I have been called the POV police, and I’m not mad. As an editor, I am on the lookout for all kinds of issues, character consistency, scene development, sentence structure, and so on, but I am particularly sensitive to shifts in the point-of-view of the narrative that confuse readers or pull them out of the story.

The following article assumes that you are self-publishing. If you are going the traditional route, your publisher will be the one paying for and making the final decisions about your illustrator and illustrations. This article is also primarily targeted towards picture books, however, it may provide some guidance for cover images as well. So you have finished your book, completed the editing process, and now you are ready to have it illustrated. Style There are many styles for children’s book illustrations and you should know going in what your vision is for the book. Some of the categories you should consider are whether you want realistic artwork or more of…

Many authors struggle with the decision of whether to self-publish or not. I cannot advise you on the route you should take in publishing your book, this is a personal decision. But here are some things to consider as you make the decision. At the most basic level, the main differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing are time and money.

Have you ever given someone directions on how to make your favorite recipe then left out an important ingredient or step because it is so second-nature to you that you didn’t even think to mention it? Oversights and many more errors of that type will hang on in your work with the tenacity of a teenager gripping a cell phone. A fresh pair of trained eyes will uncover holes in the plot, inconsistencies in your characters’ behavior, the grammar mistakes you commonly make, the things you cannot see because you are too close to the work. And then there are the errors you will read over and over and never…

At least once a week, someone approaches me with a final draft of their manuscript asking for advice on publishing their manuscript. I love to help. It is such an exciting time, like attending the birth of a baby.

Nerissa Golden recently posted “It’s October! Are you ready to finish the year strong?” Then my son said to me-“You have to figure out how you work best and make that environment happen.”

Book reviews are gifts to authors and to readers. A definite win-win.

I write fiction and teach fiction and in my teaching I recommend planning novels, especially for first-time novelist. However, a lot of people ask me about memoir-writing, and the number one question I get? How do I start? The answer: Change your mindset and your tools!

I have been inspired a lot by quotes recently. This one is the latest. This quote reminds me to challenge myself often to look at my motives for doing things and to make sure they continue to fit with my view on life. When it comes to my writing, I struggle with one basic “I’ve always done it that way.” I like to write with pen and paper. Yes, I said it. Actually physically, hold in the hand and write with pen and paper. I know: It dates me. It slows my productivity. I lose my notes occasionally (read regularly). I used to claim that my brain was stimulated when…