Bryan Collins's Blog, page 71

99designs Review: 15 Top Tips for Your Next Contest

Running a successful 99designs contest will help you find and work with a designer for a book cover, logo or other creative projects. This 99designs review explains more.

Are you about to run a 99 designs contest?

I'm not a graphic designer, and I recently self-published a book on Amazon. So, I needed a book cover.

My design skills being what they are – non-existent – meant I  decided to run a 99designs book cover contest. In this article, I'll explain what 99designers offers and how I ...

5 Great Ways To Avoid Accidental Plagiarism

Avoiding accidental plagiarism is one of the golden rules of writing. It's an easy mistake to make too.

With the best intentions in the world, it’s easy to regurgitate someone else’s words and inadvertently use them as if they’re your own, especially if you’re writing a large number of articles or referencing other people's work. 

Accidental plagiarism is a common mistake that writers of any caliber can make, which is why it's worth tackling the issue head-on. Then, you can better prepare ...

Simile Vs. Metaphor: What’s The Difference?

This articles compares simile vs. metaphor and explains how and when to use both.

Each is a figurative language strategy English language writers use to enhance their messages. Similes and metaphors make comparisons between two different things.

When writers explore similar qualities, or traits, of two different things, such as a person and an animal or a room and the weather, s/he uses similes or metaphors. The main difference between these two figures of speech is that similes use the w...

A 5-Step Guide to the Creative Process: Generate Ideas Fast!

The creative process involves generating, developing and working on ideas. Anyone can do it. This article and expert interview reveals how.

Increasing your knowledge of the creative process and optimizing your own allows you to come up with creative ideas more often.

Most creative people like writers, artists, and musicians think that creative ideas just pop into their heads out of nowhere. This can’t be further from the truth. Creative ideas are born during a process of thorough research ...

How To Analyze A Book: In 13 Simple Steps

Learning how to analyze a book will change the way you read and write. It's easy to do and time well spent. We explain how.

Many new writers don't appreciate how much they could accelerate their skills by reading more critically. That means analyzing a book once you're done.

Katja L Kaine is the creator of the Novel Factory, a type of novel writer's software that creates order from the chaos of creativity.

She's spent over a decade writing novels, and she has helped many authors launch ...

How To Write An Article Your Readers Can’t Wait To Click On In 6 Easy Steps

This article contains a step-by-step guide on how to write an article your audience loves and common challenges you’ll encounter on the way. Plus, we include an expert interview.

If you’re a freelancer or business owner, regularly posting high-quality articles on your blog allows you to get an enormous amount of organic traffic. It also increases social awareness and brings in leads without you having to actively look for them.

Without a blog, you’ll have only a few inbound leads, and litt...

How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal in 7 Simple Steps

This article by guest writer Arielle Contreras from Reedsy covers how to write a nonfiction book proposal for publishers.

So you’ve got a brilliant creative idea for a nonfiction book. You’ve taken the time to evaluate it and you know how to write a book.

Now, what?

A book proposal is your ticket to a traditional book deal.

It’s especially important if you don’t have an agent, as many small and medium publishers accept unsolicited proposals. Your book idea is fantastic, and it’s time to prove th...

How To Make Money Writing Online and Profit

Learning how to make money writing online is easier than ever today thanks to all the opportunities available for writers. In this guest post, freelancer Elna Cain provides practical advice.

You kept it a secret from everyone and held on to it while you grew up.

Your dream was that one day your story would be read by thousands of people. Your characters would be locked in the minds of people from all over the world.

You would be instantly famous.

Or, if anything, your novel would be published, s...

Become a Freelance Writer: 17 Reliable Tips

It's easier than ever to become a freelance writer if you build a profile, find the right clients and treat writing like a business.

I worked as a freelance writer for several years for local and national newspapers in Ireland. I've worked as freelancer for several well-known websites like Forbes.

It's a great way of earning money either part or full-time from the written word. In this guide, I explain what freelancing is, and I provide practical tips for those who want to become a freelancer. ...

The 15 Best Biographies To Read

Need something great to read? Here the best biographies available to buy and enjoy this year.

There are so many great biographies books on the market, it's sometimes hard to know where to start reading.

Bestselling biography books usually tell a fascinating true story.

Whether it's about a young US entrepreneur, a definitive biography on African American women from the twentieth century, or an inspiring life story, there are endless incredible stories to read.

Here are some picks o...