From Our Blog
To Pseudonym or Not to Pseudonym: A Question of Usefulness
George Orwell was a big liar. So was George Elliot. And Dean Koontz. And all three of those nefarious Brontë sisters. And Mark Twain. And Agatha Christie. And George Sand. And Nora Roberts, of course. And that most insidious of liars, Dr. Seuss.
So was Jane Austen, though to a lesser extent. When Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility came out in 1811, the phrase “By a Lady” was printed in place …
Code-Switching: More Than Just Slang
In today’s fast-paced society, it’s extremely common to shorten or truncate language in order to get a message across quickly and efficiently. We can see this penchant for abbreviation in things like the 250-character tweet or text messages filled with linguistic acronyms meant to convey broad meanings with as few letters as possible. While code-switching can truncate language, it is much more …
Using Core Values to Strengthen Characterisation
As a writer you will know that the key to memorable, engaging fiction is believable characters that readers can relate to. But how can you dig deep into your characters to make sure that they are as real to your reader as they are to you? In this article I will take you through why developing an understanding of core values can help strengthen your characterisation and improve motivation and co…
When to Form a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC)
Writing a novel and determining how to publish it—whether through an agent, a publishing house or independently—is daunting enough, but should an author also create a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC)?
Michael Banner, founder of an LLC filing service and multi-published author of apocalyptic thrillers, answered with a resounding “Yes!”
“Anybody who’s a professional should set up an entity imm…
Writing Consistently ~ One Writer’s Journey to Stop Writing Faster and Write Smarter
Writing faster seems to be something that is dominating the conversation around writing lately. Like many of you I’ve been a working writer for 25 years and have had more than 100 books published. I’ve always been a “quick” writer compared to others. When I first started writing I heard comments about how I was “churning out books,” which made me try for one book to slow down my writing process…
Creating and Distributing Serialized Fiction Via an App
Savvy authors are always looking for new ways to reach readers and increase their income, but it’s important to do your research before jumping on the latest bandwagon. While serialized fiction has been around for well over a century, the format has been brought into the internet age through apps.
What is a serialized fiction app? These mobile-first platforms allow authors to offer serialized c…