If you use Vellum to lay out your books, and have more than a few books under your belt, you will find one of the new features particularly helpful. I have just been updating the front and back matter for my series, following the release of the latest instalment, and the new 'reuse elements' feature has saved me a couple of hours and the potential for making mistakes. Read on to find out more!
Years later than planned, and now split in half, Whom Gods Shall Fear is finally released on the Kindle platform. This has been one hell of a writing journey, but I am pleased with the results. Read on for the story behind the story!
In amongst all the various changes in the recent iOS and MacOS updates is something you might easily overlook — profiles for the Safari web browser. I'm here to tell you that if you're a creative who uses Mac to produce output and engage on social media, you absolutely should start using this feature. It's exactly what you never knew you needed.
I was just updating the interior files for my books to include a link to this site in the author bio, and noticed that there has been a change on the pricing page for Kindle ebooks. Authors who self-publish should give attention to this immediately, for all of their books!
The other day I was asked how to refer, third hand, to a gender fluid person, without knowing how that person was currently experiencing their gender state. I said "English grammar already accommodates that". I may well have failed the assignment because I received a look of bafflement. For other writers finding this topic confusing, I'm going to try and blow away the fog.
The short story 'KUDOS' is a cautionary tale about the use of genetic manipulation for fashion purposes.
Even before the editing phase begins 'officially', sometimes material is cut from a draft. The following text is an entire scene which I have decided not to include in 'Whom Gods Shall Fear'. This is because the intentions for the scene are either fulfilled elsewhere or have become irrelevant, and the manuscript is getting very long. As fun as the premises of the scene is, there's no need for these 1000+ words to be in the story.
In this premium article I show you how to work out the reader retention rates for your series, and give examples of what to do if the figures drop off from book to book. If you're a series writer, this is essential knowledge.
I've heard it said, even by some authors, that novellas are a "waste of time" for a series writer. I strongly disagree, and in this article I will briefly explain the reasons why.
Making a fire in the outdoors is fraught with peril, and very easy to get wrong (in terms of safety and etiquette as much as failing at the fire part). But the sense of achievement one gets from gathering tinder and kindling, splitting deadwood, and sparking then nourishing a flame is almost as good as the warmth and cheer which ensues...
The Outdoors Author 