How To Keep Newsletters From Overwhelming Your Inbox

If you know me, you know I HATE email. I only have a newsletter because my dad couldn’t remember my … More

6 Steps To Prep As A Convention Panelist

Are you interested in becoming a panelist?
Are you an experienced panelist? Tell me about your favorite panel — and any prep steps you take that I skipped!

Here’s what I do to get ready.

A Starter’s Guide To Social Media #7: TikTok, Reels, and YT Shorts (Short Videos)

After a grand total of one week on TikTok, I think it’s time to add video shorts to my Starter’s … More

Problematic Publishing: Red Flags To Watch Out For

Most publishers are in it for the love of books. Yes, even the acquiring editors, the marketing team, and the contract specialists.

But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some problematic publishing companies out there. Whether you go with traditional publishing or small press, you need to be careful.

Writers, Are You Using Your Beta Readers Wrong?

As writers, we’re always refining and adjusting our processes, trying to figure out what works best for this novel, today. Me? I finished up a round of revisions this weekend, and tossed them off to beta readers — but I might have been too hasty.

Giving Your Work Away For Fun and Profit (A Balticon 2022 Panel)

Here’s another batch of notes from my Balticon 2022 rewatch. The description of the titular panel was as follows: Everyone loves … More

NaNoWriMo Might Not Work For Everyone, But Here’s Why It Works For Me

I love NaNoWriMo, but I know it isn’t for everyone.

Here are 11 reasons why NaNoWriMo might not work for you, and 10 reasons why it DOES work for me.

Which Are Better Writers? Introverts versus Extroverts

The stereotype of the writer is often a loner (maybe a drinker — tea, coffee, or alcohol dictated by genre), who spends all their time on their manuscripts and shuns human interaction.

But that’s not the only option.

Which do you think makes for the better writer? The extrovert or the introvert?

How To Save a Fizzled First Draft

Last year, I ‘won’ NaNoWriMo, but my story had veered off course. I tried to push through to an ending, but by the end of March, it was so far off from where I wanted it to be, I knew I was fighting a losing battle.

Now, not all stories that go off course are wrong. Sometimes the story takes the lead and brings you to better things than you ever expected.

But, for me? This wasn’t the story I wanted to tell.

So, I set it aside, polished some rough drafted short stories, beta-read for some friends, and read a lot of books. I gave my story breathing room to percolate in my head and I waited til now to pull this technique out of my toolbox.