When it comes to book publication and promotion, a writer needs connections. From literary agents to publishers to authors within your genre, cultivated relationships are instrumental to the...

I guess I’m a gardener now. I do that gardener thing.

Every morning, I brew my coffee, slip on my Adidas slides, and head out back to do my daily garden walk. 

I poke around to see...

A good first chapter is oftentimes the reader's deciding point of whether or not they'll buy a book. Literary agent Don Gates encourages writers to review their first chapter. 

Is your first...

I loaned my sister a book last week.

She was in a reading slump. So, I offered her a romance novel I thought she might enjoy.

The first night she read, she told me she was skimming sections. She...

A memoir isn't just having an experience. It's having something to say about the experience.

Mickey Maudlin, former HarperOne editor, explains why you should and shouldn't write a memoir. Either,...

Coach Eddie, my 7^th-grade softball coach, is the reason I’m good at asking questions.

The spring season wrapped up, and my 16-month-older sister and I biked over with my dad to Coach...

Finding and landing a literary agent when you're a new author is difficult. And daunting. 

Literary agent Don Gates claims most clients come through existing authors he's already working...

by Dave Goetz

Experience alone is not enough to write a successful nonfiction book.

And yet, your experience is what gives your book authenticity, authority, and the ring of truth.

These are two...

Publishing a book isn't enough to get people to see it. You have to promote your book. And Amazon Ads is one of the most cost-effective marketing techniques for promotion. Founder of "Author Ad...

Scenes are the building blocks to good storytelling.

But too many new writers struggle to conceptualize their story in scenes. They think a scene is a dinner table conversation. Or a mere stroll...

When my son was on his high school mock trial team, I was given a crash course on the objections in law. 

To name a few, there’s “Objection! Argumentative.”...

 My sister and I love to watch Pride and Prejudice (2005).

Historical romance with a witty, relatable main character who refuses to settle for a loveless marriage? Yeah, it’s a favorite...