The Best Web Sites for Writers

Why, yes: I am looking for easy topics to write about during the hot summer months. Why do you ask? I spend so much time on web sites for writers that I decided it was time to share with my loyal readers places designed to make the job of writing much easier. Hey, I finished Chapter 4 in my Work In Progress; I’m up for anything.

Chapters, With or Without Titles

Whenever I read a book that has chapters with titles, I think of it as a very old bit of writing. That’s not always true, but it seems that way. At one time, chapters not only had titles, but they had synopses of what was going to happen. Like, “In which the butcher is accused of overcharging the squire.” And so on.

Wisdom From HelenKay Dimon

The Wonderful News from my large, conflicted, national writing group’s local chapter is that we are breaking off and shall be known as Southern California Romance Writers. I’m happy with the change because it’s becoming a negative mark to be associated with the former group. Now we can make a fresh start and let the publishing world know that we won’t stand for the kind of horribleness going on with the big organization.

Making a Living

Every aspiring writer knows, or should know, that one does not get rich by writing novels. Even with all the money flowing into the industry and the potential for self-publishing, very rare are the writers who become rich for writing. That’s simply the way it is at this moment in time.

Happy Book Birthday!

During a workshop on Marketing for Self-Published Authors I learned about the concept of a Book Birthday. If you have some books sitting on Amazon not really selling any longer, you may create a whole new advertising campaign by celebrating the book’s publishing date as its birthday. Hold Facebook parties, gather a street team to get their friends to buy the book and post reviews. Reviews are key to getting books out there.

Procrastination Smashed!

The title may be a bit of an exaggeration. I rather tapped procrastination politely on the shoulder and said, “Excuse me, I need to get to this project right now.” So I fired up Scrivener and copied out the first chapter and made changes. By gosh, I felt good getting back into my story planet. I got through the changes and stepped back. I now see another change that will help the book. But I do see a light at the end of this tunnel.

Healthy Ways to Gather

I completely understand the need to get together with friends. My writing/critique group is totally having withdrawal symptoms from lack of contact with each other. And it’s not just the time to write, though it is that in some ways. It’s not just the feedback on our stories, though that’s a decent size chunk. We are missing the hugs, the laughter, the silly jokes, and the fashion show. Honestly, for beginning authors, we have some sharp dressers in the group.

Help with Self Editing

If I could edit myself, I would cut off at least a hundred pounds of fat and splice in more muscle. I’d remove the part of my brain addicted to sugar and replace that with an addiction of broccoli and carrots. However, that’s not the kind of Self Editing I’m talking about. I’m sharing more tiny hints about the subject that I have learned from several wonderful mentors, either in person or online.

Tough Times

Through my local chapter of Romance Writers of America, I had the opportunity to listen to Georgie Lee, an author of many books and in general a wonderful person. Her topic was If Life Sucks But You Still Have a Deadline. I am not going to recreate her talk here because I hope all of you will look for opportunities to listen to Georgie yourself. It’s worth the time and effort to find her and listen. (Although her web page hasn’t updated her workshop schedule since 2018, a note to her will probably give you current information)

Keeping the Writer’s World Real

Are you writing contemporary Romance novels? If so, you may be tempted to put in the COVID-10 Pandemic. Or the racial issues and the riots and looting. You may be tempted to mention the unemployment and the crashing economy. Unless these issues are very important to your plot, and can be integrated into a character’s make-up,please, don’t. You want your story to be timeless, not weighed down with current events.