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Speak Loudly: Tools for Authors Facing Book Bans

Today we have a fascinating article from guest blogger Jenna Sherman.

In today’s increasingly competitive literary landscape, authors from diverse backgrounds face unique challenges that go beyond the creative process, as societal pressures often push back against voices that dare to disrupt the norm. The courage to write authentically and the strategic savvy required to navigate these obstacles are critical to ensuring your voice is heard. As an author, your narrative holds the power to challenge, enlighten, and inspire, even in the face of efforts to suppress it. Today, Word Weaver Pro will help you harness that power effectively, arming you with approaches to confidently share your story.

Identify and Connect with a Receptive Audience

Knowing …

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The Resonance of Voice in Storytelling: Insights from Classic Literature

In the vast landscape of literature, the concept of “voice” stands as a fundamental element that distinguishes one narrative from another. It’s more than just the words on a page; it’s the distinct personality, tone, and style that an author or character brings to a story. Voice is the heartbeat of storytelling, infusing narratives with life and making them resonate on a deeply personal level with readers.

Consider the unmistakable voice of Mark Twain in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Twain masterfully employs the regional dialects and colloquial speech of the American South to authentically portray the experiences of his young protagonist, Huck Finn. The first-person narrative allows readers to see the world through Huck’s eyes—a world rife with adventure, moral…

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Bugs!

To continue our Halloween theme, this post is about bugs. Full disclosure: I deeply despise bugs and scream like a little girl (literally) when one gets near me. I don’t care if they are useful or that spiders are not really insects. I pay a lot of money every month for a pest control service just to insure no bugs enter my home. I think we can all agree that no sane person likes bugs, so they are an effective tool in scary stories. Let’s explore this.

Incorporating creepy elements like bugs into a horror novel can create an intense atmosphere of unease and discomfort. Bugs are universally unsettling to many people, making them an excellent choice for introducing fear and revulsion into your story. To use them effectively, it’s important to balance subtlety with vivid…

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Halloween for authors

The only terrifying thing about the hideous 70s and 80s store-bought Halloween costumes was the cancer one might get after exposure to all the synthetic materials. It always seemed repulsive to me how they had pictures and logos on the bad polyester shirt and didn’t even try to make a kid look like a character. The masks were poorly made from a single piece of plastic and the weakest rubber-bands known to man. Their appearance was usually very disturbing… even if the character was cute and cuddly. I have wanted to somehow incorporate these terrible costumes into a story, but have not had the opportunity. Luckily, Halloween for authors has a lot of other sources of inspiration.

Ultimately, Halloween is a celebration of storytelling. From the ghost tales told around campfires…

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ROI for the self-published

With all the exciting projects he has going on, we are very grateful that David Badurina has taken some time to contribute to the blog as a guest writer to help inform his fellow writers of self-publishing. 

If you want to know about real-world issues when considering self-publishing versus traditional publishing, read on. You can find out more about David and his fantastic work on Twitter/X, YouTube, Facebook, and on the web. 

I’d like to take a moment to highlight a few points about ROI for the self-published. Many authors measure their success in the metric that’s most common - cold, hard cash. While that’s not a bad way to look at an investment, there are other ways to measure your success, and particularly the success of a debut self-…

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Trigger warnings and feedback from the identity-obsessed

In the realm of writing and publishing, feedback is an invaluable tool for authors striving to refine their work. However, the source of this feedback is crucial, as the perspectives and biases of the reviewers can significantly impact the quality and usefulness of the critique. People who base their entire personality on a single identity, such as a specific political stance, religious belief, or social movement, often bring a narrow and potentially limiting viewpoint to their feedback. 

On the other hand, if an author is including a particular culture in his work, he should welcome all feedback on the authenticity and accuracy of that culture’s depiction from members of that culture, or those that study it. Sometimes, research isn’t enough, and having someone point…

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Spiritscribing & the art of Fictional (Ghost) Writing

To continue in our series of working with book coaches and ghostwriters (very different things), we take a deep dive into something called Spiritscribing. We are excited to have Rich Rubio talk about this fascinating approach to ghostwriting.

Spiritscribing; it’s ghostwriting.

It’s the lesser-known dojo of the schools of writing (Email writing, copywriting, songwriting, underwriting, etc.), and yet one of the more powerful ones.

“Why would ghostwriting be that?” you may ask, and with good reason.

“What is ghostwriting? Is it horror? Are you referring to that early 90s show?” may be others you also posit.

Ghostwriting, or spiritscribing as called at Shogun Services, is the skilled art of wordsmithing compelling, majestic,…

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Thinking about a Ghostwriter?

To continue in our series of working with book coaches and ghostwriters (very different things), we move on from Angelle Horste-MacKiernan’s excellent article on choosing a book coach to this post on finding a ghostwriter.

Want to know how to find a ghostwriter that won’t haunt you later? First, do not hire the person that just wrote that joke.

Let’s move on…

Choosing the right ghostwriter is crucial to ensuring your project is handled professionally and that your voice and vision are accurately captured. However, the process can be daunting, especially with the fear of being ripped off. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you select a ghostwriter who is right for you.

First, define your needs and expectations clearly. Understand the…

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What is a Book Coach? Do you need one?

Our focus this month is on bringing in someone to assist you, such as a book coach or a ghostwriter, in completing your manuscript when you need some extra help.

Today we are thrilled to have Angelle Horste-MacKiernan of Finally Write Book Coaching & Editing as a guest writer to bring clarity about what a book coach can do for you!

You can find out more about Angelle and Finally Write on Twitter/X, Instagram and on the web.

There are a lot of opinions flying around about book coaching, and whether or not an author needs one. Let’s talk a little bit about what a book coach does, and then look at the best way to find the right one for you.

A book coach is sometimes known as a writing coach or story coach. Unlike an editor (who helps clean up…

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Writing an effective blurb

In this post, we are going to look at creating a compelling book blurb for the back cover (and online description) for your novel. We will explore the theory of a good blurb, as well as examine one from a successful published book.

Crafting an enticing back cover blurb is crucial for capturing the interest of potential readers. Keep in mind, most readers will only spend up to 15 seconds reading the blurb, so it had better start off in a compelling way! 

Here are the top 5 best ideas for creating a back cover blurb for a novel, each with an example to illustrate the concept:

Start with a Strong Hook: “When a forgotten letter is found in a secret drawer, Sarah’s humdrum life is turned upside down. Who sent it, and why now?” This hook creates… read more

The science behind ‘Shower Thoughts’

Have you ever experienced a sudden, brilliant insight while washing your hair? You’re not alone. These moments, often referred to as shower thoughts, are surprisingly common, but why do they happen? What is it about the shower that seems to unlock our minds and grant us almost magical insights? As it turns out, there’s a scientific explanation for this phenomenon.

Shower thoughts are unexpected ideas or epiphanies that occur while showering. But why are these thoughts different from the ones we have during our regular, daily activities? Scientists suggest it all comes down to the level of focus required by our tasks. Most daily activities demand our full attention, leaving little room for our minds to wander. In contrast, routine activities like showering, walking, or even…

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Mastering the art of subtly implying character power in action novels

My current WIP is an action sci-fi story with a lot of superhero stuff. The MC is very powerful, but has a lot of serious flaws. Conveying power in a way not resorting to overt exposition or clichéd tropes requires finesse and subtlety and is not natural, at least for myself. In this post, we’ll explore several techniques for subtly implying a character’s dominance in an action-packed narrative.

Instead of explicitly stating a character’s abilities or strengths, demonstrate them through actions and interactions within the story. Show the character effortlessly overcoming challenges, outmaneuvering opponents, or executing complex maneuvers with ease. Let their actions speak for themselves, leaving readers in awe of their capabilities.

Utilize dialogue and subtext…

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Give yourself a 1-star review

As authors, we pour our hearts and souls into our writing, laboring over every word to craft stories that captivate and inspire readers. However, no matter how much effort we invest, receiving negative feedback, especially in the form of bad reviews, can be disheartening. Yet, what if I told you that writing bad reviews of your own books could be a valuable tool for growth and improvement?

Let’s explore how embracing critique, even when it comes from within, can lead to significant enhancements in your writing.

This is not easy. It’s not fun. Try to put yourself into the shoes of someone who knows nothing about your story, and read through it. Take note of things like any places you skip over. Are those sections really needed to move the story forward? When a…

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Relatable characters

Creating relatable characters in a story is a crucial aspect of engaging storytelling. In this post, we will delve into strategies that are highly effective in creating a deep connection between readers and characters, leading to a strong investment in their journeys.

As we dig into these ideas, always keep in mind that “show, don’t tell” is vital in character development. Instead of telling readers that a character is kind, show them performing kind acts. This technique encourages readers to establish their own connections with the characters, rather than being dictated how to feel about them.

Focus on dialogue and interactions. How characters speak and interact with others can reveal a lot about them. Dialogue should be natural and reflect the character’s…

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One bite at a time: How writing a novel is like eating an elephant

Writing a novel can often seem as daunting as the proverbial task of eating an elephant. It’s a journey of a thousand miles—or a million words—that begins with a single step. Here’s how these two seemingly unrelated tasks are more alike than you might think.

Start small and take it slow

Just as you wouldn’t attempt to eat an elephant in one sitting, you shouldn’t try to write your novel in a day. Both tasks require patience, persistence, and a willingness to start small. Begin with an outline or a single scene, just as you would start with a small bite. Allow yourself the time to savor each part of the process.

In Word Weaver Pro, every chapter and scene is treated as an individual component. You can focus and work on one thing, without having to scroll…

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Capturing the wild inspiration

Imagine hiking a trail and you see Bigfoot, but you have nothing to take a picture with. You can explain what you saw, but the clarity of experiencing right then has passed. How often do you experience the sensation of being struck by a brilliant idea while you are not actively engaging in writing, only to find yourself unable to recall it later? Most authors will admit that it occurs frequently. That’s why having some way to take notes, and then access them in a convenient way when it is time to write, is really important.

Having a note-taking tool readily available will provide you with a centralized hub where you can gather all your thoughts when they are new and fresh, regardless of their initial level of development. It allows you to organize thoughts, plot lines,…

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A puzzle with missing pieces

I watched a kid trying to solve a puzzle, but they lost some pieces and replaced them with pieces she was cutting out of some cardboard. Writing a novel is like assembling a puzzle, but the author has to create each piece before putting them together. This metaphor captures the complexity and creativity involved in novel writing. Of course, you can’t go into the nearest drug store and grab your own completed manuscript off the shelf. If it were that easy, everyone would be doing that! However, let’s delve into how these two processes are similar and distinct.

When crafting a novel, it’s essential to begin with a broad concept or theme, much like a puzzle starts with an image to guide its assembly. The writer envisions the story’s overarching narrative, the emotional tone,…

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Plotters, pantsers, and everyone in-between: Navigating the diverse world of novel writing

In the realm of novel writing, two camps have traditionally dominated the conversation: plotters and pantsers. However, unlike the pages of a novel, the creative process is rarely black and white and many writers find themselves somewhere in-between. This post examines different approaches to novel writing, delving into the nuances that set each method apart and the various ways writers can combine these styles to meet their creative needs.

Plotters: Architects of the written word

Plotters are writers who prefer to outline their stories before they begin writing. They meticulously plan characters, plot points, and settings, creating detailed roadmaps for their narratives. This approach can provide a clear direction and a sense of security, reducing the likelihood of…

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Guest blogger: the burden of creation

Write a blog post? Something uplifting to inspire other authors?

Why?

What is the point?

In the vast expanse of existence, where the stars flicker in indifference and the cosmos echoes with the silence of meaninglessness, there exists a solitary figure, burdened with the task of creation. That figure is me, a depressed nihilist, staring at a blank page, grappling with the futile endeavor of writing.

Writing, they say, is a form of expression, a means to communicate thoughts and feelings. But what thoughts can I communicate, and what feelings can I convey, in a world devoid of inherent significance? The words I type onto this screen seem hollow, devoid of substance, like echoes in an empty void.

Every keystroke feels like a…

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Unleash your inner genius: writing advice from the greatest author of all time

Today we are honored and excited to have a guest writer grace the pixels that are the Word Weaver Pro blog section!

You can find out more about this truly inspiring author and his work on X and on the web.

 

Greetings, aspiring writers, and welcome to the sacred sanctuary of literary enlightenment, where I, the unparalleled maestro of the written word, shall grace you with my divine wisdom. Prepare to embark on a journey of self-discovery and artistic mastery under the tutelage of the one true luminary of literature — myself.

Let us commence with the fundamental truth that you, dear reader, are in the presence of greatness — the greatness of moi. Understand that your journey to becoming a proficient writer begins with acknowledging my…

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