So, you want to write a book. Or perhaps you’ve written one and would like to write more. Where should you start? How can you make this writing year your most productive yet?  Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned writer with multiple books in print, these five habits will […]

Here we are! The last week of 2023. We’ve had a great year here at Writing from the Peak; readership traverses ten countries! Many thanks to our contributors again for sharing their vast knowledge and expertise. It’s exceptional working with and getting to know each of you. I can’t wait to […]

Each year Pikes Peaks Writers asks conference attendees for their feedback. If you’re wondering what makes the Pikes Peak Writers Conference special, Dear Readers, I introduce you to Jenna MacFarlane. Jenna is a member of Pikes Peak Writers and the author of Hardware Stories and her memoir, Hindsight. Thank you, […]

By Donna Schlachter Networking and Online Author Groups Marketing—arrgh! Groups—double arrgh! When it comes to being a writer, I know I need to get out there. Get my books in front of readers. Get my projects in front of publishers or agents. Connect with other writers. Pay it forward, so […]

What is Mindset?  Merriam-Webster defines mindset as “a mental attitude or inclination.”  It’s the way you tend to think about things. Your mindset can be positive or negative or somewhere in between. It can change from season to season or situation to situation. But the thing is, you can control it.  […]

By Bowen Gillings The job of an author contains a load of responsibilities beyond putting words on the page. Every author must revise, get edited, network, promote, and run a business—and seek out cover artists, contests, conferences, and conventions. We must read to understand where our stories fit in our […]

From the Editor Hello, Dear Writers, It’s a busy time of year for many of us. Lots of Holidays are just around the bend. I wanted to take a moment to encourage you to slow down and take it all in and also to let you know that we are […]

By Sam Knight Filler words, also known as null words, are words that add no meaning to a sentence. They are extra, useless things, like raisins in cookies. Just kidding. I don’t like them, but some people do. I mention that because the same is true of filler words. Some […]

There is more to proofing a book than just reading the story. At some point in every writer’s career, you’ll be asked to proof a final version of your work. Sure, you’ll have various editors doing this, but you’ll need to be a part of it, too. After all, it’s […]

By Deborah L. Brewer Writers know it’s hard to materialize a phantasm into words that fully express all it means to us. It’s not merely clarifying our thoughts that proves difficult; it’s facing our feelings. The dream about being naked on a school bus and the story about the emperor’s […]

by Kim Olgren Why Enter a Writing Contest Humans have been creating contests since the dawn of time. Olympic athletes, your local sports teams, and every game show on TV are all forms of contests. However, the competitors in these contests all have one thing in common. Some kind of […]

By Donna Schlachter Reaching Readers without Leaving Your House Paid and Free Promotions Promotions—for most authors, mention that word, and they start rolling their eyes and backing away. Inherently, we don’t like promotions. It feels—well, like we’re trying to sell something that nobody wants. It makes us feel sleazy, like […]

By Trista Herring Baughman Hello, Dear Readers! Autumn has arrived, and once again, I’m cranking up the spooky tunes, baking my favorite Fall treats with the kids, and watching my favorite Spooky-season movies. Of course, all of this leads to telling scary stories. We read them (The Scariest Stories You’ve […]

Ahoy, scallywags—er, mateys! It’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day, savvy?  A Bit o’ History In 1995, friends John Baur (AKA “Ol’ Chumbucket”) and Mark Summers (AKA “Cap’n Slappy”), decided to create this quirky, fun holiday dedicated to celebrating pirate culture. Ever since then on September 19 each year, everyone, […]

By: K.J. Scrim Do your characters seem to be missing that spark? Are they feeling flat as the paper they are being written on? Maybe you need to do an in-depth profile of that character. You already did one? You might consider refreshing it. Get into your character’s mind Character […]

An Interview by Deborah L. Brewer Fantasy Fiction explores magic and supernatural elements, set in imaginative worlds. When we think of Fantasy, series such as J. R. R. Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring and George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, naturally come to mind. But the Fantasy genre encompasses […]

By: Margena Holmes When I decided to write this blog I thought, “How can I—a person who doesn’t manage her time very well—write this?” Well, like a true writer, I researched! Writing—any kind of writing—takes up a lot of time with planning, writing, or editing. Some people have oodles of […]

by Trista Herring Baughman These days one needs a little more than pen and paper to get their stories out into the world and their readers’ hands. There are lots of great author tools out there, but I’ve found these five (which I’m about to discuss) are the minimal essentials […]

By Donna Schlachter Reaching Readers Without Leaving Your House Guest Blogging So far this year we’ve covered three topics related to Marketing for Introverts—Reaching readers without leaving your house. They are: Connecting with readers where they are (February); Facebook and other social media (April); and Newsletters (June). Hopefully, you’ve had […]

An Interview by Deborah L. Brewer What’s not to love about middle-grade books, so full of curiosity and can-do spirit? Writing for middle-grade readers is a great way to introduce children to a lifelong love of reading and a great market for book sales, too. In the United States, in […]

By Margena Holmes As an author, it’s not enough to just have a website for your books. To make your name and work known, you need to have a social media presence, too. But how does one do that? And with so many different ones, where do you start? Here […]

By Deborah Brewer What author’s work would you emulate? A simple copy work exercise could be your masterclass. Over the centuries, students of writing have hand-copied sales letters, poetry, scripture, legal documents, and even passages from scientific journals. Not to plagiarize, but to learn. Copying prose and poetry longhand is […]

By Trista Herring Baughman Many writers experience writer’s block, a feeling of being stuck and unable to move forward in their story. While some writers don’t believe it exists, others dread it and find it frustrating. The positive aspect is that regardless of whether it is real or perceived, it […]

by Jeff Schmoyer You may have heard the term “going wide” regarding self-publishing. This means making your title available in as many places as possible, rather than taking an easy (sort of) route and only publishing on Amazon. Amazon can get your masterpiece into the world in eBook, softback, and […]

By Deborah Courtney   If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living. — Gail Sheehy   Growth and change feel uncomfortable. Because of that most people avoid them. Like the plague. And they end up on a path that feels meaningless and repetitive. […]