By: Allison Parks

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 skimmin...

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, you...

By: Melissa Parks

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 Coa...

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 with. As a n...

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 d...

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 School...

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 t...

By: Melissa Parks

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.” “Objection! Lack of fo...

A strong book proposal is key to landing a publisher. Former HarperOne editor Mickey Maudlin provides two tips on what publishers are looking for in a book proposal. Agent representation is instrument...

One of the most common questions we receive from fiction writers is “How do I plot my book?”

It’s the question that dominates writing conferences and a simple Google search provides hundreds of th...

By: Melissa Parks

We live in a small house with a total of one closet. It’s problematic for a modern family. And especially for a self-professed clothes horse.

When we moved in, we carved out a smal...

Most writers don't take the time to ask themselves why they're writing a book. They don't know the "why" of their book.

In this Author Gas Stops, Donna Freitas encourages writers to spend time gettin...