Our Latest Blog Posts
Leave with Something Tangible
Forget sitting in the back of a ballroom taking notes. Florida WritersCon 2026 is about rolling up your sleeves, practicing new skills, and connecting in-person. Throughout the weekend you’ll write, workshop, ask questions, receive feedback, meet other writers, and actively practice the craft alongside experienced authors and industry professionals. At Florida WritersCon 2026, you’ll have an opportunity to get... Read More »
Irresistible Reader Magnets
Email marketing is one of the most popular methods for communicating with readers. With all the emails people get these days, it’s a challenge to get folks to sign up. There is one trick to attracting readers to your email list: a stellar reader magnet. What Is a Reader Magnet? A reader magnet is a document you give away... Read More »
A Last Word About Endings: Where?
I’ve shared thoughts about the ending of a novel before, but I just read a book for review that brought the topic back to mind. It had a (groan) epilogue. So if you’ll indulge me, I’d like to reflect about a very important issue in novelizing. Where do you stop the story? Conclusion. Full Stop. This is an important... Read More »
Writers: The Fifth Estate
The Press The term fourth estate was coined centuries ago in reference to the press and is enshrined in the First Amendment of our Constitution along with the freedom of speech and the right of the people to assemble. Now, in this third decade of the twenty-first century, all three of those freedoms are under attack—especially the press. Consider... Read More »
Injecting Humor in Writing
Whether writing fiction or nonfiction, injecting humor can add entertainment to your work, often providing welcome relief from tense situations. Plus, laughter is therapeutic. By injecting humor, you are improving the health of your readers! Several types of humor can be incorporated, and I often inject the self-effacing kind. People love to read about the misfortunes of others in... Read More »
Who’s in Charge Here? Using Who, Whom, Which and That
I’m no Grammar Girl, but I was lucky enough to have gone to grammar school back when they really did teach grammar. And I just read a book that abused English grammar so badly that it was about as much fun to read as having your teeth drilled. Guess what, folks? Without correct grammar, it’s impossible to say what... Read More »
Perfecting Your Query Letter
Traditional publishing is an exciting place with a plethora of talented industry folks. But how do you get one of them to take notice of your book? The answer is to have a killer query letter. A query letter is a one-page document that shares about your book and introduces you as the author. Let’s start with breaking the... Read More »
No Puffy Clouds, No Twinkling Stars
You might agree that when we are faced with a choice to make, we are likely to choose what we are accustomed to. The familiar and comfortable. The tried and true. If you do much reading, you may find that some authors tend to do the same. We choose a word or a phrase that first comes to mind.... Read More »