Writing and publishing articles by author Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
I’m a huge fan of dictation and use it for all my writing, not only my first draft but even as I edit. Using dictation, I can write about two thousand words an hour—compared to about five hundred words typing. My dictated words come out in pretty good shape, about 90 percent of the way […]
A reader emailed me. He said you recommended starting by writing short stories. Unfortunately, I’m already near finishing my first novel (which took years of planning). I skipped the step of starting with short stories. What should I do? The main benefit of writing short stories before writing a novel is to identify and learn […]
There are three basic types of editors (and they each have various names). Each type of editor requires a different skill set. Developmental Editor A developmental editor, sometimes called a comprehensive editor, looks at big picture issues. For fiction this includes items such as story arc, character development, writing voice, and plot issues. Nonfiction looks […]
Some writers say they can’t afford an editor, but I say you can’t afford to. No one can. But if you want options, here are three ideas come to mind: Barter First, look for an editor who will barter. They edit, and you perform a service of equal value. It might be writing-related or it […]
If you plan to publish your book with a traditional publisher, you’ll need an agent. Most publishers only work with agents. Even if you find a publisher who will work with you directly, you should still use an agent. Why is that? Because an agent will negotiate a better contract for you than you could […]
Some critique groups can be good, some are okay, and some are not good at all. Here’s what to look for in a critique group that I think is important. Critique Group Characteristics Critique Group Leader Also, look at the leader. Is the leader effective in maintaining focus and structure? If not, the group can […]
Finding a critique group is challenging, especially one that’s a good fit. Assuming you want a local group, ask area writers if they have any suggestions, check with bookstores (especially independents) to see if they know of any groups, and search online. If all this fails or doesn’t find you the right group, you can […]
With social media posts, I always want to direct people to my website, my home base, that I own and control. This means posting a link on social media. I do that on Twitter (because there isn’t room for the full post) and on Facebook (because a link is all I have time for). I […]
Finding time to read and still have time to write and attend to the rest of life is a challenge for me. Yet I know it’s critical to invest in reading to better inform my writing. Some people, those far more disciplined than I, chart out a reading course for the year, strategically picking books […]
Do you wonder about getting ISBNs for your indie-published books? It’s not too important to have an ISBN for e-books. I’ve heard of several successful indie authors who see no point in it. However, having an ISBN does make a book seem more professional and part of mainstream book publishing. But aside from the image […]