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Does proper grammar give you a headache? Do you throw your pen down when frustrated with thinking of the perfect word? If you answered yes then you need to Jargon Buster from Oxford Dictionaries.
This quick reference list is alphabetized and includes nouns, verbs, adjectives, articles, forms of verbs/moods, sentences, clauses, speech, other parts of speech and dictionaries.
If you are a frustrated writer this list is perfect for you!
“People talk about books that write themselves, and it’s a lie. Books don’t write themselves. It takes thought and research and backache and notes and more time and more work than you’d believe.”
― Neil Gaiman, Smoke and Mirrors
Watch this video from award-winning author, and master writing instructor Mary Carroll Moore. She teaches the storyboarding technique. You’ll learn:
How a storyboard designs your book’s flow of chapters and ideas
How to handle your book’s creative tension
—and avoid writer’s block
Why you can throw away your outline
—random writing leads to perfectly linked chapters
November is “National Novel Writing Month”. If you have been struggling to finish your novel then this month is the time to do it! Not only can you finish your novel but if you finish in November you can have it up on Kindle and Nook for Christmas. If you need some help sign up for “NaNoWriMo“. You’ll get daily reminders and lots of encouragement for FREE! You can’t beat that with a stick! Click the link to join.
The author says “Do you struggle to write every day? Many people dream of becoming a successful author, but can’t *find* the time to write. The truth is this: Great writers don’t have more time than you do. They make time to write. Not only do they make time, they also follow specific routines that help them avoid writer’s block altogether. By developing the “writing habit” you’ll have the confidence to sit down in front of a computer every day, knowing the words will come.”
Click the book image to learn more!
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Kanyakrit Vongkiatkajorn has written an article from information included in Stephen King’s book “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft“. He offers seven tips from King including “Everything Begins With Rejection”, “Master the Fundamentals Of Writing” and “Always Be Honest”.
Our favorite quote from the article is “To be a good writer, you must master the fundamentals of vocabulary, grammar, and style. Use only the vocabulary that you feel most comfortable with. Know your grammar.” Too many authors forget the basics of good writing because they see badly written books like “50 Shades Of Gray” selling millions of copies and getting made into a movie. This book was the exception to the rule and writers need to understand this.
This book is really for people who want to sell what they write. This book is particularly helpful for new writers but will also help writers who haven’t been able to get sales.
To help potential readers bond with you be open about your life, your past and your dreams. Don’t reveal information that would be damaging, obviously but help people see the best in you. Even if you write about business talk about your hobbies. Got a passion for golf, chess or animal rescue? Talk about that too. Nothing is irrelevant if it gives potential readers an insight into how your mind works. Dozens of famous authors like John Locke and Amanda Hocking shared themselves with potential and current readers and it helped them sell books. It can work for you too.
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The Writer’s Block: Living a Writer’s Life blog has a mini Q&A with author Wendy Call from the upcoming book “Everyday Book Marketing“. Wendy discusses her book, book promotion and gives advice for new writers. Our favorite quote is “This is no time to be shy. Nor humble. Put yourself out there; push yourself a bit past your comfort zone.” All writers should heed this advice and learn to become their own best supporter. You can read the Q&A here.
Amazon.com has started cracking down on authors who publish erotica. This popular niche has blossomed in the past year with writers literally coming out of the woodwork to write these racy tomes. In the past Amazon.com published any and all original erotica stories but a backlash has started. In an effort to clean up their catalog some erotica stories are getting unpublished and blocked.
According to erotica authors there are ways to avoid having this happen. The key is to create an inoffensive cover, title and cover. Then add a disclaimer to the description about the book contents. If this doesn’t work pick up the phone and call Amazon.com. Many authors are reporting that a simple phone call can clear up many problems.
