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A market can get glutted with providers, especially authors, a complaint that’s been around for over a decade. However, there’s always room for the exceptional author. The exceptional author is exceptional in their pursuit of being exceptional. They dissect grammar, voraciously read and analyze the gifted writer, and aim for the best story. They do […]

Why is it that some self-published books sell quite well and others don’t? Marketing experts have studied this question for years, and many of them say the same thing: the professional quality of your book makes a difference, one that definitely affects sales. In other words, if you want your book to sell well, you […]

There’s a lady here in South Carolina who is a fan of my books. She’s bought and read them all. She’s attended book clubs to hear me and even sponsored one at a restaurant. She is a beautiful person, and she not long ago suddenly lost her husband. After a length of time, she started […]

Prove to me in 650 words that you are a memorable human being, worthy of acceptance. That’s pretty much the prompt students face when attempting the Personal Statement on college applications. It’s also the Everest I help them climb with Success Story, my business I built this past year. For students, this high-stakes writing task is […]

Recently read an incredible piece on balancing work and life. We all know about it, and we all realize balance is necessary for a happy life. But I don’t think anyone really understands what that means. How much leisure do you need compared to work hours, and what defines work? What defines leisure? Work is effort […]

Crave a change-of-pace that pays you and helps your fellow authors produce high-quality narratives? As a member of a marginalized community, consider sensitivity reading for that marginalization. A sensitivity reader “reviews unpublished manuscripts to spot cultural inaccuracy, representation issues, bias, stereotypes, or problematic language.” (Reedsy) The ranks of sensitivity readers include beta readers, writers, and editors, and their […]

I’m not a big audiobook listener. As a fast reader, I can race through print so much faster. However, with a few credits on Audible, I decided to give Stephen King’s On Writing a reread, so to speak. I’d forgotten how good that book was. King gives you permission to be a writer without instilling false hope […]

Ebooks have radically transformed the publishing world—by taking it back in time. After World War II, as the economy boomed and wartime restrictions on paper ended, publishers discovered a hungry market for inexpensive books. The mass market paperback was born. They were available everywhere—not just in bookstores but on spinner racks in drugstores, supermarkets, even […]

I just finished reading an issue of The Hot Sheet, founded by writing and publishing industry guru Jane Friedman. I’m no dummy, and I like to keep up with at least some of the advances in my profession. The Hot Sheet is the most energetic, thorough, and comprehensive of any publication in the business, and I highly […]

Any writer who hasn’t yet heard of the Help a Reporter Out (HARO) platform may be missing out on important opportunities. The site connects writers with sources, and it’s used by journalists, freelancers, and book authors alike. Public relations professionals use the platform to find outlets where they can potentially gain visibility for clients by contributing insights […]

Writers love to write. Some want to tell stories. Some want to tell THEIR stories. Some want to reach out and spread their stories around the world. Some want either to make money or not write. Some write whether the stories sell or not. There are so many types of writers, with so many nuances […]

Wayne’s Extra Rich Chocolate Cake 2 cups AP flour 2 cups sugar ¾ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt ½ tsp cinnamon   1 cup water ½ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup butter 3 Tbsp cocoa   2 large eggs ½ cup buttermilk 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract ¼ cup strong brewed coffee Stir first […]