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.

Assume The Position: Stretches for Computer Users by Laurie Boris

Author Laurie Boris
Author Laurie Boris

We all have different styles, but one thing most writers have in common is that we plant our butts in our chairs for a heck of a long time. Sitting puts a lot of pressure on your spine, and typing can force you into positions that can ultimately lead to pain and injury. But what’s a writer—or anyone who spends nearly every waking hour in front of a computer—to do?

One of the best ways to avoid pain (aside from hiring an assistant to grab your brilliant prose out of thin air while you pace about, sipping martinis and admiring the garden) is to move and stretch frequently as you work. Continue reading “Assume The Position: Stretches for Computer Users by Laurie Boris”

Ghostwriters on the Storm by Laurie Boris

Author and Ghostwriter Laurie Boris

When I tell people I ghostwrite, I usually get the same two questions.

First: “What are you working on?” To which I respond, “I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”

Second: “Don’t you want credit for your work?”

Not especially. I’m getting paid to do something I love. It keeps me in organic produce, which makes me happy. If I do a good job, I might be hired again, so I can buy more organic produce, which will make me happier. Besides, the writing I do under my own name give me gratification and portfolio to spare.

So what makes a good ghostwriter? Continue reading “Ghostwriters on the Storm by Laurie Boris”

What’s Goodreads Good For? by Laurie Boris

Author Laurie Boris
Author Laurie Boris

Last year, I attended a workshop given by a local published author on how to promote your book on social media. “Goodreads?” she sneered, in response to an audience member’s question about the site. “I don’t know anyone who’s on Goodreads.”

Uh…well, there are LOTS of people on Goodreads. And they love books. I mean, seriously love books. Some members of this community read hundreds of books a year. They talk about them. Review and rate them. Many blog about them.

Yeah, Goodreads can be buggy, like so many other social media sites, and isn’t the most intuitive place out there. But its many features outweigh the occasional glitch. For one, you can maintain a “bookshelf” of books you’re reading, have read, and plan to read, so you can make friends based on common interests and favorite books or authors. You can join a multitude of groups and grow into the community. Participate in a book club, and read and comment on the selection of the month. You can become “fans” of your favorite authors and follow their reviews and blogs. Continue reading “What’s Goodreads Good For? by Laurie Boris”