Janice Hardy's Blog, page 44
July 9, 2020
Successful Self-Publishing: Write a Great Book (Part 2)
By Laurisa White Reyes, @lwreyesPart of The Indie Authors Series
JH: Writing a great book takes work and dedication. Laurisa White Reyes shares a few tips on how to stick with it to get the book you want.
Laurisa White Reyes is the award-winning author of seventeen books, including 8 Secrets to Successful Self-Publishing . She is also the founder and senior editor of Skyrocket Press and teaches English composition at College of the Canyons in Southern California. Visit her website at www.SkyrocketPress.com.
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Take it away Laurisa...
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
July 7, 2020
3 Reasons You Should Quit Writing
By Orly Konig, @OrlyKonigPart of The Writer's Life Series
JH: When the writing gets hard, some writers wonder if they should just quit. Orly Konig shares three reasons to quit writing--and one reason not to.
Orly Konig is an escapee from the corporate world. Now she spends her days chatting up imaginary friends, drinking too much coffee, and negotiating writing space around her cats. She is the founding president of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and a member of the Tall Poppy Writers. She’s a book coach and author of The Distance Home and Carousel Beach .
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Take it away Orly…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
July 2, 2020
How to Set Up Your Sponsored Product Ads in Amazon
By Dave Chesson, @DaveChessonPart of The Indie Authors Series
JH: Advertising your book on Amazon might seem like a challenge, but it's easier than you think. Dave Chesson shares a step-by-step process on setting up your sponsored ads.
Dave Chesson is the founder of Kindlepreneur.com and creator of Publisher Rocket, a software that helps authors market their books more effectively.
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Take it away Dave…
Amazon ads are an amazing marketing tool for authors who want to see more conversions--whether that means Kindle Unlimited borrows or just plain sales. For that reason, indie authors should probably be investing some of their marketing budget, no matter how small or big, into Amazon’s advertising platform.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
July 1, 2020
Moving Forward: Writing Smooth Transitions
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy The flow of a novel is an important and often overlooked aspect of keeping readers immersed in the story.
When I'm reading, I'm much more engrossed in prose that goes smoothly from one thought to the next and one scene to another. If the text is too choppy, it jars me right out of the story and I have difficulty getting back into it. It's like getting interrupted every few minutes when you're trying to focus--before long, you just give up.
A strong story usually has a strong sense of story flow. The author smoothly takes the reader from idea to idea, scene to scene, and chapter to chapter. The information shared is handled with care and readers aren't given too much or too little. Everything flows so effortlessly readers forget they're reading.
Weaker prose doesn't flow so well. Chapters end in odd places, scenes just stop, and paragraphs contain awkward phrases that jars readers right out of the story. Readers are reminded over and over that they're reading, and they notice the flaws more than the story.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
June 30, 2020
Writing Through Difficult Times
By Shanna Swendson, @ShannaSwendsonPart of The Writer’s Life Series
JH: When the world is falling apart, it's hard to be in the right emotional space to write. Shanna Swendson share tips on balancing stress, emotion, and getting words down when we need to.
Shanna Swendson earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas but decided it was more fun to make up the people she wrote about and became a novelist. She’s written a number of fantasy novels for teens and adults, including the Enchanted, Inc. series and the Rebel Mechanics series. She devotes her spare time to reading, knitting, and music. Her most recent release is the young adult fairy tale fantasy Spindled .
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Take it away Shanna…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
June 28, 2020
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at a Screenplay
Critique By Maria D'Marco WIP Diagnostics is a weekly column that studies a snippet of a work in progress for specific issues. Readers are encouraged to send in work with questions, and we diagnose it on the site. It’s part critique, part example, and designed to help the submitter as well as anyone else having a similar problem.
If you're interested in submitting to WIP Diagnostics, please check out these guidelines.
Submissions currently in the queue: Four
Please Note: As of today, critique slots are booked through May 1.
This week’s question: Do you think it/they work?
Market/Genre: Screenplay
JH Note: Something very different this week—a screenplay. I know nothing about them, but Maria has had experience here, so I thought we’d give it a whirl.
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
June 25, 2020
The Best-Kept Secret “Real” Writers Use to Crush Writer’s Block
By Jacqueline Myers
Part of The Writer's Life Series
JH: Not every writer has the same process, and the wrong process can actually keep you from writing. Jacqueline Myers shares thoughts and tips on how who you are influences how your write.
Jacqueline is currently happily at work on her second mystery series (under a pen name) while sharing what she's learned with other writers. Using the synergy of personality theory and brain science, Jacqueline coaches writers using a proprietary methodology that helps them overcome their debilitating creative blocks so they can write un-put-down-able books.
If you are struggling, she'd love to see how she can support you! Schedule your free story strategy session here. You can also email her at jacqueline@intuitivewritingcoach.com.
Take it away Jacqueline…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
June 23, 2020
Why You Can't Concentrate Right Now
By Bonnie RandallPart of The Writer's Life Series
JH: Writers everywhere are experiencing something that's far worse that simple writer's block, and for a very good reason. Bonnie Randall shares why it's hard for us to focus right now.
It has been a wild year. 2020 has impacted the quantity, consistency, and flow of my writing. Productivity has been a challenge because my concentration has been nebulous, jittery.
Unsurprisingly, many other writers and content creators are reporting similar challenges—and as a result I’ve seen multiple articles offering solutions to these issues: ‘How To Stay focused During COVID’, ‘How To Muscle Through the Multitude of World Events And Keep Creating Content’, ‘How To Crank Out a Bestseller In the Midst Of Global Meltdowns (I should probably take a peek at that one). 'Writing in the Time of Covid-19'
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
June 20, 2020
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at Show, Don't Tell in an Opening Page
Critique By Maria D'Marco WIP Diagnostics is a weekly column that studies a snippet of a work in progress for specific issues. Readers are encouraged to send in work with questions, and we diagnose it on the site. It’s part critique, part example, and designed to help the submitter as well as anyone else having a similar problem.
If you're interested in submitting to WIP Diagnostics, please check out these guidelines.
Submissions currently in the queue: Four
Please Note: As of today, critique slots are booked through July 18.
This week’s questions:
1. Is it better as first person or should it be written as third person
2. Should I develop the main character before this segment or is this okay as a start of a story.
3. Is there too much telling?
4. Would you want to keep reading?
Market/Genre: Unspecified
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
June 18, 2020
Word of Honor: Revising Your Book for Word Choice
By Rochelle Melander, @WriteNowCoachPart of The How They Do It Series
JH: The right word at the right time can turn a bland sentence into a memorable one. Rochelle Melander discusses ways word choice impacts your writing.
Rochelle Melander is an author, speaker, and certified professional coach. Melander is the author of 11 books including Level Up: Quests to Master Mindset, Overcome Procrastination and Increase Productivity . As the owner of Write Now! Coach, Rochelle teaches writers, professionals, and business owners how to turn their ideas into books, navigate the publishing world, and connect with readers through social media.
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Take it away Rochelle…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
