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Blogging Classes Start Next Week!

A quick announcement to let everyone know that TODAY is the last day to get the early bird discount for Blogging for Beginners, which starts next Monday, June 22, at the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto. After today, tuition goes up $25, but you can still enroll right up until the minute class starts (but […]

How to Achieve Your Writing Goals for Just Pennies

Photo by Amanda Bui courtesy of Creative Commons

If you’re a typical writer, you made all kinds of New Year’s resolutions this month:

“I will publish 3 articles in national magazines.” “I will complete the first draft of my novel.” “I will get an agent by June.” “I will get my memoir PUBLISHED this […]

I was abducted by aliens

After posting “10 Reasons to Start Blogging” on Sunday, June 21, I went to bed as usual, around 11 p.m., My Salinger Year in hand, and quickly dozed off. I dreamt that night that small alien beings had crawled into my bed, planted probes in my brain, and surgically implanted transmitters beneath my skin that […]

Four Book Marketing Tips

Last month I posted an interview with SheBooks co-founder Laura Fraser. This month I want to discuss a few things about what I learned by publishing my first book, Runway, and what I plan to do differently next time.

Photo courtesy of NASA

 

1. Are you blogging to the wrong audience?

What is […]

Should You Get a PhD in Creative Writing?

Photo by Wrote courtesy of Creative Commons

 

At AWP in February, one of the best panels I attended was titled “What’s a PhD in Creative Writing Worth?” The conclusions I drew after hearing each panelist speak were:

A) You should only get a PhD in Creative Writing if you plan to teach and […]

Six Ways to Build Your Author Platform

Tuesday night, I had the privilege of attending Sin and Syntax author Constance Hale’s class The Book Biz from A to Z at the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto. One of the topics that arose was platform.

Today, every agent and editor wants to know that you have a platform before representing/buying your book. But […]

Writerland Challenge 2013 Week Two Check-In: What Is Success?

Yesterday my five-year-old son opened his fortune cookie, and together we read:

“You have a strong potential for success.”

“What is success?” he wanted to know. Avoiding the temptation to whip out my smart phone and read him the Merriam Webster definition, I began:

“Well, if you want to bake a cake, and your […]

5 Easy Ways to Promote Your Book

Last month I wrote about how NOT to promote your book. This week, I want to talk about a few ways you SHOULD promote your book and other writing.

1. Include your website, Facebook page, Twitter handle, etc. in the signature on all your emails. Include your email and Twitter handle (at a minimum) […]

How To Be A Little Less Introverted

Last week in my Blogging for Beginners class at the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto, a student declared that she doesn’t feel comfortable putting her photo on her blog, something I strongly encourage all my students to do. People want to know what the blogger they’re following looks like, and the more professional the photo, […]

Should All Authors Blog?

This week, I’m introducing a series of YouTube videos that I am creating to give readers who don’t have a lot of time to read long blog posts quick access to information about writing, editing, publishing, and social media. To be sure you don’t miss any, click on the red “Subscribe to my videos on […]