Every year, Romance GenreCon brings together authors and readers for a deep dive into the heart of romance publishing. This year’s sessions were packed with insights that every author—whether indie or trad—can use to grow their career and community. Here are my top-three takeaways: 1. Harness the Power of Superfans with a Dedicated Street Team… Continue reading What I Learned at Romance GenreCon: 3 Essential Tips for Authors
Tag: tropes
The Difference Between Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic (And How to Make Your Book Stand Out in the Resurgence)
If you’ve noticed survival stories, crumbling societies, and bleak futures returning to bookshelves, you’re not imagining it. Dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction is making a comeback (and we love to see it). These genres speak to our fears and our resilience. They show us we can overcome difficult times. But—despite their overlapping vibes—dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction… Continue reading The Difference Between Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic (And How to Make Your Book Stand Out in the Resurgence)
Friends to Lovers vs. Second Chance Romance: Why Readers Love (or Hate) These Tropes
Break down what sets friends to lovers apart from second chance romance.
Enemies to Lovers vs Rivals to Lovers: Meeting Readers’ Expectations
There’s been a lot of talk about tropes and readers’ expectations, mainly enemies-to-lovers versus rivals-to-lovers, and while there is some crossover, there’s also distinct differences that writers and readers should keep in mind. So what makes these tropes successful? How do they stand apart from each other? Enemies-to-lovers: As it sounds, the love interests of… Continue reading Enemies to Lovers vs Rivals to Lovers: Meeting Readers’ Expectations
When a Book Finds You
Sometimes you pick books. Other times, books find you.
A Sneak Peek of the Free Writing Classes I’m Teaching This Month
I’m teaching two free, virtual writing classes this month! Here's an exclusive sneak peek.
Unpopular Opinion: Healthy Relationships Shouldn’t be Required in Fiction
I was recently on Twitter when someone asked for unpopular opinions, and one that's been grating on me came out in the form of this tweet: https://twitter.com/AuthorSAT/status/1628759550051471362 Full disclosure: I actually wrote a blog post about this that was supposed to go up earlier this year, but I chickened out. Why? Well, because I know… Continue reading Unpopular Opinion: Healthy Relationships Shouldn’t be Required in Fiction
Inundated with Writing Advice
There comes a point in every writer’s career that they seek out feedback and advice from others. Whether that be critique partners, beta readers, or studying craft books, writers are often doing their best to continuously hone their skills. And while that is commendable, there comes a point where a writer can feel overwhelmed by the… Continue reading Inundated with Writing Advice
Writing Crying Scenes
Crying is a common experience. “A study in the 1980s found that women cry an average of 5.3 times per month and men cry an average of 1.3 times per month. A newer study found that the average duration for a crying session was eight minutes.” (Heathline) Does this mean your characters should cry that much in your story? Probably… Continue reading Writing Crying Scenes
Learning to Write from TV: The Umbrella Academy Edition
Writers are often told to read (and read a lot) in order to know how to write. And while I totally agree with that sentiment, I also think writers can learn from other forms of media. Yes, including TV shows. (Even TV shows adapted from a novel or comic book.) In fact, I think TV… Continue reading Learning to Write from TV: The Umbrella Academy Edition
