

The Guide to Clear and Concise Writing
As National Novel Writing Month ends, the beginning of the holiday season strikes. The time of the year has come where you embark on reading stories about obnoxious gingerbread men, elves that watch naughty children, talking turkeys, and an incessant use of the word ‘Tis.’
You find yourself watching terribly scripted made for TV holiday movies and ridiculous commercials that make you want to poke your eyeballs out. Now, imagine having to read this stuff year round.
It’s a safe bet you would never again read or watch TV, and the survival of your eyeballs would be debatable.
As you feast your eyes on your NaNoWriMo work, or set your sights on your next writing project, it’s important to focus on the importance of clear and concise writing. Let’s take a minute and review some important tips that will help you prepare a fresh and crisp piece of writing for your readers. Continue reading “The Guide to Clear and Concise Writing”

A Guide to Split Infinitives
Whether you are writing a novel or a simple short story, the infancy stages of your piece will not be perfect. It is also a safe bet that one of the biggest grammatical headaches, the split infinitive, has been a thorn in your side. Don’t worry, you are not the only writer to enter split infinitive hell! Continue reading “A Guide to Split Infinitives”

Fiction Writing Rule #2: Show, Don’t Tell
Books are the closest thing to magic. It’s why so many of us nerds love a good novel. Books have the uncanny ability to transport us to new places, introduce us to new people, and take us on unforgettable adventures. But not all books are created equal. Continue reading “Fiction Writing Rule #2: Show, Don’t Tell”

5 Ways to Market your eBook on Google Plus
In the realm of social media, Google+ has been the black sheep. Built by Google with the intent to meet and surpass Facebook, it has been “disparaged and shunned by much of the public.” The Google Plus network is primarily trafficked by professionals and individuals interested in networking or specific interests. Despite it not reaching the fame of Facebook and LinkedIn, it is still a good platform from which to market an e-book if you know how to use it. Continue reading “5 Ways to Market your eBook on Google Plus”

You Get What You Pay For
Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared on LinkedIn.
Mama said there’d be days like this, and she probably also warned you get what you pay for. In the world of writing – especially freelance writing – truer words have never been spoken. As the business or brand ordering content, you get what you pay for. And as the writer, well, sometimes – okay, most times – you don’t get paid what you’re worth.
A vicious storm is brewing atop the waves of the Internet. It’s been bubbling and brewing for some time like the witch’s brew of Macbeth. It’s an ugly and monstrous storm; a squall directly linked to the SEO-driven monsoon of mediocre material audiences around the globe are currently drowning in. Let’s face it; so many people want written content for practically free that quality has grown atrocious! Continue reading “You Get What You Pay For”

How to Use Grammarly
Whether you’re a writer or editor, a little help with proofing is always welcome. Most word processing programs, like Microsoft Word and WordPerfect, come with basic proofreading capabilities. But what if you had access to smarter software? Would you use it? And what if you could use it for free? We’d like to introduce you to a smart software that’s been making our lives easier since 2010. It’s called Grammarly. Continue reading “How to Use Grammarly”

5 Ways to Market an eBook on Twitter
Twitter – it’s one of those marketing tools most people don’t utilize because it can be such a pain in the butt. From character limits to the seeming flood of spam users who follow just to get followed or advertise some product you have absolutely no interest in, it’s no wonder most indie authors shrug their shoulders and walk away. Who has time for that? Continue reading “5 Ways to Market an eBook on Twitter”

5 Tips for Improving Your Writing
The profession of writing is one of the most underestimated and underappreciated on the planet. How many times have you heard someone say writing is easy? It’s equated with the simplicity of throwing words about a page with the intent of sounding smart, but writing — real writing — is so much more! Continue reading “5 Tips for Improving Your Writing”

5 Ways to Market your eBook on Facebook
In the marathon to promote your e-book, is Facebook a tool you intend to use? Before you answer, and before we discuss five ways to market your e-book on Facebook, let’s talk fact. According to Mashable, Facebook is the most popular social network for all ages. Unlike other social media networks, it knows no generation limit. Millions of potential readers frequent Facebook every day, and this trend is still active. Continue reading “5 Ways to Market your eBook on Facebook”

20 Tips for Creating Compelling Copy
So you have a website. Perhaps it’s a personal blog. Perhaps it’s a page for your product or service. Maybe you’re trying to build an audience for something big. At this stage in your content creation journey, I’m sure your biggest question is, “How the hell am I supposed to get people to read my copy?”
Creating compelling copy for your website or blog is no small feat. However, it can be done. And perhaps it’ll be easier than you think! So buckle in and hang tight because we’re going to bring you not five, not 10, not even 15…but 20 tips for creating compelling copy! Continue reading “20 Tips for Creating Compelling Copy”