Everyone Hates This Restaurant!
It's been a while since I last published something, but now I'm very, very pleased indeed to announce my latest release: Everyone Hates This Restaurant is an illustrated children's book inspired by my daughter's love of desserts — to the point where we jokingly refer...
How to Use Jungian Archetypes in Writing: The Ultimate Guide
Carl Jung's archetypes are a powerful tool for writers as they tap into universal symbols and themes that resonate with a broad audience. Using them can enrich your writing by connecting your story to universal themes and symbols. By understanding and thoughtfully...
Understanding the KENP Scam
In my previous post, I explained how Jane Friedman's name was used in a bunch of AI-generated books. Today, I'll explain how this may be part of a larger scam. As TechRadar reports, a shockingly high number of AI-generated books have appeared. As an indie author,...
Death and Taxes: What Every Author Should Know About Paying Taxes on Their Writing Income
Back in 2014, I self-published my first book on Amazon. I was confused by a few forms that involved tax-related issues, but in the end decided it was far simpler for me to be taxed at source (US) rather than deal with the Greek tax authorities. This decision has...
The Weight of Snow and Regret Blog Tour: Vermont Accent
Today, I'm hosting a fellow Story Empire member, Liz Gauffreau, who talks about her latest release, The Weight of Snow and Regret. Happy book birthday, Liz! Introduction Thank you for hosting me on my blog tour for The Weight of Snow and Regret, Nicholas! For today’s...
NaNoWriMo Is Out. Welcome Novel November!
I recently wrote on Story Empire about NaNoWriMo being canceled. Now, I've received word that it's back with a new name! After 25 years of fueling millions of writers with the encouragement needed to finally finish their novel, in early 2025, NaNoWriMo, or National...
Transform Your Book Marketing with Eye-Catching Videos
Thanks to AI, we now have a new tool to play with that may help us connect with our audiences and generate excitement: video. Yes, I know that it's been around forever, but we now have image-to-video AI apps and other goodies that make it simpler than ever to create...
Can AI Help Sell More Books on Social Media?
I've mentioned a few times in the past how AI can help write books, including my latest, Everyone Hates This Restaurant. But sell them? How would that work? And yet, every bit would help, given how many books are published every year in both digital and traditional...
Writing for Memory: Top Tips to Journal Your Biggest Moments
Those following my blog will probably have read how I keep a dream journal on my bedstand. Besides dreams, it contains all sorts of ideas for when inspiration runs dry. So, why do I do this? And what other ways are there to journal? Journaling is a powerful tool that...
Keep the Words Flowing: How Better Internet Sparks Creativity
Last week, I spent a few days at our summer home in Evia suffering a dreadfully slow Internet connection. So, this guest post by regular contributor Edian Blasquino felt very personal indeed, as I learned firsthand that a slow internet connection does more than...
When Writing Feels Impossible, Here’s What Actually Helps
Working as a full-time writer is great, but there are times when it gets exhausting: in May, my team of 2 writers and I wrote over 300,000 words for our clients. At the end of the day, when I'm done writing and editing, the last thing I want is to read or write...
5 Times the Literary World Was Rocked by Controversy
Literature has long been a mirror to society, reflecting its triumphs, tensions, and taboos. But sometimes, the stories behind the books stir more conversation than the pages themselves. From censorship battles to scandals involving celebrated authors, the literary...
Historical Gamblers Who Became Literary Icons
September 1863. Fyodor Dostoevsky sits at a roulette table in Wiesbaden, convinced he's finally cracked the code of gambling success. He writes confidently to his sister-in-law about possessing "the secret of how to win," claiming it's "merely a matter of keeping...
10 Desk Essentials Every Writer Needs for Productivity
This is a guest post by Edrian Blasquino, a college instructor turned wordsmith, with a passion for both teaching and writing. With years of experience in higher education, he brings a unique perspective to his writing, crafting engaging and informative content on a...
3 Fantasy Tropes I Love — And 3 I Avoid at All Costs
This is a guest post by Savannah Cordova. Savannah is a writer with Reedsy, a marketplace that connects self-publishing authors with the world’s best editors, designers, and marketers. She loves science fiction and fantasy. 3 Fantasy Tropes I Love — And 3 I Avoid at...