This is a guest post by Tess Pajaron. With a background in business administration and management, Tess currently works at Open Colleges, Australia’s leading online educator. She likes to cover stories in careers and marketing.

7 Essential Skills You Need to Become a Writer

Being a writer is so much more than the ability to envision and draft out a story. So many people make the mistake of believing that it’s easy work. In reality, writers work just as hard as people with other hobbies or professions. Anyone can write something, but it takes a lot to be a great writer. If you need a little inspiration or you ever feel stuck, consider building on these skills.

1. Creativity

There isn’t much of a point to telling a story that’s already been told a thousand times before. You may have your own spin on it, but seasoned readers will…

This weekend, I’m doing final prep for my appearance at Clockwork Alchemy.  So, I thought I’d give you all a little insight into what that involves.

First, I’ve made sure I have inventory for all of my paperbacks.  I’ve done some new covers, but I still have a little back stock of the old ones … which means I’ve also come up with a different pricing strategy this year.  There’ll be a discount on the old covers while supplies last.  That way, there’s an opportunity for people who want the same content at a bargain.  I also have business cards with a QR code that will take people to my website, where they will find information about my eBook-only work.

Second, I’ve planned my table decor.  Having an inviting and nicely decorated sales space makes a huge difference; people want to check out your work if you and your…

by Morgan S. Hazelwood

How Can I Be a Writer?

There are so many images of writers: smoking, coffee guzzling, depressed alcoholics pouring their hearts and souls into their words. Those grizzled, introverted men who know writing is their raison d’être*, their one, true calling!

I don’t look like that.

I don’t smoke, nor drink coffee**, and I rarely drink alcohol, even socially. I’m about as ungrizzled as a person can be***.

The Two Central Figures in “Derby Day” by William Powell Frith, 1860.
(Met Museum)

Published in 1875, The Lover’s Poetic Companion and Valentine Writer is a book intended for Victorian ladies and gentlemen “who wish to address those they love in suitable terms.”  It contains a variety of Valentine verses, ranging from the sweet to the satirical.  The book promises that these “Love Lyrics” are harmless and that even the more comical lines do not descend into vulgarity.  But what these verses lack in vulgarity, they more than make up for in unkindness and—in some instances—outright cruelty.

Identify what you’re good at and grow stronger.

That’s right. We stand a little taller and walk with confidence when we’re proud of something. So play to your strong stuff.It’s also important to think about our weaknesses.

Me, my biggest weakness is tenses. I mix up the present and past tense all the time. Can’t help it so I’ve learned to accept this as a flaw and seek out help from grammar experts. Oh spelling, I’m terrible at spelling. Thank God for spell check.

A strength, imagination. I have a vivid imagination. Some of the crap that pops in my mind would get me committed to a state institution if I shared it all. LOL

But another weakness I have is finishing the damn story.

I’ve dozens of story starts, but like a coon dog with a good nose, I run off every time the wind blows a scent my way. There…

I’m sure you’re familiar with the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”! Ideally, it takes that same village to help a writer promote his books. With a plethora of books from every genre known to man, and a few new ones like Psionic, it’s getting progressively difficult to compete in a glutted market.

In aneffortto garner a following, manyindependent authors have opted to give our books away for free. Middlemen, who have no literary talents, have become wealthy in our business by virtue of the book giveaway companies they’ve formed. They advertise our hard work and offer it to the public for free. To register with the morefamous of these companies, we must pay them for the privilege of giving away our blood, sweat, and tears.

I’m not blaming readers, since I’ve snagged a few of these freebies myself, but this is not always beneficial…