News & Articles

Inspiration for Your Journaling

June 29, 2026

Most writers have journaled at some point. Perhaps your practice has been pushed aside by life’s everyday demands, a main writing project, and/or a day job. Recently, I researched journaling books while…

Grammar for Grown-Ups: Greatest Hits – and Misses

June 29, 2026

Do you remember The Doors’ hit song titled “Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me.” While I love the title, I sometimes find myself saying it as…

Book promotion timing: Implement these 9 strategies as soon as you’ve finished the first draft

June 29, 2026

I’ve lost track of the number of authors I’ve heard from who waited until their e-book was available on Amazon or they had boxes of books stacked in a corner before they started thinking about…

Your Meta Ads Changed Today. Most Brands Have No Idea.

June 29, 2026

There's a version of today where you open your Meta Ads Manager, nothing looks wrong, and you keep spending. The campaigns are running. The numbers are moving. Everything looks fine. ‍ It's not. ‍ Meta retired…

Sell Your Book to Libraries

June 29, 2026

For many self-published authors and small publishers, getting their books into libraries can feel like an elusive goal. Public libraries are a lucrative market, but authors are often in the…

WPNews July 2026: Farewell and New Beginnings

June 29, 2026

Letter from the outgoing President Kathleen Kaiser Twelve years ago, Patricia Fry asked if I would take over as president of this organization. She was busy writing cozy mysteries and…

Grammar for Grown-ups: Acronyms and Abbreviations for Rushed Writers

May 4, 2026

I remember, in a slightly slower world, when abbreviations were unusual enough that they stood out and we knew what they stood for. Most were written with periods (F.B.I.), as…

Let’s Talk Worldbuilding: White Room! White Room!

May 4, 2026

You can do all the complex and intricate worldbuilding you want. You can have civilizations developed, with customs, languages, and characters. And you will fall on your face as a…

7 tried and true ways to light a fire under stalled book marketing

May 4, 2026

Reprinted with permission. Did you put a lot of time and emotional energy into your book launch? Did you pour your heart, soul, and dreams into announcing your book to…

Author’s Corner: Break Big Writing Projects into Manageable Steps

May 4, 2026

This article originally appeared in Mensana, the newsletter of the North East Florida Chapter of Mensa. Reprinted with permission. Just thinking about writing books, novellas, or long articles can be…

What Would I Put in a Newsletter?

May 4, 2026

So you've decided to issue a newsletter, a useful promotional tool available to all writers with the coming of the internet. Now the question to be settled is what type…

The Story Behind the Story – Nights in White Satin

May 4, 2026

The question most often asked of writers is, “Where do you get your ideas?” Novel writers are lucky. They don’t need to come up with a new idea more than…

Anthropic Settlement Update: 91.3 Percent of Books Claimed in Settlement

May 4, 2026

The high rate of claim means the forecasts of a bigger payout based on the March 19 report of 54 percent will not happen. The actual payout will likely end…

Promote You and Your Historic Novels with The Historic Traveler

May 4, 2026

The Historic Traveler is a unique online destination for history lovers offering posted articles, an e-magazine, and carefully curated recommendations for historic novels, biographies, films, museums, and more. We attract…

Editor’s Choice May 2026

May 4, 2026

In most areas, the cold weather has moved on. Although tornados and thunderstorms may be headed our way, in between, the weather is warming and it encourages us to step…

How to Create Print Collateral That Actually Sells Your Book

April 1, 2026

At three months out from your launch, it’s time to design your print collateral—but not print it yet. That restraint matters. A strong review, endorsement, or award may still come…

Let’s Talk Worldbuilding: Geography Makes Your World

March 29, 2026

Your fantasy or science fiction world needs to be grounded in reality. You need to give as detailed a map as possible, or as you need to carry the storyline.…

My First Library Talk

March 29, 2026

My debut novel received mild acclaim and wound up in several libraries. I thought of hauling a lawn chair into the local library to sit by my book all day,…

Author’s Corner: Write Prolifically

March 29, 2026

Last month, we looked at why you might want to write prolifically and how to start thinking about time management. Having multiple projects going simultaneously keeps your writing and creative…

Grammar for Grown-ups: It’s Book Festival Season – Are you Prepared? Tips and Traps to Have Your Most Successful Experience

March 29, 2026

It’s Spring, and along with a seemingly endless list of holidays, you may want to squeeze a book festival or two in between all the festivities. Whether you’re attending online…

Editor’s Choice April 2026 The Spring Has Sprung Issue

March 25, 2026

So far, this year has been a mixed one – snow, ice, followed by temps in the 70s, tornadoes (two so far), and spring allergies I’ve avoided for the last…

Getting Blurbs for Your Book

March 2, 2026

When the edited manuscript is ready, request from these new “famous friends” if they will write a blurb. If you write nonfiction, send it to other well-known experts or scholars…

Let’s Talk Worldbuilding: Let’s All Start Rubbing Blue Mud in Our Navels

March 2, 2026

In designing your world, you are going to be confronted with the need to deal with sex and sexuality, ethics, mores, customs and how your characters react in sexually charged…

Editor’s Choice March 2026 The Spring Forward Issue

March 2, 2026

Sandra Murphy, Editor If you’d like to write a guest post for the newsletter, send an email to editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com with ideas for articles. Don’t send the full article—we want to…

Unleash Your Inner Sherlock: Seven Engaging Tips for Novel Research

March 2, 2026

by Heidi Hunter Research is one of the most powerful tools in a novelist’s toolbox, helping your story feel authentic, your characters believable, and your world fully realized. It’s also…

You Want to Do a Newsletter?

March 2, 2026

by Mary Reed So you've decided to issue a newsletter, a useful promotional tool available to all writers with the coming of the internet. Now the question to be settled…

Author’s Corner – Becoming a Prolific Writer

March 2, 2026

by Ed Mickolus As promised, this month we’ll look at techniques you can use to be(come) a prolific writer. Let’s get back to you again. Write down: What you write…

Let’s Talk Worldbuilding – Let’s All Start Rubbing Blue Mud in Our Navels

March 2, 2026

by Walt Boyes In designing your world, you are going to be confronted with the need to deal with sex and sexuality, ethics, mores, customs and how your characters react…

Editor’s Choice February 2026 The Let’s Get Creative Issue

February 4, 2026

Sandra Murphy, Editor If you’d like to write a guest post for the newsletter, send an email to editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com with ideas for articles. Don’t send the full article—we want to…

Let’s Talk Worldbuilding: Just how big is your fantasy world?

February 4, 2026

by Walt Boyes What makes great fantasy novels go is not the thud and blunder of battles. You can find that in any MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role-playing game). What…

The Many Sides of Creating

February 4, 2026

by Christine Verstraete Writers gotta write… but when they’re not writing, many like to keep their creative juices flowing by getting crafty or taking up a variety of hobbies. For…

Speaking of the Past: Using History in a Contemporary Mystery

February 4, 2026

by Leslie Budewitz The skillful use of history can deepen a contemporary story. In my writing and reading, I’ve identified several ways writers can weave history into modern tales. Atmosphere…

Chatting with Pauline Hopkins

February 4, 2026

by Carolyn Marie Wilkins I live in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded by English colonists in 1630, it is one of the oldest cities in the USA. Within walking distance of my…

Are You Dying to Know?

February 4, 2026

by Trish and Tracy Accuracy in death scenes is something many writers struggle with, given a lack of exposure to the topic, and if your research consists of reruns of…

Are you launching a book this year or trying to revive sales?

January 11, 2026

What you need is a plan and a timeline. Those of you who know me realize I’m a pragmatist. I plan everything as far in advance as possible because DATES…

Author Guild Message from David Baldacci

January 7, 2026

From David Baldacci When my son asked ChatGPT to write a plot that read like a David Baldacci novel, it produced three pages in seconds that mirrored nearly every book…

Editor’s Choice January 2026 It’s a Brand New Year Issue

January 2, 2026

Sandra Murphy, Editor If you’d like to write a guest post for the newsletter, send an email to editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com with ideas for articles. Don’t send the full article—we want to…

Not Everyone’s Gonna Love Your Book

January 2, 2026

by Marilyn Levinson Releasing the first book in a new series gives one a new perspective on things. While I confess I don’t get to read all my reviews, I…

Conference Recaps – Cat Writers’ Association 2025 Annual Conference

January 2, 2026

by Ramona D Marek, MS Ed. The Cat Writers’ Association (CWA) held its 31st Annual Conference, on October 24–25, 2025 in Indianapolis, IN, at the Wyndham Indianapolis Airport Hotel. CWA…

’Tis the Season – Holiday Author Takeovers: The Gift That Keeps on Giving

January 2, 2026

by Kathleen Kalb A sure sign of the holiday season is the big author takeover party events on Facebook, all-day, weekend-long—or even multiple weekends—celebrations in which each author gets a…

New England Crime Bake 2025 by Michael J. Ciaraldi

January 2, 2026

I recently attended my first New England Crime Bake. Sponsored by the New England chapters of the Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, along with corporate sponsors, this…

Telling the Truth in Memoir by Kim Lozano

January 2, 2026

by Kim Lozano The topic of truth in memoir is one that comes up often in my classes. We talk about how the story in memoir isn’t about what happened…

The Second Book Problem: Why Writing Book Two Is Harder Than Book One

January 2, 2026

by Eleanor Hecks Many authors fly through writing their first book, just to run into a mental wall when they begin writing their second. If you’ve experienced this common phenomenon,…

Elyse Myers Faces Backlash for Commenting on a Negative Review of Her Book

January 2, 2026

https://cafemom.com/entertainment/elyse-myers-backlash-commenting-negative-review-of-book Her response was respectful and in line with what she was used to doing as an influencer. Book people say she crossed the line between readers and writers. Influencer,…

Author’s Corner by Ed Mickolus

January 2, 2026

by Ed Mickolus As promised, this month we’ll look at techniques you can use to be(come) a prolific writer. Let’s get back to you again. Write down: • What you…

Editor’s Choice December 2025 The Bye Bye 2025 Issue

December 1, 2025

Sandra Murphy, Editor If you’d like to write a guest post for the newsletter, send an email to editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com with ideas for articles. Don’t send the full article—we want to…

A Librarian’s Personal View: Weeding — Not the Garden Kind

December 1, 2025

by Shelley Toler Franz We’ve all seen the outraged social media posts or maybe even an article in a local newspaper: “The library is throwing away perfectly good books!” with…

Chasing Rainbows

December 1, 2025

by Ray Tabler Recently, I was at an author’s event at a local library. About 20 local writers were there, displaying their works and meeting fans. There was a festive…

Novels vs Short Stories

December 1, 2025

by Susan Schwartz After a far-too-long sabbatical that ended several years ago, I seem to have developed a new way of writing short fiction. Novels, frankly, are hopeless. They are…

Why Podcasters Cringe When Authors Log On From The Kitchen Table

December 1, 2025

by Robert Riggs Publicists flood my inbox with pitches to feature their authors on my True Crime Reporter® podcast. Authors can reach 40,000+ listeners on my Webby Award-winning podcast and…

Grammar for Grown-ups “Where Do I Put the Apostrophe?” Punctuation: Tips & Traps

December 1, 2025

by Flo Selfman There was a time, before 1025 AD, when music was notated by a system of markers which simply indicated whether the notes went up or down. While…

The Future of Book Marketing: Why eBook Promos Aren’t Dead, They’re Not Enough

October 29, 2025

by Adanna Moriarty Let’s be honest, the book marketing landscape has undergone significant changes. Ten years ago, you could run a free or $0.99 eBook promo, spike your sales rank,…

Grammar for Grownups November 2025

October 29, 2025

by Flo Selfman Uh oh, she’s secretly correcting your grammar again… TRAPS: A selection of recent quotes from the file: 1) “Criminals, an efficient group, exploit the broadest gender stereotypes…

Editor’s Choice November 2025 The Giving Thanks Issue

October 28, 2025

From the editor, Sandra Murphy This is the month to give thanks. Lately, the world has been in turmoil. Reading is more important than ever. When we’re constantly bombarded from…

Do You Write Short Stories?

October 28, 2025

by Sandra Murphy https://writerswhokill.blogspot.com/2025/10/mystery-in-midlands-writing-short.html Paula Gail Benson on behalf of the Palmetto Chapter of Sisters in Crime and the Southeastern Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, invited me to be…

A Librarian’s Personal View: The Baker & Taylor Shutdown

October 28, 2025

by Shelly Toler Franz As most of you reading this article will already know, Baker & Taylor, one of the major suppliers of books for libraries and bookstores in the…

Stay True to Your Mantra No Matter Where Life Takes You

October 28, 2025

by Patricia Fry Many writers and artists have a mantra that keeps them going. Mine is, “I can find a way to write no matter what else is going on…

Let’s Talk Worldbuilding: Mapping Alternate History and Time Travel Tales

October 28, 2025

by Ray Tabler (Kindly filling in for Walt Boyes who is dealing with a family illness) Reprinted with permission from https://raytabler.substack.com/ One of the reasons I attend science fiction conventions…

Anthologising

October 28, 2025

by Rachel McCarron Reprinted with permission https://litopia.com/rachel-mccarron/anthologising/ I’m relatively new to the short story game, having started my middle-aged phase of writing with novels—one completed and two currently dismantled for…

Grammar for Grownups Back to Basics – Parts of Speech, tips and traps

September 30, 2025

by Flo Selfman An acting teacher friend years ago invited me to participate in a beginning class as a gift. As there were several instructors in his studio, I was…

Author’s Corner -Where Do Ideas Come From?

September 30, 2025

by Ed Mickolus Authors working in any genre are inevitably faced with the dreaded question, “Where Do You Get Your Ideas?” In many cases, “I don’t know, they just come…

Editor’s Choice October 2025 The Genres Issue

September 30, 2025

From the editor, Sandra Murphy If you’d like to write a guest post for the newsletter, send an email to editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com with ideas for articles. Don’t send the full article—we…

The Flavor of the Story: Using food to add depth to your story

September 30, 2025

By Leslie Budewitz I never trust a character who doesn’t eat. Food—the getting and the making, the sharing and the pleasure—is the literal and figurative foundation of our lives. Food…

Blood and Ink: Write a Great Revenge Novel after Fifty

September 30, 2025

by Stella Fosse A woman posted on social media that she was obsessed with getting back at her ex from 20 years ago. He had done her wrong and she…

Books & film: Risen from the dead—the modern horror revival

September 30, 2025

Originally published on January 28, 2025 By Laura McCarthy The recent success of media in the horror genre is undeniable. During the very first opening weekend at the cinema this…

The Care and Feeding of Heresy

September 30, 2025

by Ray Tabler There are no limits upon the writing of science fiction and fantasy. Any crazy, improbable, even impossible situation the human mind can conceive is fair game. The…

Writing Children’s Picture Books: The Art of Saying More with Less

September 30, 2025

by Pauline Tait A picture book may only be a few hundred words, but for many writers, it can feel more challenging than a full-length novel. While each line must…

Killer Nashville 2025

September 30, 2025

by Debra H. Goldstein Clay Stafford bills his annual mystery genre brainchild as the Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference—and he’s right. The 2025 conference, which was the twentieth, had more…

Editor’s Choice September 2025 The Let’s Write Issue

September 1, 2025

From the editor, Sandra Murphy This month we’re introducing Walt Boyes, our newest columnist. He’s talking about world-building to start with—then who knows? He’s a sci-fi wizard (or is that…

Alternate History: A Writer’s Obligation by Stoney Compton

September 1, 2025

by Stoney Compton When I wrote my alternative history novel, Russian Amerika, I had a specific point in history where everything changed thereafter. In the novel, I drop hints but…

Where History Meets Mystery by donalee Moulton

September 1, 2025

by donalee Moulton Many writers are attracted to the historical mystery genre because they like weaving a mystery for readers to solve. Many other writers are history buffs and want…

Helping Children’s Authors Bring Their Stories to Life by Pauline Tait

September 1, 2025

by Pauline Tait Children’s picture books might appear small, but they can have a meaningful and lasting impact. A single sentence can spark a love of reading, while a single…

Writing Standalones While Managing a Series by Mary Keliikoa

September 1, 2025

by Mary Keliikoa I have long loved a good series, really from the moment I picked up Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel, only to be followed by…

Pushing a Cozy to the Edge by Maggie King

September 1, 2025

by Maggie King Picture a charming village where the local café owner solves crimes while serving lattes and freshly baked scones. A calico cat snoozes in the front window (the…

Making the Leap from Fiction to Nonfiction by Heidi Hunter

September 1, 2025

by Heidi Hunter A year ago, I was knee-deep in short stories about haunted houses and twisty mysteries. After retiring from an insurance career, where I worked in economic sanctions…

Unlocking Amazon’s A10 Algorithm: A Strategic Guide for Authors

September 1, 2025

by Kathleen Kaiser Recently, I spoke with two bestselling authors who were perplexed by their significant drop in Amazon sales in July. When I mentioned Amazon’s major changes to book…

Grammar for Grownups A Baker’s Dozen: Test your word and punctuation skills

September 1, 2025

by Flo Selfman Pre-internet, a college student spotted my “Grammar for Grownups” class listing in the Learning Annex catalog and called me to proofread a paper she had written. When…

Author’s Corner – Doing It Together by Ed Mickolus

September 1, 2025

Sometimes you have a great idea for a book, but you know that you’re not the right writer to bring it to fruition, due to limitations of, say, your skill…

Let’s Talk Worldbuilding by Walt Boyes: A Debut Column

August 28, 2025

by Walt Boyes In this series of columns, we’ll look at the world you want to build on several axes. What is the geography? How many nations or cultures does…

Editor’s Choice August 2025 The Tools Issue

August 1, 2025

From the editor, Sandra Murphy Time is a commodity often in short supply. Here are ten tools that can help. The list has been published before but some ideas are…

The Unheralded Power of Historical Fiction

August 1, 2025

by Carolyn Marie Wilkins Historical fiction brings the past to life in a way that helps us understand ourselves and others. As an African American growing up in the 1950s,…

One Author, Two Worlds: Why Writing in Two Genres Works for Me

August 1, 2025

by Pauline Tait Writers are often advised to choose one genre, build their author brand, and remain consistent. Readers like to know what to expect, and the industry tends to…

Author’s Corner: Managing Marketing Departments – Dusting Your Dust Jacket

August 1, 2025

by Ed Mickolus You put together your first book. You polished it through a dozen drafts, shared it with colleagues and experts, researched the market, obtained representation, shepherded it through…

Book Covers Using Stock Images

August 1, 2025

by Diana Hurwitz If you decide to design your own cover, you must understand licensing for images. Just because you can find an image on the internet or through a…

Grammar for Grownups—Errors Then and Now

August 1, 2025

by Flo Selfman My biggest recent achievement is tossing about fifty pounds of papers from boxes in my dining room (okay, I’m often given to hyperbole). Most were recipes collected…

From Pages to Podcasts: Why Audio Interviews Matter

August 1, 2025

by Desireé Duffy Once upon a time, getting your book out into the world meant driving across town to attend a bookstore signing where you might talk to five people—three…

Read Widely, but Also in Your Field

July 2, 2025

by Ed Mickolus Different perspectives on problem-solving can assist you in looking at an issue differently, and adapting those insights into your solutions. It’s also important to keep up…

Grammar for Grownups: Pronunciation Matters

July 1, 2025

by Flo Selfman It’s not enough for writers to just write. Besides a social media profile, talking and speaking are critical assets in a writer or author’s tool kit. Knowing…

Support WPN members by buying their books from the WPN website

July 1, 2025

When you visit the Books by Members section of our website and click “For more information” or “To buy the book: Click Here,” you’re redirected to Amazon through our affiliate…

What’s Changing at Amazon? How the A10 Algorithm Is Reshaping Book Visibility

July 1, 2025

by Adanna Moriarty Amazon quietly rolled out a significant algorithm update in May, replacing the long-standing A9 system with what’s now known as A10. If that means nothing to…

My Publishing Journey: Above and Beyond

July 1, 2025

by Lynn Varon It starts with a stack of faded typewritten pages, hand-lettered charts, and muddy photocopied images, the result of decades of research and translation completed by my mother-in-law’s…

My Second ShortCon

July 1, 2025

by Tom Milani The second annual ShortCon was held on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Elaine’s Restaurant in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. I attended last year’s inaugural event and liked…

7 Ways to Repurpose Your Book’s Content to Earn Even More Money

July 1, 2025

From Sandra Beckwith Start by choosing one repurposing idea that makes sense for your book and audience. Not only can it bring in additional income, but it also helps you…

Editor’s Choice July 2025 The Happy 30th Birthday WPN! Issue

June 30, 2025

From the editor, Sandra Murphy It’s Our Birthday! WPN Is 30 Years Old (and Doesn’t Look a Day Over 21). Its original name was the Small Publishers, Artists and Writers…

Book Marketing Tips and Trends: Why Book Reviews Matter—and How to Get Them

June 1, 2025

by Kathleen Kaiser Book reviews are one of the most powerful tools in an author’s marketing arsenal to boost visibility, credibility, and discoverability. For readers, they offer insights to…

How Far Would You Go for Your Writing?

June 1, 2025

by Nina Wachsman Besides having to populate a novel with characters and plots, for me to provide a strong sense of the setting means going there. My novels take…

Editor’s Choice June 2025 The Behind the Words Look at Writing Issue

June 1, 2025

From Sandra Murphy, Editor July marks the 30th anniversary of this organization. First named Small Publishers, Artists, Writers Network (SPAWN) and meeting in person, it recently (recently compared to 30…

FOX PAWS — and other grammar goofs you want to avoid

June 1, 2025

by Flo Selfman In years past, people such as baseball great Yogi Berra and comedian Norm Crosby were famous for distorting the English language in their own inimitable ways. Berra…

Purr-fect Planning: Your Quick Guide to Organizing a Regional Retreat

June 1, 2025

by Dusty Rainbolt Cat Writers’ Association formed as a kitten organization in 1992. A few years later, we started to hold national conferences so members could gather, learn from…

Character Bibles – How to Easily Maintain Flawless Character Consistency

June 1, 2025

by Ed Mickolus Among the more embarrassing things that can happen to a fiction writer are unintended changes in a character. These can include physical discrepancies (the protagonist has…

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