Most people I know are living in a state of uncertainty right now caused by the coronavirus and a downturn in economic indicators. I honestly don’t know how I feel about all of this, because yesterday I felt all the emotions—anger, fear, anxiety-until I accepted that this is the new “normal”. I recently wrote a […]
Tag: how-to
[Guest Post] Tools and Equipment for Dice Castle Adventure
My second installment in the Adventure to Dice Castle went live on Geeks Dream Girl recently. It’s dubbed Tools and Equipment: Adventure to Dice Castle. Here’s one of the items I recommend: 8. Business Cards – You can find inexpensive business cards almost anywhere for first time buyers or through special deals. I wouldn’t order […]
[My Guest Post] Difference Between Marketing and Selling Your Books
This month at the How To Write Shop, I talk about the difference between marketing and selling your books. I got the idea for this post after my discussions at WisCon, because a lot of authors are starting to take on more of a retailer role than a marketing one. Internet retail is a whole […]
[Guest Post] Print versus Web Writing
The following is a guest post by a blogger and freelancer I met online. Maria shares her views on writing for the web versus writing for print. Let’s get this out of the way: they’re not the same thing. Saying the two writing styles are identical and interchangeable would be about as right as saying […]
Semantics, Word Choice and Personality
Lately, I’ve been obsessing about semantics, how we choose our words, and what effect a personality type has on both. Take self-promotion just as an example. To tell an introvert to get out there and “Sell yourself!” might make someone feel uncomfortable. Turn that around for a second and say something like, “Help someone know more about you.” Same thing. Different words.
No, this idea isn’t new. It’s a different take on the old adage, “Doesn’t matter what you say, just how you say it.” There’s two sides to the application of this powerful idea. There’s the writing side, where we have to make decisions about the words we use. There’s also the semantic side, where we may (or may not) respond to someone else’s words.