A few weeks ago, there was a big argument on Twitter on whether writers with little money should be kept out of publishing. There were those who wondered how writers not being able to pay the $20 PitchWars fee, how could they afford to be on the internet? Basically, they were saying that if you can’t afford to pay, you shouldn’t be trying to write a book or publish it. I’m on a fixed budget with mental health issues and I don’t think it’s fair that myself, or any other marginalized writer, should be blocked from publishing because of funds. I responded early when the post came up, not in negativity toward the PitchWars creators as they put up a voucher which I applied for, but then I heard about all that happened on Twitter as far as some writers arguing that $20 wasn’t much and if you couldn’t afford…

on Anne R. Allen site:

Did the title catch your attention? I’m older and the word “Dork” speaks to me. I didn’t grow up with social media in my life. The phone that I talked on was still attached to the wall. A smart phone and communicating electronically was a later addition to my world.

The world of social media is new and unfamiliar to many writers, and I understand the feeling of uncertainty, the unfamiliarity, the hesitancy. However, there are some pretty easy things you can do to increase your comfort level.

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Reblogged from Suzie Speaks… the mysteries of the eponymous hashtag revealed:

What is a Hashtag?

A hashtag, put simply, is a label or category that allows others to find something within a specific theme or content and are primarily used on Twitter and Instagram. Once you have copied a URL or used the share button on a post, hashtags can be used to direct your post towards the people you want to read them. On Twitter you can use a hashtag for everything – #cats, #dogs, #football, #sandwiches – but as a blogger the main focus is to use categories that will gain interest in your content and grow your readership and traffic.

Using Trending Hashtags

Trending hashtags are the most popular things on Twitter at a particular moment in time  and at several points in the last few years I have written a post about a topic while it…

It’s important for indie authors to know how to write an author bio that tells readers: who you are, what you write, why readers should trust you, and how you stand out from other writers.

An author bio is like a calling card. “It’s something that will let readers get a sense of who you are, and is an important part for pitching media and book proposals,” sums up marketer Rachel Cone-Gorham, formerly of Penguin Random House.

This step-by-step guide dives into the four main components of a killer author bio and provides tips from our talented marketers for nailing each section.

Find out more HERE

It baffles me that so many people don’t know their constitutional rights, so today, I want to share with you those rights, as outlined by the Constitution of the United States of America via the Bill of Rights, whether our government or law enforcement honors them or not…

Here are the first 10 Amendments:

Amendment 1 – Freedom of religion, speech and the press

Amendment 2 – The right to bear arms

Amendment 3 – The housing of soldiers

Amendment 4 – Protection from unreasonable searches and seizures

Amendment 5 – Protection of rights to life, liberty and property

Amendment 6 – Rights of accused persons in criminal cases

Amendment 7 – Rights in civil cases

Amendment 8 – Excessive bail, fines and punishments forbidden

Amendment 9 – Other rights kept by the people

Amendment 10 – Undelegated powers kept by the states and the people

To read them all…

https://buildbookbuzz.com/how-to-promote-your-audiobook/

Everyone has setbacks.

It’s true. They’re what shape us into the writers we’re meant to be.

In the moment, it can feel like these are the tragedies destined to end our dreams.

They’re not. Let me show you why.

1. Giving up on a project you’ve been working on for months

After weeks or more of constant frustration and dragging your feet — avoiding the inevitable, perhaps — “giving up” might seem devastating. And in many ways, it is. It hurts. It probably feels wrong.

In actively deciding to put something aside, though — either for now or forever — you’re making a conscious choice to move on. You have enough self-awareness to realize it’s not the right thing for you at this time, and you’re allowing yourself to direct your creative energy where it can better be used.

2. Getting rejected by your dream publication/employer

Rejection hurts, especially when…

Commas are my personal nemesis.

Those tiny little marks on a page can completely change the sense of a sentence, as per the fantastic book, Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss. 

But how do we make the most of punctuation? 

Rachel Stout   from New York Book Editors explains in today’s article.

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