Douglas Burcham writes another (maybe last) post in his “Writing and Reading for Pleasure” series. 1.0 Introduction On 1st June 2020 I celebrated being a writer for ten years. Writing is not a short-term activity. The first three years – a million words of draft modern fantasy fiction and then five years of not…
5 Tips on Writing for Children | Guest Post
Writing for children is not as easy as it seems. Compared to adults, children are more difficult to please, and their literary taste are harder to satisfy. When writing for children, it is always necessary to strike a balance between being amusing but not bewildering; reflective but not condescending; and distinct but not complex. If you…
How to Set up Your Author Website Quickly and Easily – Pauline Wiles | Guest Post
No doubt you’ve read plenty of sage advice about building a long-term livelihood as an independent author. One recommendation you’ve probably come across before is to establish a website early in your career. Why? Because even if you’re promoting your work widely on social media, and in online groups, it makes sense to have a…
What is Your Biggest Problem with Self-Publishing? – Joseph McLean | Guest Post
Everyone who’s getting into the self-publishing game is probably going to face a lot of problems. The self-publishing industry has become extremely competitive. As of 2017, the number of reported self-published titles went over 1 million. Now, as of 2019, the numbers may have doubled or tripled up. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: the self-publishing…
6 Reasons Why Your Book Isn’t Getting Published – Paige Wheeler | Guest Post
So, you’ve finished your manuscript. Congratulations! If you want to publish your book through the traditional channels, that means you’re going to need to start looking for an agent or submitting your book to publishers, (but if you want to get published by one of the five major publishers, you’ll need to get an agent).…
Unlock Your Creative Writing Potential – Piper McIntosh | Guest Post
Whatever your practice, creativity is essential in the writing and publishing profession. Aren’t we always searching for a new way to creatively tell a story? In a world where everyone has a platform and everyone is a storyteller, it is more important than ever to ensure you are able to articulate your craft in a…
The Decision to Become an Author – Anthony Sciarratta | Guest Post
Every person faces a time in their life when they decide whether or not to pursue their dream. The fear of failure can consume one’s soul, but the amount of pain felt after giving up on your dream would be greater. I made my decision in August of 2017, while vacationing in Mexico. It was…
Writing and Reading for Pleasure (June 2019): Douglas Burcham
Douglas writes his first post for 2019 in his “Writing and Reading for Pleasure” series detailing how grieving for a sentimental attachment from childhood has kept him busy writing differently since February 2019. Sunday 1st June 2019 marks the same date nine years ago when I started writing. A few weeks ago I reviewed the…
Writing Fiction? These 5 Contemporary Short Stories Will Inspire You – Emily Marchant | Guest Post
As an aspiring writer, or even one who has successfully had work published, you are constantly on the search for inspiration for that next story, and inspiration can be drawn from a multitude of eclectic sources. Nothing should be considered off-limits in that, if your voice is genuine, the original source of the story, as…
Simple Guide to the Legal Issues of Self-Publishing – Joseph McLean | Guest Post
Ever since the first third-party publisher book was released, most authors didn’t have to worry about legal issues. The publisher was responsible for taking care of all copyright, and the editors would probably sniff out any legal issues before the book went into print. With the rising popularity of self-publishing in the 21st century, a…