by Jenny Hansen, @JennyHansenCA
Editing and Proofreading: Two separate processes that equal one great story.
Like most writers, I hang out with a boatload of other writers. Still, I never saw much of other peoples’ works in progress until I coordinated a contest several years ago. Coordinating contests changed the way I see writing. Period. [...]
Photo credit: Cellar Door Films via WANA Commons on Flickr
What’s the time management secret that’s sure to help us all get TONS more writing done? “Yes makes less.” It’s my new favorite motto.
If you’ve never heard of Steven Pressfield or Shawn Coyne, you’re missing out on some amazing lessons. Pressfield wrote The [...]
Last week, I saw an infographic in GalleyCat titled, J.R.R. Tolkien’s 10 Tips for Writers, and was so inspired. What if he’d never written his books? What if there had been no Hobbits and no Gandalf, no Legolas or Frodo? The world of story would be an entirely different place.
Our stories matter. They [...]
We decided to have a bit of fun on this first day of September (right after hyperventilating that we’re already in September) and issue a friendly 9-1 flavored writing challenge.
Here’s how it works: Go to your work in progress or upcoming release or recent release. Pick the 9th paragraph of chapter 1 OR the [...]
Photo credit: Cellar Door Films (WANA Commons)
Today I’m shaking my Cowbell about social media, with an emphasis on your profiles. Those header graphics and text are one of the biggest tools in your arsenal to catch people’s eyes.
[I just heard some of you writers groan: More social media?! Didn’t Fae give [...]
It’s the Holiday Season and here at Writers in the Storm we’re looking forward to sneaking open some reader gifts early with a little “Pimp and Promote.” Of course, this always costs us some money, because we have to go out and buy lots of books. But there will be awesome sales in a couple [...]
Today I’m sharing a really fun present to help you to ring in the new year. When I told Laura Drake about the new Microsoft Sway, she about lost her mind. It is extremely creative and cool, but super easy to use. Best of all, it integrates seamlessly with OneDrive and Office Online and it’s [...]
Quilt a story, piece by piece… https://www.flickr.com/photos/tweedledeedesigns/4932424821/
Writing is a very imprecise process for me, which surprises no one who knows me well. I’ve tried a gajillion tools in my quest to get a book off the ground and finished. Fast Draft, W-Plot, Snowflake Method. They all helped me be a better writer, but [...]
Some of you have heard of Klout, a website and app that measures social media activity and ranks social influence. This is not another social media platform, I promise you. This is something you can set up that gives others an indication of the reach and effectiveness of your current social media efforts. And by [...]
SEO for authors… It’s a catchphrase that makes all my writing pals shudder. As one of our gals at WITS said, “I know how to spell it, but that’s about all.” SEO doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, some of the best techniques are the easiest for writers, because they involve writing.
What is [...]
Please join us for Write Up a Storm II tomorrow (October 12th)!
We’re writing up a storm from 4:00 a.m. to midnight PDT.
Twenty hours (almost) of opportunities to connect with others, meet goals, and get your words “on paper.” If you haven’t signed up, do it now! Just click any link in [...]
Today at Writers In The Storm we’re giving thanks for the “writerly” things that help us put words on the page. We’re also opening the door for our readers! Share your gratitude for things large and small down in the comments.
Fae RowenI’m grateful for the usual suspects: the people who love me and [...]
Every writer, whether they’re starting the journey or standing atop the bestseller lists, feels like a hack at some point. Like an imposter, a phony, a gigantic fakeball loser. It might happen once a month or once an hour. The point is, it will happen.
If Woody Allen is correct and “80% of success is [...]
Whether you make New Year resolutions or set goals, January is the perfect time to look forward. Over the last few years, I’ve been doing something a tad different. I think of one word that will guide me for the year. And then I make sure that what I take on meshes with my [...]
Today we’re talking about Dirty Fighting. What is it, and why do you want your characters to do it? The main reason: It escalates tension in your story by deepening both your external and internal conflict.
Dirty Fighting isn’t about some how-to guide on Jujitsu or Street Fighting. Nope, it’s actually a list of [...]
We’re writing up a storm from 4:00 a.m. to 10:00 PDT. If you missed the tips, you can read them on our Facebook page.
Eighteen hours of opportunities to connect with others, meet goals, and get your words “on paper.”
We’ll be writing from [...]
Photo from Pixabay
Summer is coming up fast and here at Writers in the Storm we’re marking the occasion with a little “Pimp and Promote.” Of course, this always costs us some money, because we have to go out and buy lots of books. But there will be awesome “beach read” sales in next [...]
We always try to bring you information on the most useful technologies here at WITS and there’s a gaping hole in the Google+ category. We hope to rectify that with this post! Google Plus is an incredibly valuable social media platform, especially when it comes to making you (and your books) searchable.
Unfortunately, a lot [...]
From our earliest moments, most writers are avid readers. We devour books – for story, for Craft, for new worlds and new ideas.
We have To Be Read piles (TBR for short) that are taller than small children. Our favorite authors and characters become our friends.
I don’t know if we become students of [...]
NaNoWriMo, for those of you who are unfamiliar with it, is National Novel Writing Month, where hundreds of thousands of writers gather to bang out many many words in a month. Many writers skip it and many writers treat it as a yearly pilgrimage to Writing Mecca.
NaNoWriMo is my birthday present to myself each [...]
