When you’re getting ready to release a new title, it might seem handy to hop onto CreateSpace first to craft your print version and then hit the big magic button allowing them to format your e-book. Automation is more awesome than videos of tap-dancing kittens, right? Um, in this case, not so much. Allowing CreateSpace to make an e-book out of your print version is asking for trouble, and here’s why. Continue reading “What NOT to do on CreateSpace”
Author: Laurie Boris
Laurie Boris is a freelance writer, editor, proofreader, and former graphic designer. She has been writing fiction for over twenty-five years and is the award-winning author of four novels. She lives in New York’s lovely Hudson Valley. Learn more about Laurie at her website and her Amazon author page.
How to Work the New Twitter Profile Design
If you’ve popped over to Twitter recently, you might have noticed a prompt to change to their new profile design. Again. Okay, I like change, especially when it comes in sacks of dollar coins or has a vague potential to up my visibility, so I bit. And I got this…
Continue reading “How to Work the New Twitter Profile Design”
How to Write Better Dialogue
Last week, Big Al treated us to his vast experience on what not to do with dialogue and dialogue tags. That got me all excited to talk about one of my favorite topics: how to write better dialogue. Here are just a few tips:
1. Get a stronger handle on how people talk to each other. This is your best tool in your dialogue toolbox. Dialogue isn’t an exact replica of human speech. We’d have to contend with a lot of verbal tics and repetition if it were. But spending some time listening will improve your ear. I like to do that by eavesdropping on conversations. Legally, of course. Listening will also help you learn to craft dialogue that will differentiate one character from another. Continue reading “How to Write Better Dialogue”
Urban Dictionary App to Take On Chicago Manual of Style
Because of the growing popularity of e-books and the burgeoning population of younger readers, the Urban Dictionary, LLC announced yesterday via a YouTube press conference that it plans to release its own style guide app in 2015.
“Chicago’s just not dope enough to hang with us,” said Urban Dictionary’s founder, Aaron Peckham. Stressing the ubiquitous Chicago Manual of Style’s lack of focus on new technology, including the lexicon of text speak and urban slang, Peckham went on to say that SMUD (Stylin’ Mo’Urban Dictionary, a name based on their popular book Mo’Urban Dictionary), will be filling a huge need. Continue reading “Urban Dictionary App to Take On Chicago Manual of Style”