Should You Only Use “Said” in Dialogue Tags? My Rules for Tags and Adverbs
Readers skim right past dialogue tags, so use the plain ones and don't bury anything important in them. My simple rules for said, tag variety, adverbs and action beats.
Article Index (Page 6)
Book MarketingWhy a Good Book Isn’t Enough: Agents, Quiet Novels and What Sells
Agents reject well-written novels every day, and quiet literary fiction is the hardest sell of all. Why a good book isn't enough, and what sells books.
Artificial IntelligenceShe Asked How to Format Her Comic for KDP. The Thread Went to War Over AI.
An author asked how to turn her comic series into a KDP paperback because ChatGPT kept changing her pictures. The thread went to war over AI. Here's the answer she needed.
SocietyWhy Are Writing Groups So Hostile?
You'd think writers would be kind to each other. Writing groups are some of the cruelest rooms online. Why rejection, fear and status drive it, why the polite groups don't help either, and what a good group looks like.
GhostwritingMy Ghostwriter Stopped Responding. What Do I Do?
When a ghostwriter goes silent mid-book, a week of ordinary follow-up is enough before you send written notice. Read the contract, recover your drafts and recordings, and set a firm date for hiring someone to finish.
GhostwritingMy Ghostwriter Missed the Deadline. What Are My Options?
A ghostwriting deadline should never slip without warning, because a working ghostwriter reports status as the book goes. When one does, fix the communication first, then the date.
GhostwritingI Hate My Ghostwriter’s First Draft. Now What?
You can hate the first draft of a chapter and fix it in a week. Hating a whole ghostwritten manuscript means both sides waited too long, and the fix starts with sorting out exactly what's wrong.
GhostwritingCan I Get a Refund From a Ghostwriter?
You won't get a refund from a ghostwriter for work already done, least of all from a solo writer with rent to pay. Pay in stages, negotiate the deposit before you sign, and save the fight for a writer who…
GhostwritingHow Many Revisions Should a Ghostwriter Include?
One or two revisions is enough when your ghostwriter delivers chapter by chapter and revises as the book goes. The contract should define what a revision is and handle new scope with a written change order.
GhostwritingCan My Ghostwriter List My Book in Their Portfolio?
A ghostwriter can list your book in a portfolio only if you acknowledge them in the book or give permission. Here's how acknowledgments, NDAs and your contract decide what a ghostwriter can show.
GhostwritingMy Family Doesn’t Want Me to Publish My Ghostwritten Memoir. Now What?
If you're an adult, publishing your ghostwritten memoir is your decision. The question is how much of a family blow-up you can take, and how a ghostwriter can reduce the legal and personal damage.
GhostwritingShould a Ghostwriter Write a Free Sample Chapter?
A ghostwriter's sample chapter takes interviews and days of drafting, so if you want one, pay for it. Free samples invite scams, and there are better ways to judge a ghostwriter's work.
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