Let’s talk about fear for a moment. You hear a strange noise in the middle of the night. You sit up in bed with one hand pressed to your chest and the other clutching the sheets. Your breath catches in your throat. Is it a harmless push of air through the vents? Your cat knocking […]
Author Archive > Erika Holt
To Follow the “Rules” or Not: That is the Question
Rules. Advice. Words of wisdom. We writers are bombarded with information on how to write better, how to make our work more saleable, how to increase our daily word count etc. There are books on the subject. Blogs (including this one, which I hope you all find helpful ~winsome smile~). Whole conventions, with scores of […]
Guest Post: Managing Your Schedule as a Busy Freelancer
Today successful freelance editor and author Jennifer Brozek provides practical tips and advice for effectively managing your schedule. Thanks so much, Jennifer! When it comes to being a freelance author (or freelance anything, really), managing your schedule comes down to two questions: “How do I keep up with the multiple contracts I’m doing at […]
Writing Workshops for Everyone
So…workshops. As a writer, you hear a lot about them, especially the big, flashy ones: Clarion, Clarion West, Odyssey, Taos (see John Joseph Adam’s recent guest post for a complete listing). You start to wonder if they might be of some benefit to you; might take your writing to the next level, allow you to […]
Writer’s Block: Now I Get It
Writer’s block. That state of wanting to write something but not being able to find the words, disliking anything you do manage to write, or perhaps losing your motivation to write altogether. No paragraphs, sentences, or words appear on the page. You are blocked, silenced, inert. Confession: I didn’t used to believe this was a […]
On Readings, or Oh My God I Made a Fan
So, readings. If you write and share your written work with others in some form, you will eventually be asked to read aloud. Whether this is to promote a published work, or simply to practice in front of your (hopefully supportive) writing group or mom, you will find yourself before an audience in a coffee […]
Critical reading means criticizing your reading
Today we are lucky enough to have a guest post by Robert Jackson Bennett, the Shirley Jackson award-winning author of MR. SHIVERS. His second novel, THE COMPANY MAN, is out now, as is his first published short story, “A Drink for Teddy Ford” in the BROKEN TIME BLUES anthology. He currently lives in Austin, Texas, […]
If writing fantasy means I’m “weird,” so be it
I am weird. Or so I’m frequently told by family, friends, acquaintances, and former co-workers, sometimes directly: “you are weird” or, if they’re feeling exuberant, “you are super weird,” and sometimes by implication through widened eyes, raised eyebrows, nervous giggles, and/or quickly suppressed, incredulous smirks. So, what makes me weird, you wonder? Well, I (gasp) […]
Podcasting and Promotion: The 21st Century Author
Today we are lucky enough to have a guest post by the Functional Nerds! Patrick Hester is an author, a blogger and a podcast producer, John Anealio is a musician and blogger who publishes his music online at johnanealio.bandcamp.com. Together, they host a podcast called The Functional Nerds, delivering interviews with authors, artists, and musicians […]
Getting Started: The Hardest Part
Getting started is hard. In fact, I’ll even admit to having had a hard time starting this blog post. I procrastinated in every way I could: attending to other projects, watching Youtube videos (even horrible ones, I’ll spare you a link), cleaning, tweeting, talking on the phone, exercising, etc. I knew I had to write […]
