Nasty Little Filter Words

bad filter words embroidery-496003_640It’s easy to fall into bad habits with our writing — lazy prose we’ve become so accustomed to that we don’t even notice it, even during the editing process. I had fallen into a really bad habit without even realizing it, and it wasn’t until I read an article on filter words that I had my lightbulb moment.

Filter words, those little words we throw into our text without noticing; those are the words that pull the reader out of your story. They’re unnecessary, yet writers use them all the time.

So, what are filter words? Continue reading “Nasty Little Filter Words”

Do You Write With a Formula?

writing formula The idea of formulas in writing always makes my nose wrinkle. Because to me, formula means repetition…and repetition in writing could very well lead to boredom. Have you ever had that? Followed an author you’ve loved for years only to find that by their tenth or fifteenth book you can finish it for them, because you already know how they roll and what they’re going to do with their characters?

That always frustrates me, and as a writer I have tried my very best not to fall into this trap. That’s partly why I write in a variety of genres. I never want to be thought of as the author who regurgitates the same old stuff.

But the truth is…there are formulas in writing and whether we like that fact or not, we must accept it, because the right formula can make for a brilliant book, just like the wrong formula can make for pages of drivel.

So, what is the right formula? Continue reading “Do You Write With a Formula?”

Author Fan Club Awesomeness

Melissa Pearl Fan Club on Facebook
Click to enlarge

Last month I talked about Street Teams and well, how mine didn’t actually go so great. This month I want to talk about Fan Clubs and how I prefer this to what I was doing before.

So, what’s the difference between a Street Team and a Fan Club? Well, for me, I thought of a street team as a group of people who could help me promote my work. Like my own little set of minions, they would do things for me and I would reward them with free eBooks and the odd surprise gift. When this didn’t work out, I wanted to try something completely different. I took the advice of a few successful author friends of mine and started up the Melissa Pearl Fan Club. Continue reading “Author Fan Club Awesomeness”

What Is a Street Team and How Can it Help You?

street teams for authorsThere have been a lot of questions recently about street teams and fan clubs. What are the differences and how can they help you? Having been involved with both, I thought I might share my experiences and then you can decide for yourself which might serve you better.  This month I’ll focus on street teams and I’ll cover fan clubs in March.

With some of the limitations being imposed by Facebook algorithm changes, and also the complete flood in the market, it makes it hard to get any kind of exposure. This is where a street team can come in really handy. Continue reading “What Is a Street Team and How Can it Help You?”