Are you doing the happy dance when it comes to your writing? I am doing the happy dance because I have sold more Amazon Kindle books . I love it when I'm out and about, busy living my life, and I come home and find that I have sold more books ! I realized a long time ago that I would not sell any Amazon Kindle books if I did not publish those books on Amazon. This is not so profound, it's obvious, yet many writers can't do the happy dance because they are not selling books and they are not selling books because they have not published their books! E-publishing is here to stay and even well-known, accomplished authors are seeing the need to e-publish in some form or another. Write. Publish. Today. And you will be doing the happy dance, too! ~Tricia

The three little words in this blog title perfectly sum up the start to my writing career. I was in college and had just turned in yet another research paper. I did my best work on the paper, turned it in on time and sighed with relief as I went on to my next class. I had no idea that the paper I'd just finished would change my life. Upon getting the graded paper back from my professor, I noted that he'd written a note at the top. It said, "Reading your writing is just like talking to you. You should write." The words were simple, their impact far-reaching. Three little words. I took them to heart for a number of reasons. First of all, I was not used to hearing positive feedback or any sort of compliment. Being raised in an abusive situation didn't lend itself to my siblings and I being built up in any way. I simply had never heard much positive reinforcement in my life, thus it was incredibly pleasant. Secondly, the professor was a professional, giving his ...

Today, I'm reviewing a book for you and making the suggestion that you buy it. This book, Rainbows in the Storms , is by a friend of mine and it's the poignant story of a young wife and mother of four who faces the terminal illness and subsequent death of her beloved husband and father of her children. The author, Ann Asprey Erdmann, tells how each and every step of his illness affected her and their family as they journeyed through the storms that rolled over them again and again. I was privileged to be one of her first editors and, let me tell you, this young woman is the real deal. Any time I told her that the message of God's power in seeing them through was not coming out in her writing, she was willing to change it up until it told the story right. The story is heart-wrenching, yet filled with hope. This hope is only found through God and His saving grace through Jesus Christ. That is the author's clear message and clearly the message of her husband, even as h...

I read a few blogs regularly and those blogs often introduce me to new blogs. Today, a Facebook post led me to a fashion blog and it looked interesting and informative enough to click on. Fashion is important, to a point - the point where I don't go around looking like an idiot or dressing too young, etc. That can be challenging, though, since clothes in the junior department fit me best. It's not always convenient to be short. The fashion blog held a lot of useful information, but this young blogger desperately needs an editor. We can certainly look past a few typos, but this gal had no clue how to use the English language. She needs an editor. We all need an editor. I can't tell you how many times I've written a blog post, reread it several times, posted it, then came back and found typos or other errors! It happens to everyone. I'm not just irritated at poor, unedited writing. I'm also frustrated for the writer because, in the long run, it will affect ...

Writing is a process as much as it is a creative action. Those of us who write for publication know that this process, while we are drawn to it without reason, is not always easy. Writing involves a process. Part two of my series of classes on Writing for Publication focuses on this process and breaks it down into manageable steps. Today, I'd like to share some content from that class, which will be available in an e-book later on this spring or early summer. My first e-book from this set of classes is already available and you can find it here . John Steinbeck said, "I have written a great many stories and I still don't know how to go about it except to write it and take my chances." John Steinbeck knew that the writing process is not magical. You basically just have to do it; just write. This is not a "how-to," it's more of an attempt to help you know the process so that none of this process will catch you off guard and you will know what to e...

I ran across this article on the web and thought it was excellent, thus worth sharing with you. The article, written by Rowena Crosbie was published through Tero International, Inc, An Elite Training Group, is titled 20 Tips for Engaging Your Audience . I do public speaking fairly regularly as a writing instructor as well as a Bible study teacher. I speak at women's events as well as in college classrooms. Even though I have done a lot of public speaking and a lot of writing, I still learned from this great list and I hope you can learn, too. Even though this article was written for public speaking, the principles within apply easily to writing for publication. Writing for publication requires a writer to keep their audience in mind while writing. Happy Writing! ~Tricia

Today, we wish a Happy Birthday to Theodore Seuss Geisel, better known to us all as Dr. Seuss. This article by About.com writer Richard Nordquist is an excellent tribute to a most talented writer. I thought it was good advice, the best I've ever heard, so it's prudent for me to pass it on to you. Take it to heart. Be a better writer as a result. ~Tricia