A Three-Part Series Covering How to Get the Most Out of a Writers Conference Part 2: Be Friendly A writers conference is a magical time. Writers from different locations and backgrounds, all with the imagination, dream, and drive to put their tales to paper (or digits) gather together to drink too much coffee and talk shop. And yet, far too many attend a conference (often at sizable expense) without the faintest idea how to truly get their money’s–and effort’s–worth. Over three installments I will give you a cursory look at what you should do to… Read Article →
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A Three-Part Series Covering How to Get the Most Out of a Writers Conference Part 1: Be Prepared I love attending a writers conference. There is a vibe unique and powerful when so many creative souls are gathered together united by a singular event. And yet, far too many attend a conference (often at sizable expense) without the faintest idea how to truly get their money’s–and effort’s–worth. Over three installments I will give you a cursory look at what you should do to maximize a conference experience. In this first part we will look at… Read Article →
My first novel will step forth into the world on April 18, 2023. Exceptionals has been a labor of love nearly four years in the making. From short story to novel, it has seen critique group feedback, beta reader comments, and edits galore. However, as I’ve just discovered, when it comes to honing the fine, knife’s edge of a finished novel, the power is in the proof. Proof copies are the first drafts of the published novel. They are the initial look at how the cover design fits on the selected format. Mine, for example,… Read Article →
Happy Valentine’s Day! Those of you who read last Friday’s article on author Donnell Ann Bell’s blog learned about a weird story involving clowns and runaway acrobats. If you missed it, check it out here. Long story short, the book that grew from that weird tale of inspiration is ready to see the light. Exceptionals is available for pre-order and due to release on April 18, 2023! Exceptionals is a novel that started as short story response to a writing prompt at an improvisational writing session. Now, after years of submitting the manuscript to the… Read Article →
I have a new release coming out tomorrow, Wednesday, February 1st. First Family is the humorous story of a day in the life of Adam and Eve. Dad kicked them out of Eden so they settled in the suburbs. Here Adam keeps busy naming everything in Creation while Eve fixes his blunders and pines for a vacation. Meanwhile, their two live-in sons have a case of sibling rivalry that would make a therapist’s career. When Dad drops a line saying he’s coming for a visit, it opens up a world of possibility for Adam and… Read Article →
When to Stop Submitting Short Works and Self-Publish The short story marketplace is vast and growing vaster by the month. Any subscriber to Duotrope or user of Submission Grinder or any other of the consolidated listings of markets for flash fiction, short stories, novelettes, and novellas can see that there are near infinite places to submit work for publication, be they in print or an e-pub. The trick is to know when to stop submitting your short works and self-publish Why is it that most writers don’t get their work accepted into the pages of… Read Article →
How to Avoid the Landmines 98.2% of today’s self-published authors wet their feet with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). I made that stat up, but it’s gotta be close. And rightly so, Amazon is THE main marketplace and an author can have a finished book out for sale with less than an hour’s work. So, it makes sense to start there. I did. Then I went wide. Publishing with KDP and D2D proved to have several pitfalls. I published A Night to Remember with KDP just to see what the hubbub was all about. After the… Read Article →