Fabulous Writing Tips

Multi-published author Patricia Simpson shares tips for self-publishing your book.  Click here for a  ⁠transcript⁠ .

If you get a low rating on a book, don't just roll your eyes and move on. Try to figure out what the reviewer is trying to tell you with that one star. Author Patricia Simpson shares some real world reviews she has received and how she leveraged them to improve her books.

Writers head hop all the time. But is this doing a disservice to our characters and readers? We can never know what another person thinks and feels. Not really. Not deep inside. Especially a person from another time, gender or culture. Join me as I have a meltdown.

When you’re writing a book, do you keep a separate calendar for it, so you know what is going on and when? When you edit your chapters, do you often struggle to locate a scene that needs to be changed? ( Where is that swordfight, anyway?) When you want to get a birds-eye view of your story for plotting purposes, do you get lost in the weeds of your book? If so, I’ve got a secret for you!  Rea...

When you are experiencing trouble in your life, it is easy to get discouraged and depressed. You may even feel that nothing matters or that anything you think or do is insignificant. Don't despair. Writing well may be the best revenge...

Use the if/then/issue/finesse method to build the pitch for your book. You get one sentence to capture an audience. Make it a high concept statement!

Staying positive and productive, even when our freedom is curtailed.

Learn why you might want to narrate your book before you publish it, and how narration can improve your writing. For tips on how to narrate your book, see https://patriciasimpson.com/tips

It’s the ultimate what if, isn’t it? If a planetary disaster occurs, how would we survive? More than any generation before us, we can envision this possibility. That is why we love stories that show us the way through.

There’s a fairly new genre called Dreadpunk. I have been writing Dreadpunk for years and didn’t know it! Do you know what you really like to read or write? Is it Dreadpunk or Steampunk?

Following your bliss can transform your life and bring back your sense of joy.