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Being the most improved player isn’t a throw-away award. In fact, I would argue that it’s the most valuable award I could have ever received

I took a step back and reflected on how I felt writing my first book and identified five things you can expect from the inaugural process.

Don't get me started on vision boards, but I do have 5 goals for 2025.

BEFORE you begin querying your list of literary agents, I strongly recommend that you take the time to build a strong query package.

“If this is book one of a trilogy, why don’t we also pencil in publishing dates for book 2 and book 3?"

If you want to build a social media strategy for your author brand, here’s what you have to do...

Every story needs an editor. Whether it’s a copy edit, line edit, or developmental edit, a story becomes stronger if a professional...

I’ve compiled a list of things I’ve found along the way that can really help an author after a beta read.

On July 20, 2024, I attended the 9th annual Writers on the River multi-author event in Peoria, Illinois. I shared a table with my friend and

Universal storylines help us tell effective and engaging stories.

“But you don’t have to be a David Bowie fan to appreciate the power of the setting.” Last fall, I instructed a course at my local...

“It takes time and skill, but the cornerstone of every author’s brand begins with a newsletter.” Prior to the launch of my first novel, I...

“The end of book one is the most crucial place in the entire series; it’s the catalyst for everything else to begin.” When I wrote my...

“Blogging teaches me something every month. It’s not just about the writing practice or the knowledge I choose to research and share,...

“The bottom line is that posting on social media doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark.” I am a social media junkie. It’s embarrassing to...

“Readers, take the time to leave a review. They mean more to an author than anything else.” It’s the season of giving! When I opened...

On November 8, 2023, Julie spoke to students in the School of Communication at Illinois State University about writing. I recently had...

“Reflecting back on some of my first book signing events, I can recall how clueless and unprepared I felt.” About a week ago, I was...

“Master the craft of writing your fictional friends well and your story will jump from the page.” Which came first, the chicken or the...

“Every role is important. Every reader and early insight are critical to the release of a strong story.” The further I get into this...