Emotional Connection and Writing

Last weekend at my writer’s group, we were discussing how necessary it is to develop an emotional connection with the reader through your work. In fact, a strong emotional connection between the reader and the character can translate to a best-selling book that many of us might not think is all that “good.” It can also translate to the proverbial nerd rage when someone doesn’t like the same book, character, movie, game or comic that someone else love with all their heart.

Those common emotional experiences can range from love to hate and everything in between.

Do Not Be Afraid To Make a Mistake

Every day, I read headline after headline about all the things writers “should” be doing. From things you shouldn’t do or say in a query letter to the various mistakes you can make when you’re trying to sell your books, I can certainly see how anyone might feel overwhelmed. Here’s the thing: most people online […]

On Dealing with Bloggers and the Press

Today, I’m going to put on my project manager hat and share with you some of my frustrations working for FlamesRising.com. Because I work as a professional marketer for my day job, I’ve been able to translate a lot of my knowledge and test the things I’ve learned through this website. FlamesRising.com is a horror, […]

VIDEO: The End of Publishing

This viral video put out by the UK branch of Dorling Kindersley books has been making the rounds this week on Twitter, Facebook and several blogs. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth your time. I agree with the message, here, and have seen how popular culture can actually “increase” someone’s desire to read […]

Guest Post: Science Fiction and Happy Endings at Apex Book Company

This month, I talk about happy endings in science fiction stories over at Apex Book Company. Take a peek: Even though there are stories out there with happy endings, for those of us who enjoy dark science fiction it can be pretty tough to identify which ones those are. Yes, while just about everyone might […]