Some writers have what it takes to design their own covers. I don’t. I don’t have the patience to get the details exactly right. I get impatient when the tools I want aren’t right there (or right where I think they should be). I’m not a cover artist. An author friend of mine designs her own covers. She designs great covers that totally work for her genre. Don’t believe me, check out Kameron Claire’s work right here. Be prepared for some great, steamy romance. You looked, right? They’re perfect covers for her genre. And she… Read Article →
Posts Tagged: writing
Know that You Know Nothing To be a master, one must always be a student Today I finished my first read of this awesome little yellow nugget of motivational gold. Austin Kleon’s Show Your Work serves as something of a daily devotional for creatives. You can pick it up, flip to any page and garner wisdom to take on the day. I liken it to Jocko Willink’s Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual in that respect. Only, I don’t feel like shouting OO-RAH! after reading it. Or maybe I do. OO-RAH! One of the tips/lessons Austin… Read Article →
Can writers allow themselves to miss a day when they’re under the weather? I didn’t feel too hot yesterday. I had a sore throat and was a bit groggy. Last night I barely slept as I went from hot to cold and my throat became sandpaper brushing a metal rasp. So today I called in sick to the day job. One, I could barely talk and my job involves talking A LOT. Two, after three years of COVID-19 paranoia no one wants a sick coworker showing up for their shift. That meant I had the… Read Article →
Author Amy Armstrong hosts live readings of great tales! Wednesday, June 15th at 7:00 PM (MST) StoriesLive! Join me and a clutch of fellow authors as we read from our works live! StoriesLive! is an outstanding venue for authors to tease their work to the world and for readers to sample new talent. In the past I’ve read bits from Exceptionals, my novel manuscript, First Family, a fun and funny take on Adam & Eve after the Fall, and Death & Deception my novella about a couple of beloved sellswords mistaken for murderers. This month… Read Article →
Bowen is available to facilitate workshops for writers. Contact him here with a request. Workshops include: Bowen is an award-winning author and holds a Master of Education in Adult Education. He has facilitated over 1000 hours of instruction in and out of the classroom including workshops at the Colorado Gold Writers Conference and Pikes Peak Writers Conference. He is a veteran US Army officer, holds five martial arts black belt designations, and is a certified trainer through the National Association for Interpretation (NAI).
Praise for And…ACTION! (from PPWC 2023) “Excellent presenter, well-spoken, engaging, funny, and with a true wealth of information and experience. I took more notes in this session than in any other all weekend.”“Great workshop! Presenter was dynamic, content was useful.”“Fantastic session! Offered a lot of valuable material with excellent examples.”“I liked how educated this presenter was on fighting and how different people will fight. I think this could make a great master class.”“Standing room only!” 5-time martial-arts black-belt, army veteran, and award-winning author Bowen Gillings breaks down writing the successful fight scene. Looking at a… Read Article →
Most writers understand that receiving criticism is one way to improve their writing. However, giving criticism holds equal value when done correctly. Conducting a good critique of another’s work will help you see the strengths and weaknesses in your own writing. This workshop delves into the techniques of an effective critique: how to listen to yourself as you read, identify the root of problems seen in character, story, and plot, and how to present a clear revision strategy for the other writer, all while dramatically improving your own writing skills. One-hour or Two-hour workshop options… Read Article →