10 Dangerous Critiques: Writing Advice to Ignore - Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris

Don’t let dangerous critiques turn your novel into a Jackalope by Anne R. Allen This week’s post is an updated version of a post from 2022. I’ve recently seen a number of new writers complain about how difficult it is to please all their beta readers, especially when the readers disagree. So I thought it […]

Agent in Your Pocket: Measuring Your Success Against the Highlight Reel Will Get You Nowhere

Literary agent Jessica Berg offers advice on how to measure writerly success with milestones that actually matter.

Your Book Pitch? Not Just For Elevators! • Career Authors

If you are writing a book--fiction or non-fiction--that superfast explanation of what your book is "about" can make or break your success. How much difference can it make? The wonderful Rhodi Hawk shares the se crets of her success--and they could lead to yours.

Drop the Chain of Demands

There’s a saying that goes, “People can only yank your chain if you’re holding on to the other end.” It sounds like it could be on a t-shirt or a mug, but the phrase contains a surprisingly deep ps…

Why Accountability is the Key to Reaching Your Writing Goals (and How to Find It) | Aliventures

Want a Twist Readers Will Love? Make Your Protagonist Wrong.

What if the thing your protagonist believes most is completely wrong? That single mistake might be the twist your novel needs.

The best strategy for sending query letters

Once you’ve written a fantastic query letter, researched literary agents, and compiled a ranked list of reputable agents who specialize in your genre: it’s go time, baby. Here’s my best strategy for sending out query letters. I also offer online classes with exclusive resources about finding and working with literary agents that you can take at your […]

Co-writing: Do's & Don’ts When Collaborating • Career Authors

Our guest authors share strategies to navigate the most common hazards when writers collaborate on a project..

7 Ways to Make a Small Story Feel Substantial

I recently finished reading Wild Dark Shore, a literary climate thriller by Charlotte McConaghy. Its cast is small and geographically constricted: Widower Dominic Salt and his three children are pe…

Falling in Love: Types of Romance Stories

The romance genre is huge. To find readers who will love our writing choices, we need to know how to categorize and define our story