Publications / 323 posts found
Fear Factor: How Embedding in Extreme Environments Can Lead to Compelling Fiction
Fear is a big, dumb mutt of a word. It’s what you feel when a bus barrels at you head on, when a wonky email lands in your inbox, when your kid says he’ll be home by nine and it’s nearly 11. But fear is useful. It springs you from the path of that bus, lifts your hand from the keys, fires up your detective skills to track down your kid. But fear, in all its incarnations—dread, apprehension, anxiety, unease, even awe—can do more than save you from buses; it can also make you smarter, more adept in your surroundings, […]
28 Writing Prompts for the 2022 Flash Fiction Challenge
Find all 28 prompts for the 2022 February Flash Fiction Challenge below. I will link each day back to the original post with a super concise prompt. Just click the link if you need more guidance or ideas on how to come at the prompt. Happy writing! 28 Flash Fiction Prompts for the 2022 February Flash Fiction Challenge! Day 1: Write about a keyDay 2: Write something circularDay 3: Write something based on the dialogue “Where does this lead?” “Nowhere good.”Day 4: Write about a dream coming trueDay 5: Write about a mystery Day 6: Write about a character attempting […]
Atticus.io Review: A Review of Dave Chesson’s Book Formatting Software
In working with thousands of authors over the years, the one bottleneck (and fear) of book production is the formatting piece of the project. Why formatting? It’s the one area most indie authors get hung up on when it comes to the tech side of the business. Most authors—that have never used Adobe InDesign—have conceptualized a belief about book formatting that it’s an area that should only be approached by professional formatters. Although this is true in big-name publishing houses, when it comes to Indie publishing, it’s up to the author to either: Do the task themselves, or Outsource the […]
A Toolkit for Managing the Anxiety of the Publishing Process
As a chronically anxious person (shout out to Prozac for being the longest relationship I’ve ever had!), there’s a fun level of irony that I get to put this toolkit together. But, as the adage goes, write what you know. And oh, how I know about the anxiety of publishing. (How to Love Writing a Book) From going on submission with my first book, A Brush with Love, at the start of the pandemic to debuting during supply chain disruptions and a brand-new viral variant, I’ve had quite a few sleepless nights of panic in the process. But if therapy […]
Lynn Hightower: On Being a Thriller Writer
Lynn Hightower is the author of numerous thrillers, including the Sonora Blair and Lena Padget detective series. Her internationally bestselling novels have been included in the New York Times List of Notable Books, the London Times’ bestseller lists, the WH Smith Fresh Talent Awards, and the Shamus award. Also, Lynn teaches Master Novel classes in the UCLA Extension Writing Program, and works as a manuscript consultant/writing coach for novelists. Find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Lynn Hightower In this post, Lynn discusses the curiosity that led her to write her new paranormal thriller, The Enlightenment Project, her advice for […]
Announcing the 9th Annual Self-Published E-book Awards Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 9th Annual Self-Published E-book Awards! [WD uses affiliate links.] Grand Prize $3.99 Kindle; $18 Paperback, Steve Physioc Walks With the Wind by Steve Physioc, StevePhysioc.com Contemporary Fiction First Place $7.29 Kindle; $13.49 Paperback, KDP Driftless by Ardys Brevig Richards, AardysBrevigRichards.blogspot.com Honorable Mentions Backstory: Behind the Scenes of a Famous Film-Thriller by Pat Dunlap Evans ($5.99 Kindle; $12.99 Paperback, A.M. Chai Literary), PatDunlapEvans.com Safelight by Casey Lown ($2.99 Kindle; $11.99 Paperback, Casey Lown), CaseyLown.com Going Home by Win and Meredith Blevins ($0.99 Kindle; $8.99 Paperback, WordWorx Publishing) A Legacy of One by Kevin G. Chapman ($3.99…
How I Landed My Literary Agent at the Annual Writer’s Digest Conference Pitch Slam
I grew up around writing. My mother is the author of 75 traditionally published books. She had an agent, she has had a bevy of editors, her books have won awards and have sold hundreds of thousands of copies. Even so, she also has had a slew of titles go into remainders—leaving the shelves never to return. Not every book has been a success with her audience. (Julie Bogart: On Navigating the Digital World) As a passionate child-writer, I imagined I would like to write books one day. But I also knew that I wanted my books to last—to be […]
Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 602
For today’s prompt, take the phrase “Happy (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles might include: “Happy to See You,” “Happy Birthday,” “Happy You’re Happy,” and/or “Happy Now?” Also, feel free to replace “happy” with “happiness.” Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them. Note on commenting: If you wish to comment on the site, go to Disqus to create a free new account, verify your account on this site below (one-time thing), and […]
Party Time
Photo by Adi Goldstein on Unsplash I’ve been thinking about crowds and especially the sound of crowds a lot lately—something that’s been pretty absent for me for the last two years—and that got me thinking about parties. Birthday, retirement, anniversary, you name it, there’s usually a party to celebrate it. For this week, set your story at a party. Post your response (500 words or fewer) in the comments below.
The Story of a Heel: Notes on Memoir and Fiction
When I was in high school in East Germany, a substitute teacher—not our usual boring drone, who had fallen ill—gave us an unusual homework assignment: “Write a story from your life. Let your reader know what happened and how you felt about it. Work on it over the weekend and bring it in on Monday.” (Joel Agee: On Recreating Lost Time) The class erupted into a cacophony of protest: “It’s too hard! We’re not prepared! Does it have to be true?” “It needn’t be true,” the teacher said, “but it should be believable, and it should be a story. I […]