Readers, Want To Be Part Of My Street Team?

Hey Folks, I hope you’ll find this an exciting announcement! For some time now, I’ve offered short stories and novels as rewards to those who support me as a first reader or as a patron (see https://hestanbrough.com/become-a-patron/). Now I’m taking it to the next level. Six years into my journey as a professional fiction writer, I’m finally starting a street team. If you’d like to read every short story and/or every novel I publish at your … Read more

Paper or No Paper

Hi Folks, Recently, Dean Wesley Smith talked in his blog about the fear of publishing. It’s a good article, and I recommend it. However, his article is tied to his Great Publishing Challenge. Seems he received a lot of comments that (to him) indicate fear of some aspect of publishing as the reason people don’t want to jump into the challenge. I was going to post a comment to his article, but I decided to publish … Read more

Requesting Your Recommendations

Hi Folks, Every now and then over the years, especially over at the Journal, I ask fellow writers for recommendations for websites. Most often I hear crickets. I’m not sure whether there are no other websites that you visit, or whether you just don’t want to share. Or maybe I’m just not specific enough with my request. I’ll try again. Please recommend the websites of any authors who 1. have written and published 10 or more … Read more

Writing Sales Copy (Book Descriptions)

Hey folks, Note: This post appeared in slightly different form on my Journal. If your books aren’t selling as well as you’d like, here’s the three-step process to more sales: 1. Write the next story or novel. The more work you have out there, the more discoverable you are and the more readers will take you seriously as an author. 2. Create (or have created) a genre- appropriate cover. 3. Write intriguing sales copy that hints … Read more

On Platitudes

Hi Folks, Recently, Alison Holt, a friend and writer whom I greatly respect and whose works I admire, posted an article in PWW titled “Beware the Platitude Trap.” As I commented on her post, I was pleased, in an unnerving kind of way, that she’d relegated “Just write the next sentence” to the status of “platitude.” I was both complimented and appropriately chastised. On one hand, it’s gratifying to know folks have heard “Just write the … Read more

Warning—Safeguard Your IP

Hey Folks, Note: This post appeared in slightly different form over on my Journal. If you decide to use WordPress.com (or any other “free” website builder), READ THE TERMS SERVICE. The terms of service are a legally enforceable contract, and when you click that little box saying you accept them, you’re effectively signing that contract. If you don’t want to read every boring word, at least search for terms like “Content” and “Rights” and “Intellectual Property … Read more

Restructuring My Personal Time and My Business

Hi Folks, A couple of weeks ago, I figured out a few things that will help me immensely in my personal time and in restructuing my business. I mention them here because they will also affect you to one degree or another. To restructure and make the most of my personal time… 1. I’m climbing back up on Heinlein’s Rules. To that end, I’ve set a daily word count goal . It worked for me in … Read more

Some Sources Say

Hi Folks, A couple of weeks ago I read a blog post that warns writers away from publishing author newsletters. The blogger included a couple of quotes from writers who advocate not using an author newsletter. She even referenced Anne R. Allen’s recent blog post about readers not wanting a “personal relationship” with authors. Finally she wrote “News flash: Not every reader is a groupie. As a matter of fact, most don’t want their privacy violated. … Read more

Read the Terms of Service (TOS)

Hi Folks, First, everything you write, including blog posts, is automatically protected by copyright the instant it’s “in fixed form.” You don’t have to register your copyright. It’s there whether or not you choose to register it. In other words, the instant your short story, novel, novella, essay, memoir or blog post (or any other writing) is finished, it’s protected by copyright. If you use or are thinking about using the free (or paid) WordPress.com to … Read more

The Art of Writing Flash Fiction

Hi Folks, Although you can find The Art of Writing Flash Fiction at both Amazon, Smashwords, and other major ebook outlets, today I thought I’d present it for you here free. I’ve written flash fiction for years. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also a great deal more than that. Imagine for a moment the components of fiction—character(s), setting, conflict and resolution—are goldfish milling about in a clear container. If the short story enables you … Read more