By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills In the past two decades plus, I’ve learned a lot about writing, the publishing industry, social media, marketing, and promotion. Along the way, I’ve made some embarrassing mistakes too. But I’m not diving into those. Here are 12 things I’ve learned about writing since publishing my first book. Maybe some will help you. 1. Research doesn’t

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills We live in a comfortable society. But that can be dangerous for writers who choose complacency rather than pouring a steady stream of effort into their writing. Have you ever met a writer who expected and demanded results from readers, other writers, and those involved in the profession without doing their share of the work? It’s

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Do you know writers who are miserable because they equate success with perfectionism? They seldom find satisfaction with their creativity and are rarely pleased with others’ accomplishments. Some say the perfectionism trait is determined by the writer’s personality, childhood, education, life experiences, and a host of other variables. Really? None of us are perfect writers, so

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Where do authors find their ideas? From experience I can assure you a drone hasn’t delivered any of my stories to my front door or drop-shipped a complete novel into my brain. Sometimes I waken from a dream with an amazing idea, but that’s rare. Novel ideas are everywhere. We simply must train our minds to

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Writers today search for tips to help them move forward in the craft. The following are 41 ways to sharpen your writing career. Pray for your writing ministry. Read in the genre you are writing. Read a craft how-to book each month. Read a marketing book each month. Study the bestsellers like a textbook. Study daily

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Most of us know if we’re introverts or extroverts, but do we know to what extreme? Are we a little introverted or a lot? Are we a friendly extrovert or an over-the-top people person? Rarely is a person 100 percent one way or the other. We are individuals and our preferences and life experiences determine our

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Writers of all genres welcome brainstorming sessions. The opportunity to discuss new ideas and solve problems in a creative environment is an amazing resource. Our minds kick down the doors that hold our imaginations captive, and the result is a collective stroke of genius. By using the acronym, BRAINSTORMING, you can bring the whirling to a

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills A writer’s life doesn’t fit the 9-5 mold of most of the working world. Challenges smack us in the face, and we must be ready to evaluate what we are doing right and what we are doing less-than-best. An attitude of looking at life’s hiccups as an opportunity puts an optimistic spin on our mental and

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Writers travel a sacred adventure—a journey of the soul fueled by the opportunity to touch the lives of countless people. We have been given a treasured gift, the gift of writing. Writing is not an easy journey, but it’s one filled with holiness. Writing is a path each writer takes alone, but in the stillness, we

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Writing and research go hand in hand for a credible story. If a manuscript isn’t accurate, the reader will recognize the flaw and toss the book aside. If a writer is spot-on, the extra work rewards them with outstanding reviews and more readers. Sort of a no-brainer for us writers. How do we conduct our research