessions since 1850. That means every five years, on average, the economy has gone through a severe crisis.

Having an emergency fund in place can help you weather any financial shortcomings, whether they come from your own work or an outside issue.

Staying Financially Afloat During the Slow Seasons

Writing is an incredibly fulfilling lifestyle. However, as is the case with all professions, it comes with its ups and downs. As a writer, it’s important to be ready for any significant vacillations in your income.

Keeping an updated budget is an important starting point for this preparation. So is finding professional advice that you can trust. Once those pieces are in place, you can work to create an emergency fund that can help you stay afloat whenever your income doesn’t quite meet your living expenses.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. After years of writing and research in college, she’s turned her focus on blogging and enjoys giving other writers and readers perspectives from her experience. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Tags budget for writing, guest post, writing, writing advice

Guest Posts

Should You Have an Author Website Before Publishing?

Post author By Lisa E. Betz
Post date October 22, 2021
No Comments on Should You Have an Author Website Before Publishing?

Websites are part and parcel of the modern professional lifestyle. This is especially true for anyone working on their own, whether they’re a contractor, an entrepreneur …or an author.

An author website gives you an online presence for your professional pursuits. It also serves as a central location for your online activity.

The question is, do you need a website before you even get published? The short answer is yes. Here are a few of the reasons why.

A Website Sets the Tone

First and foremost, a website gives you direction, entrepreneurially speaking. Remember, just because you can write doesn’t mean you’ll automatically become a published author. You also need to spend time honing the business side of the operation — and that starts with a solid website.

An author website gives you a chance to set the tone for who you are to the rest of the reading world. It provides purpose and gives your personal brand a clear identity.

With that in mind, don’t just cobble together anything and let it sit up on the web unattended to. Make sure that your website is a strong representation of who you are. Let it serve as ground zero for your online identity.

This is why it’s often recommended that you self-host your website. While you don’t need to pour endless funds into creating an online masterpiece, owning your content is an integral part of maintaining full influence and control over your online persona.

That said, if you can’t afford to self-host for now, you can always start with a free service. Just make plans to migrate to your own site as soon as you can afford it.

A Website is Functional

Along with defining your personal brand, a website is also an extremely functional piece of your authorial collateral. It can help with numerous logistical elements on the business side of the equation.

Remember, your author website is, in effect, a website for your personal business. Since it’s your business website, you want to be sure that you make it the right way.

The good news is that, at least at first, you primarily need your site for information. In other words, you aren’t running a complex e-commerce store. Instead, make sure to include other critical pieces of information, like an “About Me” page, a “Contact Me” page, and a blog.

A good, serviceable website can help you look more professional. It can also be a great way to attract the eye of an agent or impress a publisher down the road.

A Website is Marketing

A website can also be a great way to market yourself. This applies to everything from your site’s URL to your blog and email lists.

For instance, you can use a blog to attract the attention of the kind of readers that you’re writing for. If the idea of coming up with even more content for a blog sounds overwhelming, don’t get discouraged. You can add to a blog occasionally with short update posts and can even manage your blog from your phone using apps like Evernote and Grammarly.

Other elements, like an email list, run themselves. All you have to do is set up a sign-up form on your home page and let the emails come rolling in. The best part is that many email providers allow small entrepreneurs to have free email lists until they reach a certain threshold. This means you can accumulate emails from followers and you won’t have to pay until you actually have some momentum.

Setting the Stage for Future Success

At the end of the day, creating an author website after you’ve achieved success is akin to putting the cart before the horse. It isn’t going to help you get anywhere.

Instead, take the time to create a modest (i.e. not too expensive or large-scale) website that can serve as your base of operations as you launch your authoring career.

So, take some time to consider your options. Will you go for a self-hosting site right off the bat or will you start with something free? How will you make sure your site is accessible to the people who need to access it? What will your voice, tone, color scheme, and overall personal brand look like?

Once you’ve answered these questions, get to work on your site in the name of a successful, published future.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for dynamic content. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Tags author brand, Author Websites, branding, guest post, platform

Guest Posts

5 Effective Ways To Promote Your Book on Social Media

Post author By Lisa E. Betz
Post date September 28, 2021
No Comments on 5 Effective Ways To Promote Your Book on Social Media

Ever since the lockdown of 2020, there has been a flux of self-published authors all over social media promoting their publications. Nowadays, it is so much easier to make the dream of being a published author a reality without ever hiring anyone to assist in the process.

From pen to paper, to paperback printing, to promoting and finally selling, here are five effective ways to promote your book on social media:

1. Post pictures with book blurb on all platforms

2. Promote a contest on all platforms giving the book away

3. Create a website and social media pages dedicated to the book

4. Go live and read a chapter from your book and do a Q&A

5. Grow your niche network

Being self-published also means you are your book’s biggest fan and promoter. Ensuring you have reached as many fans and potential customers is the next important step in getting your work noticed. Keeping reading for effective ways to promote your book on social media.

1. Post Pictures on Social Media

It is all about pictures when it comes to social platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Investing in a good photo software app can really bring your book photos to the next level. Make sure to have a title that pops and a book cover that speaks for itself. Get a little more creative and showcase yourself holding the book or a group of friends lounging on the beach enjoying a read. Whatever the photo is, make sure to add links in the description and hashtag till your fingers bleed!

2. Have a Book Contest Giveaway

Everyone loves free stuff, and what better way to get your book out there than having a fun giveaway contest. You can generate a buzz about your book using social media to post blurbs or parts of chapters in the book and get participants eager for more. Creating a contest that involves a theme in the book, for example, cupcakes, get people involved like the first five people to comment on their favorite cupcake, get a free e-book, or the 100^th person to like the post about my book gets a free copy.

Some good contest ideas include:

Random winner generator app
Scavenger hunt – winner gets a free book
Go live first X people get the first chapter free
Hashtag contest- the person with the best hashtag for the book wins

Writing An Email Blast

When promoting a book for marketing, most authors will use contacts on their already existing email list and do an email blast showcasing a personal statement from the book and details on when and where it will be available. Choosing to have a professional, like a write my paper website, is a really easy way to hire a writer at affordable prices to take the pressure off of coming up with content for marketing your book in an email.

3. Create a Dedicated Website and Social Media Platform

People often try to mix their personal platforms with their professional ones, and the problem with that is everything gets combined, and a lot can get lost. It is important when branding yourself as an author that your work has its own separate website and dedicated social media platforms. This way, customers know exactly where to go to get all they need about your product and not be inundated with pictures from a birthday party you went to last weekend.

Some items you may want to have on your website can include:

Links to social media
YouTube channel link – for any live streams of reading the book
Customer review tab for new reviews and old
Blog – let readers know what is new and upcoming

4. Go Live on Social Media Platforms

Going live on any social media platform is the best way to get your book promoted by far. Promote a go-live session where you read a chapter of your book out loud and then do a Q & A session with viewers at the end. This will allow your customers and supporters to get a glimpse into the book’s energy and some insider viewpoints on burning questions readers may have.

5. Grow Your Niche Network

Promoting your book to other authors in the same niche category is a great way to efficiently build a network that will work for you. Whatever niche your book may be, for example, thriller, murder mystery, sci-fi, and the list goes on, make sure you utilize social media to build a network of like-minded authors. Their people will talk to your people, and those people will talk to other people, and before you know it, the link for your book has been passed around a bunch of times throughout all social media platforms.

Summary

Social media is free; it is easy to navigate and just as easy to use for marketing just about anything. It can be the thing that boosts your book to be a bestseller or the tool that helps get your book noticed by legit book publishing companies.

Jessica Fender is a professional writer and educational blogger at Writeload. Jessica enjoys sharing her ideas to make writing and learning fun.

Tags book promotion, guest post, marketing strategies, social media

Guest Posts

A Writer’s Guide to Crafting the Perfect Resume

Post author By Lisa E. Betz
Post date September 5, 2021
No Comments on A Writer’s Guide to Crafting the Perfect Resume

When you’re a professional writer, your resume is going to look a bit different. It’s not enough to share your history and qualifications if you want to stand out from the competition – and, with over 44,000 writers in the U.S. alone, you definitely want to stand out.

Whether you’re a freelancer, academic writer, journalist, or creative writer, having a perfect resume is key. It can help you convince a client to work with you or land you a job that will flourish into a long-term career.

Even if you have an existing resume, it might be time to change it up or update it, especially if you’re planning a career change. For example, if you’ve been a creative writer who wants to become an English teacher, you’ll need to update your credentials and certifications. But, even if you’re producing a resume for the first time, making sure it’s as up-to-date as possible is still key.

Those traditional resume inclusions are important, but you should also focus on showcasing your writing skills. That often means including a portfolio.

Not sure how to get started or how to revamp your resume? Let’s start with a simple guide that can give you the information you need to get a step ahead.

Make Your Resume as Professional as Your Writing

Most potential employers only look at a resume for 6-7 seconds. As a writer, that’s how long you have to show them who you are and what you can do. Grammatical errors and misspelled words are big red flags in any resume. But, if you’re applying to be a writer, they’re even bigger problems.

Simply put? The grammar on your resume, from top to bottom, should be perfect.

You might be so used to writing a certain way that you overlook some common grammatical errors. It’s important to remind yourself of what they are and how they can impact your image. Some of the most cringe-worthy resume grammatical errors include:

Misuse of apostrophes
Mismatched verb tenses
Incorrect homonyms
Using too much of the passive voice

If you’re changing careers, such as to an English teacher, as mentioned previously, proving you can lead by example is tantamount. A well-prepared English teacher who’s responsible for educating students on grammar and writing, advanced or otherwise, should have a thoroughly edited resume to present to the administration during the interview process.

Think of your resume as your first impression. Many people make the mistake of throwing them together too quickly or sticking to a template without checking things over. By avoiding grammatical errors, you’ll prove from the start that you’re talented in your field, and an employer or client can count on you for quality work.

The Importance of a Portfolio

Showing off your professionalism and poise in a resume is only half the battle. You’re not applying to be a cog in the machine of a big company. There is only one you who can write the way you do, and you must be able to show that when handing someone your resume.

That requires a portfolio.

While many industries like resumes that are only one page and easy to read (and your basic resume should be), the writing world is different. It’s one thing to have experience and accolades. But, if your writing doesn’t match up to what a client or company is looking for, you’re not going to get hired.

The purpose of a writing portfolio is to have all of your best pieces in one organized location. It should be in an attractive format that makes it easy and enjoyable for someone to read, so it shows off your skills and flexibility to show what your writing looks like.

If you want your portfolio to stand out, one of the cleanest ways to offer it to potential employers is to set it up online. Sites like Clippings.me and Pressfolios make it easy to upload any pieces you’ve written in an organized, easy-to-navigate way.

Even if you’re newer to the writing world and don’t have a lot of experience, you can still build up a portfolio by writing for things like:

A school/church newsletter
Writing contests
Blogs and magazine submissions

Even if your work isn’t professionally published, you can still include it in your portfolio to give a potential client or employer an idea of your style.

The perfect resume and portfolio are equally important when it comes to landing a writing gig or full-time job. Keep these suggestions in mind as you work on your resume, and you’ll be more likely to dig into a long, successful writing career.

Tags guest post, resume, resume writing