Columns

Chicago Style Issues

by Bobbie Christmas Q: You told me that dog breeds don’t get capitalized, right? Border collie is the one in question. I prefer to do it out of respect, but…

Free or Fee?

by Bobbie Christmas Q: How can I go from free to fee writing? A: I could simply say to go from free to fee writing, get work from businesses that…

Writing a Great Book Ad

by Penny Sansevieri If you’ve ever done Google Ads, Facebook ads, or Twitter, you already know you don’t get a lot of room to work with in terms of ad…

Five Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Reader Engagement

by Penny Sansevieri It’s one thing to write and publish a book, but reader engagement is a whole different ballgame. Reader engagement is what gives you longevity, helps you sell…

Chicago Style Issues

by Bobbie Christmas Q: I belong to a writer’s group, and every week we debate grammar and word usage rules, including the following: Using an extra “s” after the possessive…

Avoid Clichés Like the Plague

by Bobbie Christmas As soon as we take writing seriously, we learn to avoid clichés. In my decades of editing book-length manuscripts for publishers and individuals, though, I see a…

Author Websites: The Ultimate Book Sales Machine

by Penny Sansevieri Having a good website is something many authors struggle with, which I understand, but the effect it can have on your book sales cannot be ignored. Maybe…

Breaking Habits and Understanding Rejections

by Bobbie Christmas Q: I have a question regarding one of your “criticisms.” On several of the pages you edited you circled the word “And” and made a note not…