Naming the Book Baby: How to Create a Compelling Title
My books rarely keep their working titles. This may be because the title wasn’t that great to start with,…
May 27, 2024My books rarely keep their working titles. This may be because the title wasn’t that great to start with,…
May 27, 2024Young adult author Michelle Dykman isn’t afraid to tackle tough subject in her young adult novels. Her three book…
April 27, 2024It’s the end of December, and for me, that means it’s time to pull out a fresh, ginormous, old-fashioned…
December 27, 2023Last time we talked about some ways to write a character that evokes a deep connection with the reader.…
August 27, 2023Note from Donna Jo: The topic of critique pet peeves came up during a conversation in my weekly writing…
April 28, 2023For young adult authors one of the ways to connect with readers is through school visits. I asked Author…
March 27, 2023The gift-giving season is almost upon us! In all the planning for others, don’t forget yourself. I strongly encourage…
November 27, 2021Amazon launched Vella this past month! Kindle Vella story episodes can be read in the Kindle for iOS app…
September 27, 2021Young Adult author Olivia Smit just released her newest contemporary, Hearing Lies. She’s also is in my crit group,…
August 27, 2021There’s no one right way to write a novel, but there are plenty of wrong ways! Here’s a few…
July 27, 2021Audiobooks are gaining popularity. I have always loved audiobooks and am a bit picky when it comes to narrators.…
June 27, 2021Much young adult fiction today deals with contemporary issues and is a reflection of the times. Authors have important…
May 27, 2021In past blog posts, I’ve written about choosing a genre, story premise, and GMC. A key element of any…
April 27, 2021I love new, fresh story ideas. When I first started writing stories, I would attempt to capture a thought…
March 27, 2021Allison Pittman, writing as A. K. Pitman, has a brand new book out, and it’s a YA P &…
February 27, 2021Want to write a novel, but aren’t sure what genre to pick? Write What You Love That’s a good…
January 27, 2021The First Impressions Contest is held every year by ACFW. This year, Annette Griffin made it to finalists’ list…
December 27, 2020Guys, I have been a huge Lisa Samson fan since forever. In fact, I distinctly remember reading the Christy…
November 27, 2020I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have…
September 27, 2020It’s not always easy creating a whole world from scratch. Amy C. Blake agreed to give a few words…
August 27, 2020I’ve never liked the term writer’s block and prefer to call it writer’s exhaustion, but it means the same…
July 27, 2020There will be days when writing is hard. When your eyes burn and your back hurts. You will scrape…
June 27, 2020If you’ve queried in the past five years, you’re familiar with the plea for diverse books. Publishers and readers…
May 27, 2020I’ve always loved books about far flung places. It’s a wonderful way to expand horizons. I decided to talk…
March 27, 2020What’s sensitivity reader? A sensitivity reader may not be what you think it is. These are not “thin-skinned” readers…
February 27, 2020