We hear this word thrown around a lot, but many people seem to miss the mark on what it means. While the literal definition of a professional is just someone who gets paid, being “professional” encompasses more than that. In that case, let’s dig into what the publishing world considers to be a professional: Dressing...Read More

More than once I have seen authors talking about what their timeframe for writing their novel should be, and some people have struggled with not quite understanding how long the writing, editing, and publishing process can take. I think NaNoWriMo has something to do with this. I have a close friend, Randall ‘jay’ Andrews, who runs...Read More

There are lines in the sand, and authors everywhere are examining the decision of how to publish differently than ever before. The change in the modern landscape of the industry is a significant one, and with the rise of e-books and outlets like Amazon and Smashwords authors have unprecedented access to tools only publishers possessed...Read More

This is mostly for the self-pub crowd, so if you are planning on trad. publishing then this will maybe be interesting, but it won’t be as important to you as it is to folks who are doing this on their own. Typesetting is one of the most overlooked bits to putting a book together. Everyone...Read More

Thank you and welcome to Kimberly Klemm ( http://www.kimberlymckenzie.com )!   I have worked in the Technical Writing industry for eight plus years as both a contributing writer and a Senior editor.  The relationship between writers and editors can be likened unto a romance, a terminal illness, and a business partnership.  Writers and editors can...Read More

When I first started writing I was in high school. I wrote passionately, madly, and got lost in the worlds I created. I wrote volumes of (admittedly terrible) fiction of so many flavors I could’ve opened an ice cream shop to sell them all. And I did it without thinking too hard about it. I...Read More

This post might make a few people grumpy, and for that I almost apologize. I say almost because this really needs to be said and heard. This post is also explicitly about writers. Editors, designers, publishers, and everyone else in this muddled world of writing has an ego too, and they need to be punctured...Read More

I was going to write about writers block and then I got it. Oh, the irony. Like many writers, I’ve suffered writers block many times. In fact, I’ve been struggling with it in my personal writing for well over a year now. There are a hundred ways of handling writer’s block but honestly I think...Read More

I don’t mean mine. However, I’ve noticed – and commented on – the fact that most writing workshops and writing courses I’ve encountered seem to focus on “literature” (say that with a thick British accent, a monocle, and a cup of Earl Grey). They do things like kick and scream about clichés (see my post...Read More

Every writer approaches organizing their writing differently, however every successful writer needs to first organize it. One of the problems I’ve seen with submissions is that oftentimes the work – while interesting and potentially good – needs explanations made and needs to have the pacing and flow worked on. The best story can become a...Read More