Tag: Guest Post

Why Sequels Are Harder to Write – Guest Post by Hope Bolinger

Why Sequels Are Harder to Write – Guest Post by Hope Bolinger

Today we have a guest on the blog! Hope Bolinger is a YA author and literary agent, and this post is part of the blog tour to promote her upcoming book: Den. Stick around to the end of the post to read more about that. :)


Have you ever read a sequel and thought, “Meh. The original was better”?

Or have you ever felt that a book didn’t need a sequel, and that the author simply wrote a second book because their publisher said, “Stacey, you sold a million books. We need a second installment NOW!”?

Believe it or not, authors get intimidated by writing sequels. Even if we’d originally planned for a series, we worry that our second book will end up like so many other second installments to popular books: mediocre at best.

In this article, I’ll break down some of the trickiest obstacles to writing a sequel, and how to overcome them. Continue reading “Why Sequels Are Harder to Write – Guest Post by Hope Bolinger”

Six Ways Your Fantasy World Isn’t as Idyllic as You Think – Guest Post by Kate Flournoy

Six Ways Your Fantasy World Isn’t as Idyllic as You Think – Guest Post by Kate Flournoy

What I’ve been calling “hitting hard topics in worldbuilding” is a topic I knew I wanted to tackle from the time I was planning this series. I also knew I didn’t have the experience to write about it. So, I poked around in one of my writing groups for a guest poster and was super blessed to have Kate Flournoy volunteer. Kate is awesome both as an author and as a person in general, and I would highly recommend checking out her blog. Before you do that, though, stick around to read this awesome post of hers. :) Continue reading “Six Ways Your Fantasy World Isn’t as Idyllic as You Think – Guest Post by Kate Flournoy”

How to Become an Online Influencer – Guest Post by Livy Lynn

How to Become an Online Influencer – Guest Post by Livy Lynn

Influence.

That’s a pretty massive word, isn’t it?

The simple fact that each human has the ability to influence one another is such an honor. A gift. A treasure that we’re all called to steward.

We don’t have to look very far to see the laws of influence at work. We see celebrities setting trends on talk shows and on glossy magazine covers. College professors are molding minds, politicians are changing laws, and Hollywood is changing the way our culture thinks about, well, pretty much everything.

But what about us? Bloggers. Writers. YouTubers. Texters. Talkers. Social-media posters. Do we carry as much influence as the big names? Do we get a say in what happens in our world, do we get to shift and design the landscape of this life for others, or are our voices lost in the shuffle?

If you have a voice, you have influence.

And if you have a cell phone, an internet connection, or a laptop, you have the unique opportunity to influence this generation and use your voice for good.

Finding Our Place on the World Stage

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Online Influencers”, right?

I’m sure you’ve seen your favorite YouTuber or popular Instagrammer post an advertisement for a brand or company they’ve partnered with. If you’re Continue reading “How to Become an Online Influencer – Guest Post by Livy Lynn”

After Draft 1: What’s the Next Step? – Guest Post by Kellyn Roth

After Draft 1: What’s the Next Step? – Guest Post by Kellyn Roth

Like on Wednesday, today’s article is a guest post! Kellyn Roth just launched her organization Reveries Co., which is a place for indie authors to find cover design, editing, blog tour hosting, interior formatting, web design, etc. There’s more information after the post, so be sure to stick around and check it out!

Many thanks to Kellyn for this post!


Finishing the first draft of your novel is exhilarating! Oftentimes when I finish my first drafts, I don’t want to put them down. I just want to keep working on them.

However, as you’ve no doubt heard, most professionals recommend taking a break after you finish draft one before diving into rewrites or revisions.

Now, this may seem like a bad idea. When you’re excited about the story, shouldn’t you keep working on it? What if you fervor dies? What if you can’t remember what all was going on when you return to it? Continue reading “After Draft 1: What’s the Next Step? – Guest Post by Kellyn Roth”

Why God is a Critical Part of the Writing Process – Guest Post by Beloved

Why God is a Critical Part of the Writing Process – Guest Post by Beloved

Today’s article is a guest post by Beloved, who’s releasing her new YA contemporary novel The Daily Life of Hailey Grace.

For Hailey Grace, birthdays suck! She hopes with all her heart that her big day passes without gifts, or even a birthday wish. But with loving parents and two witty best friends who keep her on her toes, there’s no telling what adventure Hailey Grace will be forced to explore this time. Unexpectedly, her best friend Alex challenges her to do something she’s never done before. With that comes a whole new set of rules, and another life Hailey isn’t sure she’s quite ready for. Now questioning all that she has ever believed, she takes Alex up on the dare by asking for something that no one but God can give her. Her request also comes with a twenty-four-hour deadline. As the minutes slowly but surely tick by, Hailey’s life shifts into overdrive and she wonders if she has asked for too much too soon.
Her post is short, but sweet. Enjoy!

My advice for aspiring writers who seek publication is to first seek God. Seek God wholeheartedly and Continue reading “Why God is a Critical Part of the Writing Process – Guest Post by Beloved”