Character motivation is one of the most important aspects of character building, and thus is one of the most important aspects of writing fiction. The character’s motivation is why they do what they do, and what they do is what leads them to make decisions, and those...
Hannah Lee Kidder
How to Become a Fanfiction Writer
What is fan fiction? Fanfiction is a type of creative writing that involves taking existing characters, settings, or storylines from a particular work of fiction and using them to create new stories. Essentially, it is a piece of writing that is based on or inspired...
What is Chekhov’s gun?
Many people consider Chekhov’s gun to be a literary element or plot device, when it’s not quite that. Chekhov’s gun is more of a tool for thought. It’s a principle writers can employ to systematically consider the effect of story details on a plot. [sps_reusable_block...
What to do after NaNoWriMo – 10 steps moving forward
You did it. You won NaNoWriMo and wrote 50,000 words. First of all: congratulations! Winning NaNoWriMo is a huge accomplishment! So what now? Here are some steps to consider after NaNoWriMo. 1. Congratulate yourself! Take a minute to...
How to Title a Book: (Fiction & Nonfiction Examples)
If you polled every writer and asked them the worst part of writing a book, they’d almost universally say titling it. I’ve never heard a writer say they’re good at titles. Titling a book is hard! If you’re among the majority that struggle to title your stories, let’s...
How Much Do Self-Published Authors Make on Amazon?
Self-publishing is a quickly growing industry. Authors have found a step-around for the toiling, exploitative traditional publishing industry, and they’re taking hold of their own career and art. While the creative freedom, quick turnaround, and higher royalty rates...
Kindle Vella: Amazon’s New Platform for Authors, Explained
If you’re an indie author, I know you’ve heard of Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon’s self-publishing platform. Love it or hate it, Amazon is the largest book retailer in the world, which means we as authors have to understand how it works. Amazon recently launched a...
Author Newsletter: Building Your Fanbase Through Email
If you’re an indie author, you probably already know the importance of an author newsletter for building your platform, connecting with readers, and selling books. If you’re new, let me tell you! This guide to creating an effective author newsletter covers: What is an...