by Kathy Waller My mother used to tell me I should become a lawyer. “You’re analytical,” she said. I think she meant I was argumentative,...

By N.M. Cedeño How long does it take to hear back from editors with acceptances or rejections of short stories? That depends on a number...

by K.P. Gresham I’ve just returned from the Writers’ Police Academy in Appleton, WI. The brainchild of retired cop, Lee Lofland, The...

By K.P. Gresham “Good cover design is not only about beauty… it’s a visual sales pitch. It’s your first contact with a potential reader....

by Kathy Waller I’m thinking it over. Jack Benny A curse on this week’s post. I banged out nearly 2,000 words that should have been...

by N.M. Cedeño Setting a story in the past requires the author to do research to make sure the details of the story are correct. For me,...

By N. M. Cedeño Previously, I wrote a post covering some of the basic rules for submitting short stories to anthologies, magazines, and...

Authors, how do you name your characters? Name Cloud by Wordcloud The average person only has to come up with names when they are naming...

by N. M. Cedeño Writers, if you don’t already assess your writing habits at the end of the year, you should consider doing it. Many...

Sometimes, as an author I am asked where I get ideas for my short stories. I get my inspiration from books and articles I read, places I...

Have you ever fallen down the research rabbit hole when looking for details for your writing? by Pixabay I have. Because I read...

The basic steps to submitting fiction manuscripts to magazines, anthologies, and contests are as follows: STEP 1: Find calls for...

Logo provided by Sisters in Crime- Heart of Texas Chapter At the June Sisters in Crime – Heart of Texas meeting, Detective Dave Fugitt...

Don’t do what I did. First, I learned how to write. Then, I learned how not to write. Then, I had to relearn how to write again. As I...

Most writers, like all artists who create work for public consumption, have to overcome their own inner critics to create a finished...

M.K. Waller by M. K. Waller Friday evening David said, “Should I wake you at nine tomorrow?” and I said, “Why?” because I never know what...