Coming Out of the Dark

My last blog--a reflection on failure--was months ago. The blog detailed how I chose to handle the setback of having yet to sell my latest novel, but the

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My Epic Failure: An Update on My Novels

Before I confess my epic failures to you, I should say that I meant to write you about why groupthink sucks and why you should shoot free throws

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Breaking Down an Author Marketing Plan

When my novel was released, I depended on "hope" marketing. I just hoped people would discover the book and it would just take off on its own. A

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Five MORE Awesome Nuggets of Writing Advice

One of my first posts on Medium was “Five Awesome Nuggets of Writing Advice,” and to this day, it’s still my most popular post. The discussion emerging from

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You Want to Be a Writer? Learn to Love These Four Things

Rejection Cliché enough for you? Writers get rejected. A lot, in fact. My advice is to not only endure it or to develop a thick skin, but learn

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The Accidental Novelist

I’m sitting next to Chuck Palahniuk, the author of the wildly popular novel, FIGHT CLUB. His new novel is stacked neatly next to a cart that is loaded

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Ten Things You (Repeatedly) Hear After Publishing Your First Novel

When you hear these things (and you will), make sure your mental phasers are set to “gracious, humble, and attentive.” Don’t respond the way you want to respond

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Gasoline: From Burn Scars to Burnt Tongues

When I was ten years old, a thirteen year old kid from down the street was huffing gas in my barn. I went inside to confront him, and

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Fred’s Author Commandments

In interviews and discussions, I’ve talked about how, as a new author, I want to use it as an opportunity to really engage with people.  I’ve said a

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Five Awesome Writing Nuggets

Here are five random pieces of writing advice worth sharing.  These are nuggets that I heard, and they set off an “ah ha” moment.  They are nuggets I’ve

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