advice
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In March of this year, I self-published my debut novel, the Soul Child. Now, among several other writing projects, I am working on book two of the series I’m currently calling “The Ascendants Series”. The goal for this book is to be around 125,000 words because that was the approxamate length of the first one,…
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As often as I’m able with a toddler and husband who works long hours, I attend a Wednesday night workshop for writers. It’s a group of six or more people to whom you read 15 minutes of your writing, followed by 5 minutes of critiques from everyone in the room. And let me tell you,…
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We live in a culture that believes if you struggle with reading then you’re somehow an idiot. And yet, we also live in a culture that doesn’t truly support readers, especially struggling ones. There seems to be this belief among many, even experienced educators, that reading develops naturally over time. It doesn’t. Currently, I am…
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Perfectionism is usually the main barrier keeping people from their dreams. I have seen perfectionism in myself and others through the writing process. It used to hold me back on self-publishing and making YouTube videos, among many other things. Since I self-published my first novel and began posting on my YouTube channel, it should be…
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Personal beliefs about our capabilities are shaped by our communities. Joining a writing group made me realize I still have much to learn. Knowing where I stand is empowering. Keep moving forward.
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When a familiar idea appears in a story, it’s easy to feel dismayed, fearing accusations of idea theft. However, originality persists despite recurrent themes. Consider iconic works like Eragon, Avatar, and Taken, each echoing familiar narratives. While common themes and premises endure, your unique perspective ensures your story’s distinctiveness, transcending similarities.
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Indie author almost mistakenly publishes unfinished book on KDP due to unintentional click, crisis averted by missing ISBN.
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Nothing is more nerve-wracking than having other people read your writing, but alas, this is what we are working for as writers. While getting my novel ready for publication, I have read it to my husband (out loud, you know, because it wasn’t stress-inducing enough already) and sent it off to the most reliable of…
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The statement above is something most people keep to themselves. I’ve only ever said, “I have no idea what I’m doing,” to the people closest to me, and I mainly find myself saying it in a hushed, shameful whisper when I’m alone. But here we go, I’m coming out to the world: I have no…
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Preoccupied with the rewrite of my book, researching about self-publishing, and building my author brand, I nearly forgot the most important part of all this: to keep writing. Really, the consensus, no matter which successful author you ask, is: “Did you just finish that project you’ve been working on for weeks/months/years? Great! Now get back…
C. Sloan Lewis | Your Virtual Writing Coach 