The controversy of #CopyPasteCris presents us with an opportunity to discuss plagiarism and how to avoid it. Our third point in this blog post may be particularly helpful. Continue reading →
If you’re a crime writer, a mystery novelist, or you just need to bump off a character without violence or bloodshed, using poison might be your cup of tea…or maybe in their cup of tea. Sometimes writers think it’s easy … Continue reading →
If you’ve ever had writer’s block – and what writer hasn’t? – you know how frustrating it is. You’ve got a story to tell, it’s banging on the walls of your brain trying to get out, but you just can’t … Continue reading →
Dark streets. Shadowy figures. Tough talk. A dead body. Have we just walked into a 1930s Humphrey Bogart film noir movie? No, we’re stepping into one of the hot new contemporary subgenres: YA neo-noir. Noir writing made a big comeback … Continue reading →
“I’m sorry. I can’t mess this up…” “I was devastated.” These are the now world-famous words of Grammy Award winner Adele, who showed the world that even in front of millions of people, it’s better to stop, start over and … Continue reading →
If you’re a fantasy writer looking to submit short stories to magazines, you know how time consuming and frustrating it can be searching online for the right fit, spending precious time clicking and clicking when you’d rather be writing and submitting. … Continue reading →
You’re reading an action scene; things are really getting hot. Who will live? Will someone die? Is there a chase that’s moving like lightning? You’re reading a suspense scene; it’s really intense. Will the protagonist be discovered? Will the escapee … Continue reading →
One of the most common issues we advise our clients about is the legality of using lyrics in their writing. Lyrics are extremely tempting to use in books because they set a tone, express a feeling, create atmosphere and convey … Continue reading →
There’s no question that authors can save a lot of money by buying premade book covers for their books rather than hiring a designer to custom-make a cover. But there’s a lot of “fine print” – that annoying agreement that … Continue reading →
Writers, do you believe your readers won’t notice misinformation in your fiction? Think there are no fact checkers out there? You’d be wrong. Your writing is read by people with all types of backgrounds and experiences – both personal and … Continue reading →