These posts have been written over time since 2012. Do check the date of any given post as technology / craft / technique may have changed, and my opinions may have changed as I’m now older and (hopefully) wiser!
P.S. Many of these articles are posted on Kristen’s Abigail Owen pen name website and/or on Authors On A Dime, the LLC Kristen owns and operates with a goal of helping other authors.
BEING A WRITER
- You Might Be a Romance Writer If…
- 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me
- Getting Your Writing Un-Stuck
- Unglue Your NaNoWriMo Project
WRITING – CRAFT
- Great Beginnings Cheat Sheet
- How I Create a Character
- Draw from Real Life
- Best (Recent) Writing Advice
- Adding Humor When You’re Not Funny
- Developing Characters in Layers
- Picking Character Names
WRITING – SWEET ROMANCE
- Lessons “The Princess Bride” Teaches Authors
- 14 Signs of a Great Romance
- Creating Romantic Tension in Sweet Romance
WRITING – AMISH ROMANCE
WRITING – TECHNICAL ELEMENTS
- 1st, 2nd, or 3rd – The Person Makes a Big Difference
- To Prologue, or Not?
- To Epilogue, or Not?
- 12 Tips to Tighten Up a Sagging Middle
- Death to the Cliche
- The Little Signs of Lazy Writing
- Chapter Beginnings & Endings
- Chapter Length
- Is It 5 Senses…Or 20?
- Rarely Used Expressions
- Roadblocks Encounters When Writing a Series
- Pacing: Avoiding Roadblocks & Rollercoasters
EDITING
- Editing Technique: Ask Questions
- The Importance of Self-Editing
- Proofreading: A Necessary Evil
- What Makes a Good Critiquer?
- And, But, So…
PUBLISHING
- Publishing Routes | Pros & Cons
- Buy Links for Books
- How to Self-Publish to Amazon Kindle
- Introduction to eBook Self-Publishing
- Introduction to Print Book Self-Publishing
- ISBN, Copyright, & Pen Names
- Researching Before You Query
- How to Write a Query Letter
- Start a Self-Publishing Company
- What’s the “Matter”?
- Writing the Blurb
GRAPHICS
- 9 Tools for Creating Social Media Images
- Book Cover Elements
- Does Size Matter?
- Logo Design for Authors
- Memes as Marketing Tools
- Shopping for a Book Cover Designer
MARKETING/SOCIAL MEDIA
- Blog Topic Idea Lists
- Choose the Right Excerpt from Your Book
- DO’s and DON’Ts for a Street Team
- Don’t Panic: Organize Your Social Media
- Facebook & Twitter Idea Lists
- Facebook Party Game & Post Ideas
- Flip the Script on Your Next Facebook Party
- How to Create a Media Kit
- Memes as Marketing Tools
- Organizing Social Media Idea Lists
- Social Media Images Help Find Readers
ORGANIZING/BUSINESS
Kristen McKanagh | Contemporary Romance Author 