Well-crafted “Mary Sue”/”Gary Stu” Characters

There is a fascinating discussion right now on Quora on Mary Sue/Gary Stu characters. People argue in favor and against the possibility of writing a well-crafted, enjoyable character like that. For anyone not familiar with the Mary Sue term (Gary Stu or Lary Stu are...

Infographic: Selling your Business with Ebooks

Did you know that a great way to promote a business is through an ebook? As regular readers of this blog know, I have been focusing on freelance writing this past couple of years. So, this is a tip that may be of particular interest to non-fiction writers and anyone...

Five myths about Jane Austen

Jane Austen, the writer of Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility (among others) is widely considered ignored in her lifetime–and a bit of a prude. As Devoney Looser explains in The Washington Post, these are just two of the persistent myths...

A Heaven for Toasters: Chapter 8

After relaunching A Heaven for Toasters, complete with new cover, I promised to publish it here in installments. After neglecting it for a while, here’s the next chapter. Note: You can find a link to all published chapters at the end of this post or read more...

OIRWA 2020 Workshops

Last week, I started attending Creating Great Villians, a great workshop on villains from OIRWA – the Outreach International Romance Writers Chapter of RWA®. Taught by Rayne Hall, one of my favorite writing aids authors, it is just one of four courses OIRWA...

How I Became a Freelance Writer

When I wrote in my last post about the Evolution of Blogging, I didn’t expect so many people to contact me asking how I managed to become a more-or-less full-time freelance writer. A friend even said that she knows a lot of disabled writers who would be great at...

The Evolution of Blogging

I have been online since 1985. I was one of the first members of the BBS (Bulletin Board) scene in Greece back when we connected to a server using landline modems. I still remember my thrill when I finally got my hands on a 9600 bps modem and could download pictures...

5 Reasons Why Audiobook Usage Is Up Among Students

I have been writing about audiobooks a lot lately, as audiobooks are a growing trend in publishing. Now, Frank Hamilton is pointing out another trend: audiobooks used by students. Interestingly enough, some of his reasons, such as accessibility, also apply to eBooks....

A Heaven for Toasters: Chapter 7

After relaunching A Heaven for Toasters, complete with new cover, I promised to publish it here in installments. I realize now I haven’t posted an installment in ages, so thank you for your patience! Here’s the next chapter. Note: You can find a link to...

What did Medieval People Really Wear?

Contrary to popular belief, people in the Middle Ages loved color – and could afford it. They also liked to be, well, naked. Which makes sense, considering how much Medieval people liked throwing rotten vegetables at each other. Some people take the term “Dark...

New Release: War of Nytefall – Eradication

Is the Orb of Durag the key to Clyde and the Dawn Fangs destruction? As Dawn Fang vampires are found dead across Windemere, their infamous leader will remember what it is to be afraid. With the truce between Nyte and Nytefall nearing its end, an old enemy has emerged...

Artificial Intelligence Statistics

I recently explored the question of whether computer-generated writing could ever replace the human kind. I recently came across some interesting statistics on Artificial Intelligence (AI), courtesy of Kommando Tech. Current AI technology can be roughly divided into...

What Are New York Public Library’s Most Checked-out Books?

I recently wrote about the welcome fact that in 2019, more Americans went to the library than to the movies. At a time when the 2021 US budget seeks to eliminate funding for libraries, this is wonderful news indeed. But what books do library patrons check out? Ron...

Subject-Verb Agreement

The other day, I was writing an answer in Quora. “Vitamins are essential for our body,” I wanted to say. Then, I paused. Should it be, “…for our bodies”? My previous post explored the difference between historic and historical. Today’s post continues on the same...

Historic or Historical?

You may remember the explanation of the origins of the idiom, a baker’s dozen by the Australian Writers’ Centre (AWC). Today, they dissect a historic event… or should that be, a historical event? Here’s a Q&A to help you determine which one is correct,...

Happy Valentine’s Day 2020

Happy Valentine’s Day! Whoever that special someone is in your life, whether spouse, friend, family, or furry friend, may this day bring you nothing but joy! Happy Valentine’s DayPowered By the Tweet This PluginTweet...

More Americans Go to the Library than to the Movies

I recently wrote about Millennial reading habits. It turns out that they do love books. This is further supported by a new report by Literary Hub, that highlighted a surprising fact: in 2019, more Americans went to the library than to the movies. At a time when the...

How Much Do Authors Make?

I recently published some interesting statistics about author income. Written Word media also published in late 2019 the results of their author survey. It answers some great questions, like how much new authors make, how popular audiobooks are, genre differences and...

How to Self-Publish on Amazon

A writer friend contacted me the other day to ask if I had any how-to posts on self-publishing. Specifically, she was asking for detailed information on how to self-publish her book on Amazon. I didn’t have anything like that, as this blog assumes you will have...