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Ah, Even Classics Get Bad Reviews…
By LitNews | December 7, 2012
I must admit that it never crosses my mind that some of my favorite all-time books could have ever received bad reviews when they were first released. I mean, how can anyone say anything bad about the “The Great Gatsby” for crying out loud? Well, recently my assumptions got deflated when I ran across an article about bad reviews on…
The Early Jobs Of Bestselling Authors
By LitNews | November 26, 2012
Well, November was National Writers Month and it may have been the month when many of you struggling writers spent time feeling bad about not having written; or worse yet, maybe you spent the month wondering if you’ll ever get out the job you currently feel stuck at. Take heart. Some of the most beloved writers of the the 20th…
Authors and Money: You’ve Gotta Spend a Little To Make a Little
By A. Yamina Collins | September 10, 2012
I suspect there is something in us indie writers that hasn’t yet connected to the idea that indie and self-publishing also means indie and self-publishing money; money that comes out of our own pocket. I suppose that somewhere along the lines many of us began to dream of great success with tens and hundreds of thousands of books sold, all…
Why You Shouldn’t Whine About Negative Book Reviews
By A. Yamina Collins | August 15, 2012
So yesterday, blogger Debra Johnson joined me to talk about how to handle negative social media in general. But today I’d like to narrow that advice down and talk to authors specifically about how to handle negative book reviews, with an emphasis on our mind set about negative book reviews, and why we need to change it. Why even have…
6 Great Books Written by College Undergrads
By LitNews | August 13, 2012
Compiling a list of great books written by college undergrads is more difficult than anticipated, probably because throughout history, most budding writers spent their college years writing for a college newspaper or smaller, literary-minded journals. And there are more than a few authors who dropped out of college before writing their breakout novel (F. Scott Fitzgerald, who bailed out of…
A Simpleton’s Guide to Pitching Your Book
By Ginger | August 10, 2012
Ok, so I’m blonde. But I’ve become a little savvy about pitching after sitting in front of my share of professionals. I’ve been rejected, too. Quite a few times, in fact. But that didn’t discourage me one bit. In fact, it was just the opposite. I’ve kept every rejection note and email to remind me that I needed to better…
Authors: Let Go of the Dream, Take Hold of the Idea…and the Hard Work
By Joe Hefferon | July 23, 2012
What do you want from your writing? What do you really want? Take your time; your answer will determine your future. Do you have professional aspirations such as journalism or is your desire to write visceral and compelling, something you just have to do? Do you seek public acclaim or validation for your opinions? Do you want awards or other…
And The Contest Winner Is….
By A. Yamina Collins | July 21, 2012
The winner of the $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift card for reading my short story is….Tonya Rice!! Thanks to everyone who commented and participated. I appreciate all the feedback. I suppose I will hold another contest in the near future. This was short, sweet and fun. Best to all, Yamina
Read My New Short Story…And Automatically Qualify To Win A $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
By A. Yamina Collins | July 13, 2012
Well, friends, in honor of the release of my new e-book collection of short stories, “The Blueberry Miller Files“, I am holding a contest from Friday July 13th through Friday July 20th. How does the contest work? It’s simple. I have posted one of the stories from the book in its entirety below. It’s a lighter piece among some of…
The Top 100 Creative Writing Blogs
By LitNews | July 7, 2012
Whether a creative writer’s heart sits with prose, poetry, or both, there likely exists an author or aspirant author out there with something to offer his or her work. And that, friends, is why the Internet stands as one of the best possible tools for today’s emerging literati. Thanks to the online input of industry pros and fledgling dreamers, today’s…
