Below is an interesting infographic that may be of help with this question.
Provided by K.M. Weiland at www.HelpingWritersBecomeAuthors.com.
Add your thoughts in the comments below.
Fun Fridays – July 25, 2025
In 1974, fifty-one years ago, this brief interview with science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke (most famous for 2001: A Space Odyssey, published in 1968) describes a day when computers will be a vital part of our lives. He says to imagine a day when a computer would fit on a desk. Imagine if he saw your phone today. He would have thought it to be science fiction! Note the room in the background. …
Why Should I Follow Your Guidelines?
Believe it or not, we once had someone write and say that forcing an author to follow our guidelines when submitting a proposal is the height of arrogance. An artist should be allowed artistic freedom of expression, and cramming ideas into a preprescribed format is squelching that creativity. While I understand the frustration and the amount of work involved in creating a proposal, there are …
Fun Fridays – July 18, 2025
I took a selfie. It is titled “Literary Agents Eat Alligators for Breakfast.” Fact or fiction?
What Do You Do AFTER the Conference?
You just spent many hours, even days, at a writers conference. You go home to a pressing question: “Now what?” What do you do when you return from a writers conference? Tell us in the comments below. Meanwhile, I’ll share some thoughts. Re-entry Blues Coming down from the high of a retreat or a conference can be a jolt. Especially when the daily routines kick in. Make sure to avoid resenting …
Fun Fridays – July 11, 2025
Watch this fun performance of twelve pianists playing at the same time. It could have been called “Piano for 24 Hands.” There is a metaphor here. This performance is a bit like the publishing experience. If you look closely, you can see editorial, sales, marketing, and some booksellers all working from the same page of music. Music written by an author who is not on the stage!
Make Today Count
As the calendar flips another page, I am reminded of the inexorable passage of time. Below is a great video that creates a visual reminder of the “number of our days” (Psalm 90:12). Watch the video now, and then rejoin my thoughts underneath. (If you receive this via email, the video may not embed. Please click through to the site and watch it. Only two minutes long but forever a …
The Gerbil Wheel of the Writing Life
A writer spends hours, months, and even years in isolation practicing their art. But it can feel like the gerbil in the cage running on its wheel. They go forward a few steps and back a few steps. They might even get turned upside down only to fall, often without anyone to notice. While there is length to the journey, it doesn’t always seem to be going anywhere. Eventually, their craft …
Fun Fridays – June 27, 2025
The story (I mean song) that never ends. Too funny! Enjoy today’s video. And then remember that when you end your novel or your nonfiction book, leave readers wanting more and don’t drag it out endlessly.