What to do, what to do?

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That’s how I’ve felt for several days. Like Sisyphus pushing my writing up a hill only to have it roll back down again. It’s exhausting not to mention frustrating.

I don’t know about you but when I take time away from writing, for whatever the reason, the stories stop. It’s as if my characters go on vacation too. And when they show back up it is at a most inconvenient time, like in the middle of the night.

Writing my blog, my book, short stories, my journal… Whew! Sometimes it’s all too much but I love it! Crazy right?

However, if I stop the well runs dry. So how do I prime the pump?

I’ve had to get inventive to get my imagination going again. Believe me, it’s not always easy.

Here’s what I do to get my ideas popping.

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• Read!
  • Any and…

Image: Publishing Executive (pubexec.com)

Written World Media, one of my favorite sources of information on publishing, published earlier this month a post on the trends that will define our industry in 2017 (if you don’t subscribe to its newsletter, you should; it’s free, comes out only once or twice a month, and is filled with tips, tricks, and industry news).

So, what can we expect from 2017? Here are the Written World Media’s predictions:

1. The Majority of Fiction Sales will Come from eBooks

70% of adult fiction sales were digital last year. It is likely that ebook readership will continue to grow in 2017. More eBook readers means more eBook sales. This means that, if you’re writing fiction, promoting your eBooks is a good place to focus in the coming year.

2. Indie Authors and Small Presses will Dominate

In the October 2016 author earnings report we…

There is something remarkable about hearing authors read their own works aloud. Often they emphasize words that are unexpected, or they add extra shades of meaning to the phrases. With all of today’s modern connectivity, it is easy to hear authors read their works even if the listener can’t afford to travel to a book reading or conference.

With that in mind, I’m sharing a few of the readings that I find interesting. These are organized in no particular way and include poems, short stories, and excerpts from Nobel Prize acceptance speeches.

—     —     —

Ray Bradbury reading his poem “If Only We Had Been Taller”

This reading was done at Caltech in 1971 on the night before Mariner 9 went into orbit around Mars. Other people at this event included Carl Sagan, Arthur C. Clarke, and Walter Sullivan.

Ernest Hemingway reading Hemingway and William Faulkner reading Faulkner

At…

(Part II… again sharing here with Marcia’s permission. Did I leave anything out?)

by Kassandra Lamb

I envy writers under thirty. Not for their youth, but because they have never known a publishing world where indie publishing wasn’t a viable alternative.

But I’ve heard even some younger writers make comments that indicate they think indie is what you do if you can’t get a traditional publishing contract. In other words, it’s a second choice.

Actually, for some of us, it was a first choice.

And sadly there are a few traditionally published authors who like to judge indies from the other side of the fence. (See Part I of this series: Creativity, Sensitivity, Laziness and Courage.)

For the newbie authors out there (or those considering jumping the fence), I will try to spell out the differences between the two paths. Also, I want to mention the pros of each…

There is a certain level of honesty in even the most outrageous of facts. Here are a few to ponder…

A. Asshole. Never use this word. It has been so overused it has had one of the S’s squeezed out of it. Asshat and asswipe are worthy alternatives but sound rather tween-ish and are best suited for the YA genre. The writing world is waiting for a suitable replacement and I’m considering creating a GoFundMe page to entice credible submissions.

B.  ?

C.  Comfort. There is no such thing in a writer’s life unless you count working in pajamas.

D.  Don’t. You’ve heard the rules: don’t use split infinitives, don’t use tags other than said, asked, and replied, don’t begin a chapter with dialogue, don’t end a sentence with a preposition, don’t, don’t, don’t. They are bullshit rules made up by seasoned writers who are trying to thwart the efforts…

Hello Story Empire readers! Today is my first official post on this site and I’m really excited to share some thoughts with everyone. Here are five free ways to market your book in some ways you may not have thought about before now.

Blog About Your Book

Yes, this has been said many times by many people but here are a few ways to consider doing it – especially if you write fiction. I’ve written a few about my characters or the world of Denaria. However, you can a list about things in your book as points of interest. Think about all the different ways you can use lists about your fiction that may inform readers and potential readers about your book. As an example, I recently shared “5 Kinds of Trolls in Denaria (and Why They’re Dangerous!)“. It was a good exercise and I hope it better…