To help plan next year, I'm going to spend the next week focusing on one of the principles of Kwanza each day... Baby steps count.

Looking back, I accidentally pulled my first all-nighter in fifth grade. When my parents went to bed, I told them I just had to copy my essay one more time - yes, I am a dinosaur who had to write my essays in cursive and hand-draw any illustrations. I kept finishing, seeing a small error or drawing I could do better, and redoing the whole paper, until I heard my father's alarm clock go off. I still have that essay - it looks childish next to what kids can produce today with c

Always write for your audience. I write social histories for sentence mitigation attorneys. My audience is the judge.

Write for your audience: Age. Not every person of a given age is identical, but knowing the age of your audience gives you a starting point.

I frequently recommend that anyone purchasing self-publishing services check the Watch Dog page of ALLi - but there's another reason to go.

Always write for your Audience. The first consideration? Is this just for you, for your family and friends, or do you want the world to...

Recently, I got some excellent critique from a professional editor who is familiar with current trends. This was on the opening of a...

When is it okay not to revise or edit? When you are the only audience. If you are writing a diary or journal, and have no plans to share...

There are different levels of edit. Before you hire an editor, make sure you know which kind of editing they are going to do - and...

I am most definitely thankful today. I'm linking a short story about Nina's Thanksgiving and a couple other posts about family.

How to choose the right editor and ways you can make editing easier and reduce costs.

How does your publisher make money? Traditional publishers make their money selling books - that's why they're so picky about what they...

What happens to a rough draft? If the editor is working for a prospective publisher, it's going to go back to you with little of it read...

In Community Board, Tara Conklin takes us inside the major depression of a woman whose husband has left her for another woman - yet she...

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is an excellent novel looking at World War II from multiple perspectives - different people...

Once upon a time I was a teacher working with "tough" kids - teens who had behaviors that got them into trouble in most classrooms. My...

If you’re considering writing historical fiction or just enjoy good writing, I strongly suggest Lisa Wingal’s Before We Were Yours.

Secondary characters help add texture and depth to a book. They can be used for comic relief in an otherwise tense story. They’re fun to...

How many books should you order? You don’t want to end up with boxes of books you’ll never sell. Aside from the cost, it’s depressing to...

Good plot construction; good getting inside an anti-hero. Nice linking the character's situation to overall women's issues.

When you are deciding how to publish your book, it's important to do your homework. Traditional publishing is still an option, but you’ll...

If you like any of the following authors, you might like my books, or if you like my books, you may like theirs too.

Publishing with KDP and IngramSpark is possible, as long as you don't sign up for Kindle Select. My last three books, I published through...

Kindle vs. Kindle Select - I’ve had people tell me if you publish with KDP, your books can’t be purchased on Nook or you’ll be violating...