A week ago, I urged you to come on a publication journey with me, one where I walk you through the process of planning, writing, and submitting a short story. This is the second post in the four-part series on how to publish a short story. By the end, you’ll have a story ready to send out to publications!

If you’re a little late to the party, never fear! You can still participate. Look back at the first two steps and then join me back here.

This week, we’re going to concentrate on writing and the first edit.

NOTE: Throughout this series, DO NOT post your work in the comments. I’m going to ask you to submit to a publisher at the end of this series and posting it here would be considered publishing it. Our Write Practice Pro community is a great place to workshop your story before you submit it.

Writing Your Story

By now, you should have a literary magazine or publication in mind and have the answers to a couple of basic questions. Maybe you brainstormed or did a full outline. Bonus points if you’ve got a draft! (But don’t worry if you don’t.)

Now pick up the pen and write the thing!

This series is focused on how to submit stories and isn't meant to be a masterclass in short story writing, but I’ve tried to include as many basics as I can. For further information on writing shorts, check this out.

If you’ve got a draft already, this post will still be useful to you, so don’t skip reading it!

3. First Draft: Write in One Sitting

Smile. This is the fun part.

Short stories are meant to be consumed in a single sitting, so it makes sense to write them in one. This isn't as daunting as it seems. You'll find your enthusiasm will drive you to the end, and the story will flow much better.

Sit down and write. Write quickly. Write badly. Just write.

This is not the time to worry about your word count. Wait, what? I know. I told you to pick out a publication, and they’ve given you a word count to stick to. Ignore that for the moment.

Right now, your job is to tell your story. The story will let you know when it’s finished. Overwriting is fine, and actually encouraged, at this stage. On the opposite end, if you’re lacking in words, that’s okay, too. You can always fill in more description later.

For now, just let it flow.

But do remember the four questions I gave you the last time and keep them in mind as a roadmap for going forward. Don’t worry if you get a little lost or off-track. Sometimes stories insist on a life of their own. Don’t panic. That’s normal.

4. Break Time

When you’ve written the last word and are riding that rush of excitement, I need you to do something vitally important: TAKE A BREAK! This is so important, I've included it as one of the steps instead of simply mentioning it in passing.

Put the story away and out of your mind. I recommend a three-day hiatus at this stage. That’s just enough for you to forget what you wrote and why you wrote it that way, but not enough time to lose interest in the story.

Don’t look at it. Don’t edit it. Don’t even think about it.

Read a book, get some sleep, or work on another story. Fight the urge to edit right away!

5. Second Draft: Get Critical

This is the less fun but crucial part. Your first draft is not perfect.

Say it with me now: MY FIRST DRAFT IS NOT PERFECT!

You’ve had a break and hopefully you've forgotten why you loved this specific turn of phrase or that overlong description. Now you’re going to get brutal. You’re going to cut, add, and rearrange with all the mercy of a general on a battlefield.

First things first: Make sure your story is a story! This might sound obvious, but sometimes it’s not.

When I first started writing shorts, it was all nonsense. Halfway decent prose, but utter nonsense. There was no point. There was no character development. There was no climax. It took a long time for me to realize I was getting rejected because I hadn’t written a story.

A short is different from a novel. You don’t have time to ramble. But a short story is still a story and needs to read like one. It must contain all the elements I mentioned mine lacked. And it must have a beginning, middle, and end.

Here are a few short story fundamentals to achieve that goal:

Elements of a Short Story: What Should Be

1. Start with action: No overly complicated scene setting or a ton of character inner musings needed. Get the story moving.
2. Show, don’t tell: Telling seems like a good way to get to the point, right? Nope. A short story is still a story, not a sequence of events spat out in synopsis form by a robot. This happens, then this happens, and finally this happens, is an outline, not a narrative.
3. Good pacing: Good shorts don’t spend too much time on description and rush through the action. They flow well from one scene to the next, and none of those scenes are unnecessary.
4. Climax and efficient build up to it: Every single word in a short story needs to drive the reader to the climax. Move toward that climax efficiently. If there’s something that doesn’t serve this purpose, chop it. And make sure your climax is in there!
5. Satisfying resolution: So many writers end their short fiction at the climax, thinking it’s more exciting. But the resolution matters just as much as the other elements of story structure. Your ending must wrap up your story. It needs to be clear, there can be a twist or surprise (but make sure that surprise isn’t coming out of nowhere), and there needs to be a change from the way things were in the beginning.

Common Short Story Mistakes: What Shouldn’t Be

1. Overcomplicated plot: Again, keep it simple. Shorts revolve around one central theme, action, upheaval, or event. If you’ve got a bunch of B plots, your story probably isn’t suited for the structure of a short.
2. Too much backstory and world-building: Only tell us what we need to know, when we need to know it. You can know every little detail about your character’s third-grade experience or the ecosystem of your fictional planet, but is it necessary for your reader to know? This is a general rule when writing, but especially so for shorts. You don’t have the space to tell us everything. Stick to the point.
3. Bad dialogue: This is one of the things I see the most with short stories. One way to fix this is to read your dialogue aloud, preferably with a partner. If it sounds funny coming out of your mouth, it’s not right. Remember, people rarely use another person’s name when talking to them and contractions are your friend.
4. Head hopping: Stay in one point of view. There’s not enough time or space in a short to skip around.
5. Abrupt ending: Make sure you haven’t just cut off your story to stay within the word count. (The climax is not the ending!) Take us all the way through.

Write, Write, Write!

For the next two weeks, concentrate on getting through the first and second drafts using the tips above. This might get frustrating at points. You may want to give up. Don’t. You’ll get through it.

And most importantly: Your writing DOES NOT suck! (We all need that little reminder now and then.)

Still wondering how to publish a short story? Don't worry. In the next post, I’ll go over getting feedback and the nitpicky edits of the third draft. Soon, your story will be publication ready!

Which short story elements do you think you do the best? Which do you think you need to work on? Let me know in the comments.

The article How to Publish a Short Story: Write Your First and Second Drafts appeared first on The Write Practice. The Write Practice - Transforming Aspiring Writers into Published Authors

Valentine's Day is almost here! Whether you celebrate with a love letter, candy hearts, flowers, or nothing at all, you can hone your writing skills with one of our fun Valentine's Day writing prompts. Give one a try! 

Valentine's Day has a complicated history, depending on who you ask. It's been called a celebration of a martyr, a festival heralding a coming spring, and a holiday for lovers. 

But you don't have to frame it as a romantic holiday to have fun with one of the writing activities below. 

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts

1. Describe a perfect Valentine's gift and what makes it perfect for you. (Bonus if you can describe the perfect gift for someone else too!)

2. If you could throw an amazing Valentine's Day party, who would you invite and what would you do?

3. Write about a happy memory from a past Valentine's Day. 

4. Imagine you're in a long-distance relationship. How could you celebrate together from far away? 

5. If you owned a neighborhood flower shop, what top three flowers would you specialize in and why?

6. Imagine you opened a counter where people could exchange their bad gifts. Write a story of one such exchange. 

7. If you could celebrate Valentine's Day with one famous person (or one special person), who would it be and why? 

8. Write cards to people in your life who have helped you recently or just because you're thinking of them. 

9. What is your favorite music to listen to when you've suffered a broken heart and why? 

10. Imagine you find your perfect partner only to realize they aren't what they seem. What happens?

11. Write about your favorite holiday treats: a box of chocolates, conversation hearts, a piece of chocolate cake, crème brûlée, whatever you love. 

12. What are the non-negotiables in any romantic relationship? Why are those qualities so important?

13. Imagine you're handed six paper hearts, and you can only write one word on each to tell a friend how much you appreciate them. What do you write?

14. What is the most beautiful gift you've ever received that could not be bought in a store? 

Bonus: Write a fictional history of Valentine's Day, including how it should be commemorated now. 

Now, We Write 

Hopefully, one of those prompts sparks an idea this Valentine's Day. Need more prompts? Consider our February Writing Prompts or our Winter Writing Prompts. 

What do you love or hate about Valentine's Day? Share in the comments. 

The article 14 Valentine’s Day Writing Prompts appeared first on The Write Practice. The Write Practice - Transforming Aspiring Writers into Published Authors

There are so many incredible podcasts for writers out there, but which ones will help you the most with your publishing, editing, and writing goals? Here are some of our community’s favorite picks to support you at every stage of your journey.

1. The Two Authors' Podcast

If you want a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to build a lasting writing career, look no further than The Two Authors Podcast, hosted by bestselling authors Douglas Pratt and Nicholas Harvey.

Pratt, Harvey, and their guests share writing and publishing advice alongside honest and straightforward insight into the industry, helping you grow your author career (and have a few laughs along the way).

This podcast is great for writers who want a realistic (yet entertaining) insight into the writing craft and publishing world. 

Check them out here: The Two Authors’ Podcast (Apple)

The Two Authors’ Podcast (Spotify) 

2. The Creative Penn Podcast for Authors

Joanna Penn is a writing powerhouse, having written more than forty books and topping the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. She’s sold more than a million books, and is now helping other writers with her weekly podcast.

With more than 800 episodes in her catalogue, Penn’s podcast covers everything writers need, including interviews, craft tips, and advice on publishing and marketing. Recent episodes include, “Research Like An Academic, Write Like An Indie with Melissa Addey” and “Selling Books Live On Social Media with Adam Beswick.”

This podcast is great for when you want expert craft, publishing, and marketing advice all in one place.

Check it out here: The Creative Penn Podcast For Authors

3. Fiction Writing Made Easy 

Sometimes, you just want to get straight to the heart of a matter, and that’s where Fiction Writing Made Easy by Savannah Gilbo shines. 

Savannah uses her experience as a developmental editor and book coach to provide clear and practical writing, editing, and publishing advice for fiction writers, covering topics like how to create natural dialogue and story structure tips. If you’ve got around 15-30 minutes spare, you should definitely check this podcast out.

This podcast is great for fiction writers who want quick and straightforward publishing and writing tips.

Check it out here: Fiction Writing Made Easy

4. Writing Excuses

The tagline for this podcast might be, “Fifteen minutes long, because you’re in a hurry, and we’re not that smart,” but don’t think that means you’ll get second-rate discussions here. 

Writing Excuses is a fun yet extremely informative podcast that will help you learn more about the writing craft and become a stronger writer. Episodes cover topics like plotting methods, how to write a beginning that keeps people reading, and the writing process. It even includes homework exercises at the end to help you get even more out of the discussion. .

This podcast is great for writers who want focused lessons on the writing craft.

Check it out here: Writing Excuses

5. Creative Pep Talk

So many writers (myself included) struggle with things like self-doubt, procrastination, and getting stuck in the creative process. If that sounds familiar to you too, this weekly podcast could be just the thing to help.

While not exclusively for writers, these episodes will still help you with your writing, whether it's through talking about goal setting, helping you push through fear, or just encouraging you to keep going.

The host, NYT Bestselling Author Illustrator Andy J. Pizza, combines practical advice with emotional support, providing tips and encouragement to help you be the creative you want to be. 

This podcast is great for writers who want encouragement and advice for their creative process.

Check it out here: Creative Pep Talk (Apple )

6. Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

If you want to dive into the nuances of language and grammar, don't miss Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. 

These bite-sized episodes, usually coming in at around 15 minutes or so, are a quick and easy way to help improve your grammar, understanding of language, and writing style in general. 

This podcast is great for when you want short grammar and language lessons that help sharpen your writing without feeling overwhelming.

Check it out here: Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing (Apple) 

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing (Spotify) 

7. Self Publishing Insiders 

Publishing your book is never easy, but it can be especially difficult if you go down the self-publishing route and are taking on all the responsibilities of creating a polished, professional book yourself. 

Draft2Digital hosts Kevin Tumlinson, Mark Leslie Lefebvre, and Dan Wood make this process a little easier with their weekly podcast, where they and their guests talk about everything from writing advice to marketing tips and finding the best software and tools for you and your book.

This podcast is great for indie authors who are navigating self-publication and want practical and professional support from the experts.

Check it out here: Self Publishing Insiders (Apple)

8. Self Publishing with ALLi

Self Publishing with ALLi (from the Alliance of Independent Authors) offers so many options when it comes to its episodes, you'll definitely find something for you here to help you on your self-publishing journey.

Every Wednesday, you can tune in to listen to an episode from one of their four rotating segments. These segments are: Publishing for Profit with Joe Solari; Branding, Marketing, & Promotion with Orna Ross; Production & Distribution with Anna Featherstone; and Editing and Design with Matty Dalrymple. 

You can also listen to Self Publishing News with Dan Holloway every Friday, as well as a mix of interviews and Q&A episodes on Sundays.

These informative episodes are easy to listen to and provide excellent insight into different aspects of the self-publishing process. And being divided so neatly into different areas, you can pick and choose which one is best for you (or listen to them all!).

This podcast is great for indie authors who are either interested in self-publishing or have already self-published and want targeted advice and support on that journey.

Check it out here: Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast

9. Writers, Ink.

Each week, hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Kevin Tumlinson, and Jana Brown dig deep into how to have a successful writing career.

The podcast is conversational, entertaining, and informative, with fantastic insight into what’s happening in the industry. It also has product reviews and other practical tips to help you take the next step in your career and become a better writer.

This podcast is great for aspiring authors who want insight into the industry, writing tips, and advice on how to forge a successful career. 

Check it out here: Writer's Ink Podcast

10. The Rebel Author Podcast 

Want your creative advice to come with a bit of an edge? The Rebel Author Podcast might be for you. 

Bestselling author and speaker Sacha Black hosts this podcast, which is a mix of “fireside chats” with fellow bestselling author Rachel Herron, as well as more targeted episodes on different elements of writing and publishing.

The fireside chats are more relaxed, but still include great tips and insight into the industry. And with other episodes covering a wealth of different topics, such as selling your books, getting unstuck with your writing, and creating tension in your work, these interesting and entertaining episodes will help you at all stages of your writing journey. 

A word of warning though, the episodes do have some adult language!

This podcast is great for writers who want straight-talking advice on writing, publishing, and marketing.

Check it out here: The Rebel Author Podcast

Bonus: Joe Bunting’s Character Test

Characters are at the heart of our stories, and the best way to make yours stronger is to learn from the greats. In Joe’s podcast, he looks at some of our favorite characters in literature as well as the lessons we can learn from them.

This podcast is great for writers who want to learn more about characterization and write even better stories. 

Check it out here: Joe Bunting's Character Test (Spotify)

Keep your eyes peeled for The Write Practice’s book studies podcast coming soon too!

What’s Your Favorite Podcast for Writers?

With so many fantastic podcasts out there, it’s easier than ever to find great tips, advice, and insight into the world of writing. Here are some of our favorites, but what podcasts do you love listening to? Please feel free to share in the comments. I’m looking forward to hearing about even more great podcasts! 

What’s your favorite writing podcast? Let us know in the comments.

The article The Best Podcasts for Writers: Our Top 10 Picks appeared first on The Write Practice. The Write Practice - Transforming Aspiring Writers into Published Authors

It’s easy as a writer to fall into the trap of shiny new toys. There's an endless number of book writing software programs claiming to be the best at one thing or another, from Microsoft Word to Scrivener to Vellum—and the list goes on and on.

They flash their sexy features at you and promise to be the very thing you need to become the writer you want to be. But sadly, these programs will not make you into the writer you want to be. They offer the world, but often only take your time.

That's why I would like to offer a defense for using the industry book writing software standard, Microsoft Word.

Just a quick heads up: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. This won’t affect the price you pay, and it doesn’t influence any of my opinions or recommendations.

The Secret to Choosing the Right Book Writing Software

In chapter seven of his leadership classic, Good to Great, Jim Collins addresses the issue of new technology and how businesses should use them. (Before you say that this doesn't apply to you because you are not running a business, if you are publishing what you write in hopes of someday making money, then you have started a small business, and Collins’s book has loads of wisdom for you.)

When it comes to technology, Collins says that truly great companies understand how and when to embrace shiny new toys. “Good to great organizations,” Collins says, “think differently about technology and technological change than mediocre ones.”

While the average company seeks to use every new technology that arises to solve their problems, great companies use technology as “an accelerator of momentum, not a creator of it.”

What Does it Take to Become a Great Writer?

Pause for a moment and ask yourself, what does it take to become a great writer?

Like mastering any skill, becoming a great writer takes discipline, focus, intentionality, and hours upon hours of practice.

• Scrivener may be a wonderful tool for dividing up book chapters and helping you organize information, but it is not going to put your butt in the chair and help you bang out those words.
• Vellum may be a wonderful tool for formatting, but it is not going to hammer out chapter after chapter until your plot holes are full.
• While Grammarly may spot potential errors for you, it will not wake you up early before work so you can write and keep you up late at night until the manuscript is finished.

This is what Collins means when he says technologies should be used as an accelerant, not a momentum creator. If you aren’t already putting in the hard work to be the kind of writer you want to be, it doesn’t matter what new writing software you invest in. It is not going to help.

In fact, often new technologies can be a distraction. Each writing software program has its quirks. When we switch to something new, we have to invest time in learning how to use it. Not only are we trying to master the craft of writing, but we are trying to master new tech as well. And if we are always chasing the new thing, hoping it will make us into the writers we want to be, then we will exponentially slow our progress as writers.

So what is a new writer to do? If the fancy programs aren't going to solve your problems, where should you turn?

3 Invaluable Strengths of Microsoft Word

When you are learning the daily discipline of writing, I recommend using Microsoft Word for three simple reasons. (In a recent article comparing Scrivener to Word, Joe Bunting explained the strengths of Word. I recommend you go back and look at the reasons he laid out as they make my case for the software. I will do my best not to repeat his arguments.)

1. Word Is the Foundation

MS Word is the standard all the other programs are built on. Word was one of the first writing software programs on the scene, which means it set the tone for the features programs need to have, and it continues to do so. As Microsoft Word goes through evolutions, the other writing software programs follow suit.

Therefore, if you can master Word, you can master any of the others because you understand where they are coming from.

When you are developing the daily discipline of writing, you might as well do it on a program that is going to help you graduate to something else in the future. Once you understand your strengths and weaknesses as a writer, you can then make a decision about what specialized technology you need to master. And if you have learned how to be a writer on Word, you will easily make a jump to something else because its creators had Word in mind when they made it.

2. Word Is Common Among Non-Writers

When I finish a book, the first thing I do is send it to beta-readers. Before I publish it, I need fresh eyes on it. Because I have written it in Word, anyone can read it.

While fancy book-writing software programs might be popular among writers, Word is the standard for professionals. It's in every university. It's at almost every business. Even if a business isn't using Word, they have a way to convert and read Word documents.

Being able to attach your book to an email and send it off to a friend for a second opinion is invaluable. Word allows you to do that simply, without hassle.

Additionally, if you turn on the “Track Changes” feature, Word allows those readers to review your work without making permanent changes to the document. When they return the book to you, you won't have to search it for changes. They will be marked and ready for you to accept or reject.

3. Every Platform Accepts Word

I’ve used Word to write and “publish wide” three novels, two short stories, and four compilations with other authors. Most recently, in fact, I published a new short story using Amazon KDP, Kobo Writing Life, and Draft to Digital. While each platform wants something a little different, all three distribution platforms will accept a document I can create with MS Word.

When you do finish your work and it is time to distribute, Word has what you need to get the job done.

Microsoft Word

From $99.99/year

Microsoft Word is the industry standard word processing software. While limited in its features for writing books, it provides a familiar platform for writers to create, share, and review their work.

Pros:

• Familiar Interface: Known and used by many, making collaboration easier.
• Extensive Features: Provides a wide range of writing and formatting tools.

Cons:

• Cost: Requires a subscription to Microsoft 365.
• Lack of Book Writing Features: Despite its extensive feature set, it lacks specialized tools for book writing included with applications like Scrivener or Dabble.
• Lack of Real-Time Collaboration: While it offers some collaboration features, it falls short in real-time collaborative editing compared to some cloud-native applications like Google Docs.

Buy Now

Our Review

Choose Wisely

While other book writing software programs might have flashy features that promise to make you an incredible writer, until you've built the habits and disciplines you need as a writer, until you know your strengths and weaknesses, don't be lured in by their siren song. Rather, learn to be a writer on the industry standard.

Those other programs will only accelerate what you are currently doing. They won't create new momentum. If you can publish with Microsoft Word, then the other programs will feel familiar when you are ready to try something new.

You can get Microsoft Word with Office 2024 or Microsoft 365 here.

If you're looking for programs to accelerate your writing, check out our list of the Top 10 Pieces of Software for Writers (hint: Microsoft Word is #10!).

And if you'd like more tips on how to write a book in Microsoft Word (including our best book formatting advice), make sure you read our article here.

Do you use Microsoft Word for your writing? What makes it useful for you? Let us know in the comments.

The article The Best Book Writing Software for New Writers: Microsoft Word appeared first on The Write Practice. The Write Practice - Transforming Aspiring Writers into Published Authors

How do you write when you don't have time to write? When your life is full and busy with job, school, family, and other obligations, it can be tough to squeeze in writing. But don't give up—there are ways to keep writing even if you don't have time to sit down with a pen and paper.

When a writer voices frustration about not being able to write, often the advice given is some form of “you just have to suck it up, create a writing schedule, and do it.” The assumption behind this well-intentioned reply is that the hurdle to overcome is fear of judgment or procrastination or an inability to do something that isn’t perfect.

While those are all real barriers to writing that some authors need to overcome through a combination of force of will and giving oneself grace, sometimes the barrier to writing is something more concrete, like a real lack of time. We might have all the willpower in the world, but if we don’t have time, we will feel stuck, and our writing will stagnate.

How do we keep moving forward with our work when we don’t have any time?

No Time to Write

I’ve faced the problem of a lack of time over the past month. With aging parents who need care and attention, five growing kids who need transportation to their activities, and a day job that is currently demanding every free moment, there is nothing left of my week for writing.

Please don’t hear this as complaining. I’m thankful for my parents, kids, and job. I’m happy to invest in them. But at the same time, I’m simply facing the hard truth that time is the only commodity we have that can’t be earned back or replaced once it is spent. When it is gone, it is gone. And right now, I have to spend the limited amount I have in other places.

To make matters more complicated, I’m in the middle of launching a new series. The first two books were published in early March, and the third is outlined and waiting for me to put my butt in the chair and write it.

Unfortunately, until novels are my full-time job, it will have to wait. My family and the work that pays the bills have to come first. Right now, they need me to spend all my seconds on them.

At the same time, I can’t just let go of the third book because I know that if I let it go dormant, picking it back up will be a thousand times harder.

It’s a pickle.

4 Ways to Write When You Have No Time to Write

On the one hand, I have no time. On the other, I need to keep working on my book or I’ll lose the momentum and have to start over from scratch.

Do you ever feel the same? Maybe you have family commitments as well or a to-do list that never ends, which puts book writing on the backburner.

If this sounds familiar, here are four things I do to keep working on my writing when I have no time. My hope is that they will be helpful to you as well.

1. Practice Scenes in Your Head

I have a forty-five minute commute to work every morning. It kills me because I know that is forty-five minutes I could be writing, but instead I’m stuck behind the wheel of a car.

Even so, that time doesn’t have to go to waste. Often, I will turn off the music or podcast I’m listening to and instead use that time to imagine a scene from the book I wish I was writing. If I can get a scene visually in my head, writing it later is exponentially easier.

Start practicing imagining your scenes as if they were movie clips. When you have a moment alone, visualize the scene. Watch the characters interact and listen to their dialog. Enjoy the action as it unfolds in your mind. This mental work will pay off later.

I find the best time to do this is when I’m sleeping. It doesn’t always work, but sometimes if I go to sleep thinking about a scene, a will wake up with a clear vision of the scene in my mind. It’s great multi-tasking if you can get your dreams to cooperate.

2. Make Notes on the Fly

I carry a small notepad with me wherever I go because I never know when an idea is going to hit, and I want to be ready. For example, I was waiting for a meeting to start at work yesterday and an idea about the plot of my next book struck me. I was glad I had my notepad with me to quickly jot down the thought.

Carrying some form of notepad (or even using the notes app on your phone) can be a helpful way to grab ideas as they come. In the pad, we don’t need to journal out complete thoughts. We just need to capture sentences or notions or plot points.

Often, I find I don’t even need to look back at my notes later. The act of writing them down solidifies them in my mind.

3. Look for Stand-Ins

One of the most difficult things for me to get right in a novel is my character’s physical description. If I'm left to my own devices, all my characters come out as weird blobs that have no exact form.

To solve this issue, I will look for stand-ins from the real world. For example, in an urban fantasy series I wrote, there was a giant named Rothman. Whenever I write him, I think about Dwayne the Rock Johnson in the movie Hercules. It helps give a face to my character.

Finding stand-ins is something we can do when we don’t have time to sit in the chair and pound out words. We can keep a list of characters in our heads and look for people to represent them in the world around us.

It will save us time in the future when we do have a moment to sit and write because we won’t have to waste those precious seconds debating a character’s appearance.

4. Get to Know the Voice Memo Feature of Your Phone

I was going through a similar season of busyness after publishing my second book. I wanted to work on book three in that series, but I could never find the time.

One day, while I was waiting for my car’s oil to be changed, inspiration hit. I didn’t have a journal or a laptop with me, so I whipped out my phone, hit record on the voice memo app, and started talking. In fifteen minutes, I was able to describe several scenes that later became cornerstones of the book.

If you have a cell phone, it likely has some way to record audio messages. Spend ten minutes Googling your phone model and figuring out how to use it. Then, whenever something comes to mind, record it as a voice message for future you to write about.

The Problem of Time

Maybe your problem isn’t fear or procrastination. Maybe you are like me, and your problem is that your top priorities are demanding everything you have. If that is the case, I hope some of the strategies above help you keep your project going even if you don’t have time.

Do you have other tricks you use to keep your writing fresh when you are busy? Share them in the comments below so we can all benefit from them.

The article How to Keep Writing When You Don’t Have Time to Write appeared first on The Write Practice. The Write Practice - Transforming Aspiring Writers into Published Authors

A lot of you have just finished participating in The Write Practice’s Short Story Publication Challenge. You’re pumped, inspired, enthused. You feel good about establishing a writing habit. Now what?

Now you submit it. Then you write another and submit that one too. 

This post is the first in a four-part series that will show you how to publish a short story, walking you through the process of planning, writing, and submitting a short story. At the end of the series, you’ll have a short story ready for submission!

Don’t be nervous. We’re going to do this together.

NOTE: Throughout this series, DO NOT post your work in the comments. I’m going to ask you to submit to a publisher at the end of this series and posting it here would be considered publishing it. Our writing community is a great place to workshop your story before you submit it.

How to Publish a Short Story

So you want to publish a short story. What comes first? Where do you start? Do you really know how to publish a short story?

Never fear. Today, let's walk through the first two steps:

1. Choose a Publication

If you’re anything like me, you write what you want to write and don’t worry about where you’re going to submit it. That’s great. Follow that muse.

But, for the purpose of this series, we’re going to focus on picking a publication BEFORE you begin writing. This will give you focus throughout the process.

There are a lot of places out there to submit. Also here, here, here, and here.  You get the picture.

Take the time to investigate before you settle on that particular publication. If you can afford to buy at least one of their past issues or anthologies, do so. What they've previously published are gems that can give great insight into what they like and don’t like. If you can't buy an issue, try to do as much research as possible and read their submission guidelines for insight.

Read the guidelines for a few publications and see if you’d be interested in writing the type of story they want. (It doesn't have to be from one of the links provided.) Then settle on one and stick to it.

If you want to try for Glimmer Train or Tin House, that’s up to you. But don’t focus all your attention on the larger, more well-known literary magazines. Your chances of acceptance are better elsewhere (to start), and there’s nothing wrong with the little guys! Along those same lines, paid publications are great, but don't expect to make eight cents a word out of the gate.

NOTE: Pay attention to deadlines! 

2. Plan Your Story

We all have different processes when it comes to writing. There is no one-size-fits-all way to plan a short story. Or any writing, for that matter. Some people like to plot every detail, and some like to take pen to paper without knowing exactly what they’re writing.

Both methods are fine, but either way, there are some basic questions you should know before you begin. Here’s what I want you to think about before you outline or start to write:

1. Who’s your main character? Short stories are about one character. Keep it simple. This is a slice of life, not an epic.
2. What does your main character want? Every main character has to want something, even if, as Kurt Vonnegut said, it’s only a glass of water.
3. What’s getting in the way of your main character getting what s/he wants? Problems and obstacles are what make the story. If your character wants a glass of water and all she’s got to do is go to the tap, there is no story.
4. What’s the climax? One of the biggest mistakes I see in short stories is the lack of climax. Don’t forget it! You don’t have to know exactly what’s going to happen at this stage, but you should have a general idea. Without a destination, you don’t know where you’re going.

Keep in mind that short stories are different from novels. They are simpler in terms of scope, but that doesn't mean they're easy! Keep your focus narrow. Stay away from B plots, point of view switching, and verbose writing.

Stumped for ideas? Try one of our 100 best short story ideas.

Don't Stop There!

After you’ve answered these four questions, you can start brainstorming your obstacles, write an outline, or even start writing the story. Please don’t wait until my next post to think about getting started. Short stories have short fuses: The momentum will burn out if you leave it too long.

In my next post, I’ll go over the basic elements of a short story and common mistakes. At that point, you may have an outline, a draft, or a couple pages of brainstorming.

And by the end of this series, you'll know exactly how to publish a short story. In fact, you'll be ready to submit!

Have you ever finished a short story before? Have you ever submitted anything? How do you plan your stories? Let me know in the comments.

The article How to Publish a Short Story: Find Your Publication and Idea appeared first on The Write Practice. The Write Practice - Transforming Aspiring Writers into Published Authors

The shortest month of the year is here, and with it, we have some creative writing prompts to keep you warm and writing all month long. Check out our February writing prompts today. 

February marks the midpoint of winter here in the United States. It includes Groundhog Day, where we guess how many weeks of winter remain; Valentine's Day, when we celebrate love; and President's Day, when we remember George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

It's also Black History Month. In the past few years, I have taught in a school that has highlighted so many unsung African American heroes in American history, from musicians to inventors to scientists. It's become one of my favorite parts of the year. 

Whatever you celebrate this month, I hope you'll find ways to keep your pen moving across the page. Whether you are writing with students or to build your own writing skills or daily writing habit, use these 29 prompts to keep you writing all month long.

Journal Prompts

If you're looking for quick morning pages journaling prompts, look no further! Here are some prompts for daily use. 

1. What's one thing you are looking forward to today or this week and why.

2. Choose one object within sight and describe it. Then, imagine you don't know what it is, and create alternative uses based on your description. 

3. How important is love? Explain.

4. What qualities do you look for in a true friend?

5. How have you changed from this time last year? 

6. What is your favorite game to watch or play? (Can include sports, board games, children's games, etc.)

7. Imagine you were assigned a biography report of a famous person. Who could you report on without any further outside research, and what would you say about them?

8. How do you spend most of your days during the winter months? Do you wish they were spent differently? Why or why not?

9. Imagine you have a bucket list of books, films, or experiences you'd like to complete this year. What's on the list and why? 

10. Imagine a beautiful park you've visited. Describe it, including seasonal details. How does it change in various seasons?

11. What is something you could teach someone without preparation? Give a list of step-by-step instructions for making or accomplishing that skill or task. 

Story prompts

12. Your conversation hearts (candy hearts with words on them) spell out a warning. What does it say and what will you do?

13. You've gone to an amusement park with friends, but your fun is interrupted when…

14. A famous author runs a contest to share writing time with a budding writer. How does the author decide who to pick?

15. A bumbling inventor accidentally creates the solution to …

16. A magic light bulb casts shadows that give guidance to those who ask it questions. What do you ask and how does it answer? 

17. Your favorite character suddenly collides with the world of your least favorite book/ game/ tv show. How do they survive the encounter? 

18. A snow plow uncovers a portal to a magical world beneath the street, but there's one problem…

19. Your favorite memory starts replaying itself every time you go into the kitchen. What do you do? 

20. A chocolate maker receives a mysterious request for a wishing truffle. What do they do?

21. Three friends create a snow fort, and all is well until one day…

22. A bookshop owner begins finding tiny love letters in the books sold each day. Who is writing them and why?

February Monthly Writing Prompts

These prompts are focused on the calendar events that often fall in February, Use them as daily writing practice or as discussion starters with your students or writing group. 

23. Groundhog Day is February 2 in the U.S. and Canada, and while it isn't a day off, it's a fun way to predict how much longer the winter months will last. Write about a winter superstition or about a groundhog who ruins Groundhog Day. 

24. The Super Bowl is the championship game of the NFL. If you are a fan, write about which team you think will win and why. If you aren't a fan, write about your perceptions about sports in your culture. 

25. On President's Day in the U.S., we honor presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Write about how leaders can make a difference in the lives of the people they serve. 

26. February 14 is Valentine's Day and International Book Exchange Day. Choose three of your favorite books on your shelf and try to match them with friends, family, or colleagues. Which books would you give to which recipients and why? 

27. Mardi Gras is a celebration full of food and revelry. Write about how you celebrate (or would like to celebrate) Mardi Gras. 

28. February 26 is Letter to an Elder Day. Write a letter to someone older than you. If you know them, share it with them. 

29. If you could start a new tradition on Leap Day, what would it be and why would it only be celebrated every four years? 

Writing Time! 

Need some additional writing practice this winter? Check out our Winter Creative Writing Prompts for more fun writing practice or our big list of over 150 story ideas here. 

I hope these daily writing prompts have you itching to move your pen across the page. Keep the list (or your written journal entries!) handy the next time you're stuck trying to find an idea. February is a perfect time to get a writing habit going. It's the shortest month of the year! 

What do you love (or dislike) about February? Share in the comments.

The article February Writing Prompts appeared first on The Write Practice. The Write Practice - Transforming Aspiring Writers into Published Authors

I reached out to several writers in our community to ask whether joining a writing community has helped them get published, grow their audience, and make progress on their journey to becoming bestselling authors.

Getting published is an amazing, exciting process. It can also feel a little mysterious, especially if you’ve never done it before. What does it take to publish? More than that, what does it take to publish successfully—to publish a beautiful piece of writing and share it with crowds of readers?

I’ve worked with hundreds of writers as they navigated the publishing process, sometimes for the very first time. In fact, I built Foundations of Publishing, a premium publishing course included in our Author membership, to help writers master publishing.

The Fundamental Truth About Publishing

There’s one fundamental truth about publishing that many writers don’t realize. Here it is:

That may sound strange. There’s this stereotype of the great author secluded away in a cabin in the woods somewhere, writing all day and night in an isolated haven of inspiration. Eventually, he emerges with a genius manuscript, sends it off to a publisher, and publishes the next Great American Novel.

Personally, I believed that stereotype for a long time. But what I’ve found, and what the eleven writers I talked to have found, is that it’s simply not true.

On the contrary, if you want to be a successful author, you need other people.

Joining a Writing Community Can Help You Get Published

Some writers knew they needed a writing community around them in order to publish their writing. Rev. Jonathan Srock, an undelivered minister who shares his stories and writing about faith at jonathansrock.com, was looking for a community of writers when he joined our Foundations of Publishing course. “I joined the program so I could learn how to publish my work and be surrounded by a community of authors who understood what it was like. And I've made some great friends along the way!”

Others discovered along the way how important community is at every step of the writing journey. Imogen Mann, a recovering lawyer who writes fiction and business documentation at imogenmann.com, says her Foundations of Publishing community shifted her thinking about collaboration. “I've learned that the writing process is just as collaborative and multi-tiered as the publishing process,” she says. “This was a bit of a revelation but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense — it's the same in any profession.”

Pharmacist and novelist Kim Williams, credits the community she found with helping her actually follow through on publishing her writing. “Being part of a community of like-minded people is worth its weight in gold,” she says. “Left to my own devices, I may not have pursued my passion.”

Psychologist Suzanne Ruiter, who writes children’s books and articles about education at suzanneruiter.com, enjoys getting to know other writers who “get it,” who understand the joys and challenges of publishing your writing. “We writers need each other to get there,” she says. “We are busy doing a difficult job with a lot of tasks we have to get familiar with, and the best people we can find to support us are people who are learning to do so too.”

Each of these writers has connected with a writing group that supports them at every step—and each one points back to that community as a core part of their success.

Joining a Writing Community Is the Secret to Finding Readers for Your Writing

When I talk with writers about the importance of finding your Cartel, of building a community to give you a boost in your publishing efforts, I always hear some form of the same question:

But I want to share my writing with readers, not other writers. Why should I connect with writers instead?

I get it. We all want to build an audience of readers who will buy all our stories and books and even share them with their friends.

But here’s a truth that might surprise you: the way to build your audience of readers is to connect with other writers.

“I need to build a solid author platform and I feel that the first and best way to do it is to belong to a community of writers,” says Jane Kavuma-Kayonga, who writes stories to change people’s lives at apagefrommunakusbook834350529.blog.

Horror writer Iseult Murphy, who shares her writing at iseultmurphy.com, agrees. “I loved the emphasis [in Foundations of Publishing] on putting together a team of writers who would support and encourage you, and you them, on your writing journey. Then, when it came to your work being published, you had a network of people to help promote your work. I loved this idea and thought I would get plenty of useful tips on how to get my work read, which I did.”

“Most writers want to be read and I can only do that by sharing and being part of a bigger community,” says author David Rae. “Being part of the community has made me a better writer and more professional and ambitious in my approach.”

“Actual publication is easy, but . . . getting attention to what you publish is hard,” says award-winning children’s story author Tamara Paxton, who shares her writing at tamarapaxtoncopley.com. “I learned that getting an email list, writing cartel, and reviews are everything.”

For Karen Bellinger, a creator of stories across multimedia platforms, connecting with other writers was the difference between successful publication and shouting into the void. “This program has taught me that building a community and using it to help you craft your very best work BEFORE you hit publish is absolutely critical. Not just because it gives you the invaluable feedback needed to improve initial drafts, but because otherwise, your hard work risks disappearing into the internet ether, never to find its audience.”

When you connect with other writers, you gain access to a much wider base of readers. If you want readers to find your writing, reach out to other writers first.

Sharing Your Writing Is Hard—And Rewarding

Publishing your writing is thrilling and terrifying at the same time. When you publish, you invite other people to read your writing. That’s a vulnerable thing to do—your writing is your personal creation, after all, and you never know how people will respond to it.

One of the best things you can do is to share your writing with a few writers you trust before you publish it publicly and send it out into the world. Supportive writers will give you the feedback you need to craft your best piece of writing.

Plus, the act of sharing in a small, low-stakes setting is great practice for sharing your writing with the wider world.

Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In fact, for many writers, this was the hardest part of Foundations of Publishing.

“[The most challenging part of this process was] shyness,” says David. “We’re all self-conscious shrinking violets. Sharing work and communicating to other people does not come naturally to me at any rate.”

But he says it was worth it to be bold and share his writing. “Almost always, sharing and reading comments on your work leads to improvement and to seeing your work move in exciting new ways. And really, what is better that having someone read and comment on your work?”

Imogen and Karen agree. “Having to collaborate and ‘expose’ myself online was hard. I'm naturally a self-contained person, so working with people I didn't know was initially uncomfortable,” says Imogen. “I've always had to do this in my work, and it never gets easier, you just get better at dealing with it.”

“The hardest thing for me has been stepping out of my comfort zone — not just writing my stories down, but releasing them into the greater world and soliciting feedback on them,” says Karen. “Necessary as both publication and critique are if we are to improve as writers, that’s really scary!”

Jonathan appreciates the feedback and support of his fellow writers, which makes sharing more than worth it. “Having others [look] at my work and critique it is extremely helpful. . . . The kindness of other writers . . . is both helpful and welcome. They make me a better writer!”

It’s Okay to Ask for Help from Your Writing Community

For some people, sharing their writing was the hardest part. For others, it was asking for help.

“The most challenging part has been learning to ask for help from other writers. It seemed impolite to ask,” says Cathy Ryan, who writes speculative and real-life fiction at cathyryanwrites.com. But, she adds, “writers need to help each other so our voices can be heard.”

Madeline Slovenz, who writes realistic fiction for children, young adults, and open-minded grownups at madelineslovenz.com, agrees that asking for help takes courage, and that it’s absolutely essential. “I have learned that it takes courage to ask for help, but unless we can step up and say, ‘I’m excited to tell you that I’ve published a story,’ our work will sit in a digital file that is unlikely to be found.”

“Dare to ask,” says Suzanne. “Make that first step with people who are in the same position: you are not the only one who is struggling. There are very warm, intelligent other writers who also try to find their way in this.”

When You Join a Writing Community, You Might Make Surprising Connections

You never know how someone might respond when you reach out.

Iseult knew before she began that she needed the support of other writers. What she didn’t know was how to connect with authors she admired — authors a few steps ahead of her in their careers, people who seemed inaccessible until she reached out.

“Because of this course I have approached successful authors I have read and admired for years and they have agreed to talk with me — something I would never have considered before taking the course,” she says. “I have learned a lot from my conversations with them.”

It’s intimidating to reach out to other authors. But many writers are far more accessible than you might imagine, and are happy to connect with another writer.

They know as well as anyone that building an author career isn’t a solo activity. We all need community to support us along the way (even published authors!).

The First Step to Publishing: Find Your Writing Community

Publishing your writing is an amazing goal. But before you publish, I have a question for you:

Have you found your writing community yet?

Who will support you in your writing and publishing journey? Who will give you feedback, spur you on when you’re discouraged, help you navigate unfamiliar challenges, and celebrate with you when you share your writing with the world?

And if you haven’t found your community yet, or if you want to publish but you’re not sure how to get started, I’d love to support you.

Foundations of Publishing is a self-guided course included in our Author membership. Will you join Cathy, David, Iseult, Jonathan, and more in connecting with writers and publishing your writing?

Because our online writing community is more than just a critique group, writing program, or space to ask for beta readers (although you'll find all these things there!). It's an encouraging, supportive community where you can connect with other writers, grow in your craft, and cheer each other on as you go through the writing and publishing processes.

Click here to learn more about the Author membership and join our online writing community.

Your writing is worth sharing. And if it’s worth sharing, it’s worth collaborating with other writers to share it.

How do you collaborate with other writers? Let me know in the comments.

The article How Joining a Writing Community Helped These 11 Authors Get Published appeared first on The Write Practice. The Write Practice - Transforming Aspiring Writers into Published Authors

How do you sell more books? This is a question I hear frequently from authors in our community. When you've done the hard work of writing a book, when you've even managed to get your book published, it would be nice to be able to get your book into the hands of readers. But anyone who has published a book knows that selling books isn't simple.

That's where Publisher Rocket, a powerful piece of book marketing software, comes in. What is Publisher Rocket, and will it help you in your book writing and marketing efforts? In this post, I'll be sharing my Publisher Rocket review. I'll also talk about how I personally use this book marketing tool.

Before we get started though, I wasn’t paid to write this review, but I do want to be fully transparent and let you know that the links below are affiliate links. Of course, this won’t affect your overall price, and it didn’t affect my decision on the software.

Take a look at Publisher Rocket. Now, let's jump in.

How I Personally Use Publisher Rocket

I know I'm not the only one who struggles when it comes to writing titles, subtitles, and the description for my books. How do you sum up a whole book into a few words or a single phrase or a short description? It's impossible.

What I've learned after publishing more than a dozen books is that your book title, subtitle, and book description are actually not meant to describe the contents of your book.

Using Publisher Rocket, I've been able to find the right words to use to make sure my book finds the right readers. I've used it to convince publishers to buy books I've written. I used it to make one of my books into a #1 bestseller in its category on Amazon. I even used it to get my book Crowdsourcing Paris: Memoirs of 12 Parisian Adventures ready to publish.

How does Publisher Rocket work, though? And will it help you? Let's talk about that next.

What is Publisher Rocket?

Publisher Rocket, formerly called KDP Rocket, is a keyword research tool that helps you understand how readers use Amazon and choose the books they buy. It's compatible both with PCs and Macs, which is nice, and you can download it here.

Publisher Rocket is essentially a research tool. It helps self-published authors understand what readers actually want, and how to connect them with your books. But it's not just for self-published or indie authors—traditional publishers use it too.

Here are some things you can discover in Publisher Rocket:

• What phrases Amazon buyers are actually searching for.
• The psychology of how readers choose to buy books.
• How much money readers are spending on certain niches and topics.
• How much money specific books are making per month (for example, books that might be competing with yours).

With this knowledge, you can reverse engineer titles, subtitles, descriptions, and even entire books—if you want—and be confident that they will do well on the Amazon marketplace and other online outlets too.

There are four main tools within Publisher Rocket that help you reverse engineer your book's sales copy (remember, your book's title and subtitle are sales copy):

1. Keyword Search Feature
2. Competition Analyzer Feature
3. Category Search Feature
4. AMS Keyword Search Feature

I'll briefly describe each feature and how they can help you.

The 4 Publisher Rocket Search Features (and How They Can Help You Sell More Books)

Let’s take a look at the four search features on Publisher Rocket, the kinds of data they provide, and how you can use that data to boost your book sales.

To learn more about each feature, click here.

1. Keyword Search Feature

This keyword feature is designed for one purpose: setting your Amazon keywords.

When you publish your book on Amazon, you get to choose up to seven keywords that describe your book. Choosing these keywords is tricky, and most people just write whatever comes to mind so they can move on to publishing. But that's a huge mistake, because these seven keywords can make or break your book's success.

Without any data on which keywords will actually help your book, you’re just guessing. This is why Publisher Rocket’s ability to help you determine the best keywords is so helpful.

Here’s how you can use it to choose the best keywords for your book:

1. Enter your keyword ideas. Start by typing your book's topic, genre, subgenre, book idea, or some other phrase that describes your book into Rocket’s Keyword Search tool.
2. Get the data. Publisher Rocket will create a list of relevant keywords, along with extensive supplemental data. For each keyword, you’ll learn five things: the number of other books using that keyword, monthly earnings for that keyword, estimated Google searches per month, estimated Amazon searches per month, and how hard it will be for your book to compete for that keyword.
3. Choose the best keywords for your book. Find your best keywords by looking for the “sweet spot” that balances all the metrics. Ideally, you want a keyword with a high search volume, low competitive score, and with reasonable earnings.

Depending on your area of writing, that can be difficult to find. But at least with Rocket’s information, you know what you’re going up against.

Once you've created a good list of keywords, you can also use them in your subtitle and book description to better sell your books.

Keep in mind that the data you get is real, but it's also subject to change as people search for different kinds of books over time. You may have to update your keywords periodically based on what people are searching. The good news, though, is that with Publisher Rocket, you can keep track of profitable keywords and make strategic decisions about when you should choose new ones.

2. Competition Analyzer Feature

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could see how much money the books similar to yours are making? For example, say you're writing a memoir about Paris, as I did. Wouldn't it be nice to see how well two of the biggest books in the genre are doing: Paris to the Moon or A Paris Year? (Not so well, believe it or not: $163 per month and $542 per month respectively.)

How do you find out? This is what Publisher Rocket’s competition analysis comes in. Enter your topic into the search bar, and Rocket responds with a list of your top ten books that are similar to yours.

Rocket breaks down your competitors with the following information:

• Title
• Author
• Age of book (in days)
• The ABSR
• Whether or not there is a keyword in the title
• Keyword in subtitle
• Estimated daily sales
• Estimated monthly sales
• The link to each book’s sales page

This information will help you understand how your book stacks up next to others like it.

For me, this is my favorite part of Publisher Rocket, because it lets me see how the books I love (or hate!) are actually performing in the marketplace, and when you have a better understanding of readers in the market, you can better figure out how your books can fit into the market.

3. Category Search Feature

Keywords are only one tool Amazon uses to put your book in front of readers. The book categories you select determine where your book ends up on Amazon's website and which readers get recommended your book.

Categories are the genres and subgenres that you can place your book in on Amazon, and it’s important to categorize your book well. Readers trying to buy a new science fiction novel will be hard-pressed to find yours if it’s grouped with cozy mystery novels.

Publisher Rocket has an entire database of Amazon categories and subcategories that you can search to find the right one for you. And once you’ve found a prospective category, you can dig deeper for more detailed data about it.

Here's how Publisher Rocket makes categories fun. If you want your book to become a bestseller, you have to rank #1 in the category you selected. But how many books do you have to sell to rank #1? And what if you could choose a smaller, less competitive category so that you could more easily rank #1?

That's information you can find in Publisher Rocket's category feature. In fact, Rocket will tell you just how many books you need to sell to rank #1 in that category.

Reach number one in a category, and you’ll receive Amazon’s orange bestseller ribbon, which will help you sell even more books.

It was by figuring out the relevant categories that I was able to get one book I publish a #1 bestseller tag by its title for months on end without changing its marketing in any other way. I couldn't have done that without Publisher Rocket.

And it all starts with knowing which category tags are the best fit for your book.

4. AMS Keyword Search Feature

Amazon's native advertising system, AMS ads, can be incredibly powerful. One of my books currently sells 400 to 600 copies and makes over $2,400 per month all because of Amazon ads. And the book was published over 10 years ago!

But book ads can also be a huge waste of money if you don't use them right.

Choosing your target keywords to list your book under for your AMS ads is a similar process to choosing standard Amazon keywords. But there are other criteria that factor into a good AMS keyword, and Publisher Rocket’s AMS Keyword Search feature can help do the work for you.

Just like the Keyword Search Tool, you'll use the AMS Keyword Tool to search for your book's topic, genre, subgenre, book idea, or some other phrase related to your book. But you can also search for phrases that your readers might use, like “Books like Ready Player One” or “similar authors to Ray Bradbury.”

Then, through Publisher Rocket's AMS keyword search, you’ll get data on more than just standard keywords. It also provides you with author names, book titles, and ASINs of related works.

Even though my books have made thousands of dollars because of AMS ads, I'm far from an expert. If you're interested in learning more about how to use Amazon ads for your books, check out Dave Chesson's free AMS Ads course. It's really helpful (and, again, free), and will absolutely help you sell more books.

Think Publisher Rocket will be helpful to you? Download it here or read on for my final review.

Best Book Market Research Tool

Publisher Rocket

$199

Publisher Rocket helps authors and publishers sell more books by giving powerful data on how readers search and choose books on Amazon. By deciphering keywords and book buyer behavior, it helps authors and publishers craft titles, subtitles, and descriptions that resonate with potential readers, helping your books be more visible and competitive on Amazon.

Pros:

• Target Popular Keywords: Helps writers find specific phrases readers are using on Amazon to discover books.
• Market Understanding: Offers a clear view of what books are competing with yours (and how many sales they make, historically).
• Category Identification: Find the most relevant Amazon categories for your book.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Works on both PCs and Macs.

Cons:

• Learning Curve: May require some time and education to fully utilize all features.
• Cost: One-time purchase required.
• Amazon-Centric: Tailored for Amazon, may not be as effective for other platforms.

Buy Now

Publisher Rocket Review: Is Publisher Rocket Right for Me?

Publisher Rocket has a bit of a learning curve. It took me three or four tries to get information that I could use to actually start to sell more books. (That was only after I had spent several hours figuring out how much my favorite authors were actually making from their books.)

You also only get information on the U.S. market, and many of my books sell well internationally, not just in the U.S.

That being said, Publisher Rocket has helped me:

• Convince a publisher to buy one of my books.
• Helped another book become a perpetual #1 bestseller.
• Write more effective book descriptions.

Plus, Rocket now supports major international Amazon markets, including the UK, Italy, and Germany, so you'll be able to find data that will help boost your international sales as well.

They also have excellent customer support, so if you run into problems or need help to get the most out of Rocket, it's easy to get the assistance you need. And they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you give it a try and decide it's not for you, there's no risk.

My Final Publisher Rocket Review

Yes, I recommend Publisher Rocket.

It's one thing to publish your book on Amazon. It's another to strategically position your book so that readers can find it and maximize your sales. I've found Publisher Rocket to be an invaluable tool for my own books, giving me the data I needed to double or even triple my sales and publish bestselling books.

If you're serious about writing and publishing great books, I recommend getting Publisher Rocket to help you make the most on Amazon. It has the power to transform your book marketing with just a few searches.

And as an extra bonus, it's fascinating—and just plain fun—to look up books and authors you love and see how they're really performing on Amazon.

Have you tried Publisher Rocket? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

The article Publisher Rocket Review: Will This Help You Sell More Books? (2026) appeared first on The Write Practice. The Write Practice - Transforming Aspiring Writers into Published Authors

I attended the Washington Writers Conference, which among other things, included an opportunity to pitch your book to four agents.

It’s rather nerve-racking for writers because, unsurprisingly, most of us prefer to express ourselves in writing.

Nevertheless, it was still a great opportunity to put ourselves out there. In my life, I have pitched eight agents this way, and six of them asked for pages. Three of the agents I met at pitch sessions asked for seventy-five pages or more.

By contrast, I’ve probably pitched about fifty agents by sending them query letters—so far only two have requested seventy-five pages or more. What I'm saying is, if you get an opportunity to pitch, do it!

What is a Pitch Session?

A pitch session is a five to ten-minute period of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book (and your sparkling personality) and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Hopefully, by the end of the pitch session, you’ve at the very least guaranteed that the literary agent will read something you've written.

What is a Pitch?

An agent pitch is basically an oral version of a query letter. You tell the agent the basics of your book (title, genre, length), what the book is about, and then a little about you.

If you have expertise or authority relevant to your book, don't forget to share it! This is particularly true for non-fiction pitches. In fact, your background is as important as the topic of the book in non-fiction, if not more so!

Four Tips to Pitch Your Novel to Literary Agents

Ready to get pitching? Here are four tips to pitch your novel to literary agents at a writing conference:

1. Summarize Your Book in One Sentence

To prepare your pitch, first write a one-sentence summary of your book. Then, lead with it when you sit down with the agent.

Everything I’ve ever read and heard about pitch sessions says to do this, and I agree with this advice. At pitch sessions, literary agents spend eight hours sitting in a room to hundreds of pitches—you need to get to the point quickly!

2. Strategize How Best to Use Your Few Minutes

Be sure to think about how you want to use your limited time in advance. Do you want to focus on plot or characters? Or on yourself?

My friend looked at the blurbs on the New York Times books page to figure out a way to narrow her novel into a sentence or two and found some success. I decided to spend the most time describing my characters because that seemed to get people the most excited when I described my manuscript.

As I mentioned, it’s probably wise to use a chunk of the time discussing your background and credentials for non-fiction pitches. Even for fiction pitches, if you’ve been published before, won contests, etc., don’t forget to mention it!

3. Remember, This is a Human Interaction

In a lot of ways, a pitch session is similar to a query letter. You have to sell your book despite some serious constraints.

However, there is a very important difference: human interaction. That should affect not only your nerves but also your strategy.

In terms of preparation, I suggest reading up on/searching for videos about public speaking, interviewing, and sales techniques. Don’t go crazy, but those tips about mimicking a person’s body language, making eye contact, and practicing are going to be helpful when you pitch your literary agent.

I also think the human interaction aspect means you should allow your own energy to guide you. In other words, if there is an aspect of your work that makes you particularly excited, mention it! Excitement is infectious, and I honestly believe it will only help.

Along those same lines, if there’s something that you’re particularly insecure about, either don’t mention it or make a conscious effort to feign confidence.

The key is to project enthusiasm and confidence!

4. Attend Pitch Sessions, Even When You Don’t Have Anything to Pitch

This is another piece of advice I’ve heard repeatedly.

In the end, a pitch session is an opportunity to have uninterrupted time with an agent. Even if you’re not looking for an agent now, if you think you might one day, this is a way to get the inside scoop.

Ask them questions, get feedback on your ideas, or make a new friend. Whatever you do, make sure you remind them of the interaction when you do pitch them.

Are you excited/nervous to pitch an agent about your current writing project? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments section.

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