
What Did You Do That For?: Why character motivation matters
When writing a novel, we often spend a lot of time thinking about what is going to happen to our characters. Unfortunately, we don’t...

Plotter or Pantser?: The pros and cons of outlining
Writers tend to fall into two camps: those who plan and outline before they write (plotters) and those who go with the flow and write by...
Interview with Bad Star Media: All about book covers!
This week I am talking to Kate Newburg from Bad Star Media, a provider of “fierce book cover design for the indie author.” Join me to...

Going Under My Pen: The experience of an Ink Deep edit
I was recently editing a book about starting a photography business, and the author told the reader to consider what it felt like to be...

Practice Makes Perfect: Why you shouldn't expect to be a great writer on your first try
When we decide to learn a new skill, we usually understand that it will take lots of practice and a good teacher to get us to the point...

Hello, Out There!: Marketing your book using social media
You’ve written your book, published it on Amazon, and now you’re ready to sit back and watch the royalties roll in. If only it were that...

Step Away from the Computer: When to stop rewriting and move on
If there is one thing authors are told over and over again, it’s that they have to rewrite. It seems that every author ever asked for...

How to Pack Your Character’s Emotional Baggage: What you need to know about your character
A mistake that many beginning writers make is giving their readers too much backstory. They load their first few chapters with details...

What to Expect from an Edit
Many authors are understandably nervous when they hire an editor. You have worked long and hard on your book and have poured the...

Leave 'em Hanging: Should you write a cliffhanger?
Many writers begin a novel with the intent to write a series. The desire is understandable. If you can hook readers with your first book...