Writing Research in the Digital Age

author research 38-starflagHow many of you remember working on a book, getting to a place where you needed some information about a time, a place, or a situation in order for your story to feel authentic, yet you didn’t have that information? How many of you remember having to drive to the library to find out the facts? How many remember scooting down to your local bookstore and browsing the shelves looking for some book, any book, that could shed light on the rules of baseball in 1890 or the hunting habits of a jaguar in Brazil?

Yes, I’m dating myself, but I’m guessing there’s more than one or two of you out there who can relate. Continue reading “Writing Research in the Digital Age”

Some Writing Rules Should Not Be Taken Quite So Literally

i will show not tell writing rulesWhen I first sat down and put fingers to keys, full of optimism about being a writer, I looked for suggestions about how to write my first book. Any guesses what I found? The two most overused pieces of advice in writing: “Show, don’t tell,” and “Write what you know.” If writers’ groups were classic rock radio stations, those two pieces of advice would be Stairway to Heaven and Hey Jude. All good enough, as far as it went, but I didn’t even understand what they meant.

It took me quite a while to get the hang of “showing,” not “telling.” Years, honestly. I never said I was bright, or a quick study, did I? Finally, ten years later, I think I’ve got it. Instead of just “telling” my reader what happens, I put them in the scene. Make them a part of it. Give them an emotional connection to the material. What I’m not sure of is when this became the way to go. Continue reading “Some Writing Rules Should Not Be Taken Quite So Literally”

Additional $ources of Revenue for Canadian Authors

authors making money-case-163495_960_720
Yes, we know that’s not Canadian money. Stop being so picky.

Happy New Year, authors. I’m going to try and help make 2016 begin with a bang for you, especially if you’re Canadian.

If you’re a Canadian author there are a couple of financial opportunities available that you may not be aware of. There are two organizations that would like to compensate you financially for your hard work. There is no charge to sign up for these programs, the checks come annually, and the payments are available to traditionally published authors as well as self-published authors. You just need to know where to apply. Continue reading “Additional $ources of Revenue for Canadian Authors”