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Having your book turned into a film or series offers fans the chance to engage through a different medium, opens the work up to an entirely new audience, and creates an additional revenue stream. But how do you get your book in the hands of a Hollywood producer who can bring it to the screen? […]

In 2021, I had the idea for a book in which I’d celebrate a different fake holiday every day for a year. (You know, Talk Like A Pirate Day, National Cabbage Day, Bubblewrap Appreciation Day and all the rest.) My publisher of the time loved the idea and commissioned the book – to be called […]

A lot of writers are losing their minds about the article in The Atlantic about a pirate site illegally taking copies of titles, posting them, and letting Meta use them to train their AI program. The Authors Guild has already joined with publishers and the federal government in pursuing this. (See AG article here.) (quote from AG […]

I heard this line at a writers group, no less. This line is turning into a common remark that I hear each and every time I appear somewhere. I’ve heard it from people you’d never imagine, too. Teachers, librarians, parents who wonder why their children don’t read, and, yes, other writers. Who has time to […]

Because of job cuts, I’ve recently returned to the freelance hustle in my mid-50s – and I’ve encountered lots of negativity and defeatism. My fellow 50-somethings are lacking confidence, can’t cope with new tools and software, think editors only want young talent, that AI is making them redundant… I felt all this, too, at first. […]

I remember writing my first letter to author François Bloemhof in 2000. As a young author, I was delighted when he actually answered—and the feeling has never quite worn off when writing to other authors. Writing to another author grows your connections and knowledge whether thanking them, admiring them, or just exchanging like-minded ideas. Here’s why you […]

I am a big fan of Colleen Welsch at The Freelance Writer’s Guide. She has a big personality, but she is down to earth as well and so darn full of common sense. If I were returning to fulltime freelance writing, she’d be the person I’d go to in order to get back on track. Thanks […]

We are not defined by our rejections….or rather we shouldn’t be. Nobody knows about them . . . or should. We ought to be defined by our efforts and success. Don’t talk too much about rejection, or about trying hard and not getting anywhere. Yet many people want to talk about how hard they’ve tried, […]

Stories about my daily life never seemed like writing that could sell. Who cared who I was or what I had done. But an editor of a publication pointed out that international readers would find my everyday cultural experiences interesting and fresh. I wrote the first feature about daily life in rural Southern Africa—and surprisingly, […]

I am often asked how should someone start writing. They tell me they’ve always wanted to write. They think about a novel. They would love to write for a living. How did I start? When did I decide I liked writing? Many of these are people looking for Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, then […]

I was recently made redundant from my day job so am now, at the age of 56, back out there having to hustle for freelance work. I naturally began to reach out to my so-called network. But I quickly realised that I haven’t been great at nurturing contacts and keeping in touch with people over […]

Author Raven Digitalis hired me to be their publicity assistant in November 2024. Opportunity knocked and I answered, anxious to step in for the potential fun and experience. While authors frequently need editors and proofreaders, they also would use an extra hand. Here’s what I learned by becoming another writer’s assistant. Writers Hiring Assistants I was […]