Hey guys, I would like to welcome one of my first writer friends, Eric Klingenberg, onto the blog once again. He has helped me more than any other single person with my manuscript, Fractured. Please check out his blog and hit the follow button so you can support him just as you have all supported me.

I was very flattered to be asked to beta read two books by fellow bloggers. To be honest I had an ulterior motive by reading theirs I was hoping they would do the same, which they have offered to do. It meant I got to read two books for free and also practise my editing skills. It has also had one very welcome but unexpected extra benefit. When I swapped my first chapter with another author they both came back with very similar comments we had both been making the same mistakes. The…

Welcome to J.A Stinger. I will be interviewing this amazing author today on Rave Waves Radio “Bring on the Spotlight” at 11:00 AM CST Here is the link to listen.  Now to the tour and more about the author.

Make me feel it

In my opinion, there’s nothing better than an intensely powerful, emotional scene in a novel. I love writing a chapter that has left me drained at the end, and left me with a profound feeling so strong that I can only hope that it gives my readers the same.

Now, here’s my caveat… I’ve used it sparingly. I don’t want to take my readers on such an emotional roller-coaster that they can’t wait to get off. But, I don’t want to do it just for the shock value either. I want my readers to be there with my characters to feel the joy, sorrow, pain, and loss…

Hello, bloggers!!

Welcome to another exciting guest post!! Today, I am welcoming fellow RRBC member, JA Stinger. JA is our current “SPOTLIGHT” Author and I am SO EXCITED to show her support today. I hope you’ll join me by spreading the word about her “SPOTLIGHT” Week. And don’t forget to check out her book, GENERATIONS BEYOND.

Where Inspiration Inspires

I’ll start off with saying that everyone is different. Some writers are able to sit down with a pen and paper and let their imagination and creativity flow without pause. Others will sit at their computers and stare at the computer screen with their fingers poised over the keyboard, trying to will their thoughts into something visible. I believe I fall somewhere in the middle. I have moments of supreme inspiration where I can sit and type for hours and then others where all I can draw upon…

As part of my ongoing Scrivener Tutorial series, we’ve reached number 4. Previously I’ve discussed how to Create a New Document and Work with Scenes, Making Document Goals, and Cool Tools in Scrivener.

Today in continuing with our Revision theme for January, I’m going to discuss how I use Scrivener when it’s time to revise, and why Scrivener is my go-to writing software for revision.

If you’re not sure of where to start with revising your WIP, check out the article I wrote on it back at the beginning of January: A Revision Checklist.

1. Compile/Export

At some point in your story’s process, you’ll want to put it in a program like Word or else convert the file into an ebook format. Scrivener makes this easy. Look for the “compile” button, or else click on “File” and go all the way to the bottom to find “compile.”

This gives you…

I am very pleased to welcome D.M. Cain to Fiction Favorites. She is on her The Phoenix Project tour with 4Wills Publishing. You can go HERE to see other stops on the tour.  I present D.M. Cain

Why I’m proud of my 1-star review

To an author, a negative review can be soul-destroying. You have poured your heart into hours and hours of writing and editing something that, at times, feels like your baby – you treasure it and love it, and want to hold it high and shout your pride from the highest mountain. So when a reader dismisses it as ‘rubbish’ or slates your use of language, it can be hard to take.

Recently my debut novel ‘The Phoenix Project’ got its first 1* review:

Did I sulk and cry and decide to never write another word? No, I smiled and heaved a sigh of relief.

This little…

Author John Winston

As the author of the IA series, I’ve had some success on social media, and people often ask me for tips. Well here’s the skinny.

I use Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter equally, but it’s my firm and religious belief that Goodreads is the past, present, future, and end all be all for authors, especially new and/or self-published authors.

I say new because there are a lot of new traditionally published authors out there who think they’ve crossed into the Promised Land but will ultimately find themselves wading in the fire and brimstone of literary hell.

You have to promote yourself and there is no better way to do it than on Goodreads.

It should be academic that a social media site that has as its focus, readers, and to a lesser extent authors, should be your first point of attack as an author. That being said.