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I was intrigued when I accepted a ghostwriting contract a couple of years ago, but instead of becoming Prince Harry’s secret scribe, I learned the reality is much less glamorous. Lack of variety Most clients hired a ghostwriter because they weren’t writers themselves or couldn’t devote enough time. I’ve also worked with some authors whose […]

If you told any one in my family that I was funny, they’d laugh their heads off. I’m the one who cannot tell a joke, forgets punch lines, and has a delayed reaction to everyone else’s humor. I have been known to cross the line and pull off humor in my novels, and I’ve made […]

An AI didn’t write this article, but a human did. Artificial intelligence is taking over the internet, and computers can create thousands of articles (in a single click). Let me reassure you: writers still have real jobs, and we’re all fine. Here’s why us human writers still maintain our grip on the industry. “No, Thanks.” […]

Whenever I am interviewed in a podcast, phone interview, online for an article, or in person, invariably this question is asked: What advice do you have for new writers? I have several answers, and whichever pops into my head is the one I use. I’m not beiong sarcastic. I’m just saying there are so many, […]

Whether you’re just beginning this journey toward publication or you’ve been on the road for what seems like forever, the last thing you want is yet another “don’t give up” speech. Maybe you’ve already grown weary of rejections and requests to revise, especially when those only result in yet another rejection. Only a few months […]

Oh, how often I receive this question. How is mystery normally done? How are people normally self-published? How does one normally pitch an agent? How do you normally start a freelance business? These questions fly in the face of being unique and striking out on your own to create a brand, especially in the creative […]

There’s no shortage of drama in Hollywood these days. And I don’t mean in front of the camera. I’m referring to the drama that seems to be increasing as more shows stop filming: the Writers Guild of America strike. The WGA is the labor union representing over 15,000 writers working in entertainment. When negotiations on […]

After nearly a decade of writing for children, I’ve learned that children’s magazines are a great way to gain money and exposure for your work. Parents and librarians still buy plenty of fodder for their hungry young readers. Perhaps this is why children’s magazines tend to pay quite well (by fiction standards) and have a […]

You spend hours researching your topic. Then you spend time writing a query letter and finding potential magazines to pitch. How can you write successful travel stories that will have a better sell factor to magazine editors? Use this screening technique to examine story feasibility and turn ideas into successful travel stories that get published. […]

I witnessed a pouty meltdown by an author the other day on Facebook. Someone bashed her book. And instead of walking away, being quiet, or ignoring the remark, she took the challenge and replied to the person, then she went to her peeps on FB and replayed the situation, ripe with vitriol and frustration. “People […]

Hollywood is structured much like a kingdom. Celebrities are treated like royalty while agents and managers serve as their courtiers. Top-level producers, directors and writers make up the rest of the nobility, with varying strata of professionals below them, all the way down to the film student serfs struggling to survive on an internship. The […]

Cause Example: A writer doesn’t accept a speaking engagement because it’s too far away. Cause Example: A writer doesn’t accept a signing gig because they are too nervous. Cause Example: A writer doesn’t submit to a contest because they don’t believe in entry fees. Cause Example: A writer doesn’t go to a conference for fear of looking too […]