Category: Guest Posts

  • 5 Self-Editing Mistakes to Avoid At All Costs

    5 Self-Editing Mistakes to Avoid At All Costs

    —

    by

    SYWW Team
    in

    Guest post by Reedsy writer Desiree Villena You’ve finally written the last page of your book. The murderer’s revealed, the lovers united, etc.—time to crack open the bubbly, right? Not quite. Before an author starts knocking on publishers’ doors, they need to perform a thorough self-edit. If a literary agent receives a book riddled with plot…

  • The 4 Stages of Editing a Book [Explained!]

    The 4 Stages of Editing a Book [Explained!]

    —

    by

    SYWW Team
    in

    Guest post by professional editor Jessica De Bruyn. @true_imaginary A note from So You Want to Write… “Write drunk, edit sober” —Peter De Vries Whether you have only an idea for a book, a few chapters written, or a fully formed first, second, or nth draft, one thing is certain: that more editing is probably in your…

  • How NOT To Query

    How NOT To Query

    —

    by

    SYWW Team
    in

    Guest post by author @StephanJHahn. I am no expert in the art of the query letter. In fact, I’m deep in the trenches of a war that I don’t even want to be fighting with all the people I don’t want to be fighting with. I recently finished an epic fantasy manuscript and I thought…

  • How to Build Suspense in Your Writing

    How to Build Suspense in Your Writing

    —

    by

    SYWW Team
    in

    Guest post by author @TevisShkodra. Originally published at tevisshkodra.com. 3 practical tips to keeping readers engaged You’ve all heard the ageless adage of “Show, Don’t tell,” and if you’ve heard of it, chances are you’ve rolled your eyes and squinted at the ambiguity of the advice. However, while showing vs. telling is crucial to building…

  • How To Up Your Writing Confidence, Score an Agent, and Get Published

    How To Up Your Writing Confidence, Score an Agent, and Get Published

    —

    by

    SYWW Team
    in

    Guest post by author @misplacedcomma2. Are you a writer? When you answer that question do you look at people in the eye and say it with gusto? Or do you say it quietly while waiting for the barrage of questions that comes next? What kind of writer? Are you a journalist? Do you have a…

  • Rejecting Rejection

    Rejecting Rejection

    —

    by

    SYWW Team
    in

    Guest post by author Samantha Dodd. Twitter: @authordodd “The seasons change and then you get it, your first response… a rejection letter. It lands in your inbox like unfriendly fire pounding on the roof of your once secure barrack.” “Believe it or not, the most common reasons for rejection are because of prior commitments the…

  • [UPDATED] Online Writers’ Conferences you can Attend in a Pandemic

    [UPDATED] Online Writers’ Conferences you can Attend in a Pandemic

    —

    by

    SYWW Team
    in

    Guest post by author Phoebe Yu. Twitter: @writersdayjobs. Updated August 28, 2020. As schools and businesses shutter amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, most of us are practicing social distancing.While these practices may induce loneliness and anxiety, we know they’re necessary. For writers, this period may be an opportunity to hone our craft without having to compromise anyone’s health and safety.  Check…

  • 3 Ways Successful Writers Show Up For Themselves

    3 Ways Successful Writers Show Up For Themselves

    —

    by

    SYWW Team
    in

    Guest post by Jordin James. Twitter: @justjordinjames “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson About a year ago, I quit my engineering job to pursue writing full-time. I had all these dreams to self-publish books, build an email list,…

  • Plotting & Pantsing: The Hybrid Method of Writing

    Plotting & Pantsing: The Hybrid Method of Writing

    —

    by

    SYWW Team
    in

    Guest post by author Cal P. Logan.Twitter: @CalPLogan I’ve noticed something funny on Twitter recently—the plotter vs pantser debate has been particularly prevalent, perhaps because of the whirlwind insanity of NaNoWiMo. Raise your hand if you’ve ever said either of the following: “I’m a plotter,” or “I’m a pantser.” We do this all the time, conflating…

  • The Mindful Writer & the Desire To Publish (by Author Alisha Sevigny)

    The Mindful Writer & the Desire To Publish (by Author Alisha Sevigny)

    —

    by

    SYWW Team
    in

    By author Alisha Sevigny, one of our in-house expertsOriginally published at open-book.ca Newer writers often think that getting published is the hardest part. But the truth is, that’s only half the battle. What you really want to be (or at least I do, anyway) is a published author who sells books. Which brings me to one quality you’ll need…