Author and professional book editor Elaine Ash is known for edginess in her writing. Under the pen name "Anonymous-9", Ash writes award-winning hard-boiled fiction that is gritty and graphic. Reviewers have said of her work, "A9 has the most unusual...

Author and professional book editor Elaine Ash is known for edginess in her writing. Under the pen name "Anonymous-9", Ash writes award-winning hard-boiled fiction that is gritty and graphic. Reviewers have said of her work, "A9 has the most unusual...

Do you feel like you spend a lot of time spinning your wheels? Do you attempt to do three things at once but find nothing is getting done? You need to rethink the way you are managing your time. Don't continue to work within a broken paradigm. If you...

Strategies for getting the most out of what your characters say and how they say it Sure, dialogue records conversation. But it can do so much more--if you know how to wield it. Dialogue can provide subtle backstory, vivid characterization, or shoot...

What's the right length for your book? The answer is simple. There is no "right" length. You must research the marketplace. There are clear trends within it that will help you decide what works for your book. To get a basic sense of what works in terms...

One of the best ways to build your author business, sell books, and expand your thought-leadership is by speaking about your nonfiction book's topic. This session, led by veteran speaker and Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) Cathy Fyock, will help...

Authors need to wear multiple hats when marketing their books. In addition to writing, an author must serve as his own graphic designer, web developer, event planner and publicist. Each role plays a key part in creating a complete book marketing plan...

Every great protagonist needs an equally great antagonist to struggle against. Without this conflict or opposition, a story will be dull, uninteresting, and unfocused. But, what is an antagonist? Must it always be a villain or have bad intentions? Can...