Recent Writing Gems

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I’ve attended a bunch of classes and seminars lately, and here are some of the gems that I picked up that can help writers…

Writing Dialog with Andrea Johnson:

  • Johnson reminded writers that dialog is more than just a conversation. It advances the plot and establishes the tone.

  • Dialog is faster for readers to process than narrative, and it’s a way to show the point of view and personalities of your characters.

  • She suggested that authors avoid long physical descriptions of characters in dialog.

  • Johnson also suggested that writers avoid having characters having long philosophical discussions with themselves.

Podcasts to Add to Your Favorites’ List:

  • Pick Your Poison

  • Dark Predators

  • Murder in the Hollywood Hills

  • Missing in America

  • Check out Sarah E. Burr’s post on Writers Who Kill about her favorite true crime podcasts.

Book Marketing:

  • Book Funnel is a way that authors can distribute their ARCs (Advance Reader/Review Copies) and book giveaways to readers.

  • It does require a subscription, and several tiered options are available. Make sure you review the features available with each plan.

  • Some plans have options for authors to join newsletter swaps, email builders, and book sales with other authors. This is a way to expand your audience and add followers to your email list.