Which came first, the chicken or the egg? While answers may very on this one, there’s a comparable question in the storytelling world that I firmly believe has a singular response.
What’s more important, plot or characters?
Author Archives: julienavickas
Alpha Readers, Beta Readers and Critique Partners, OH MY! What’s the difference? (and why you should know)
The further I get into this author journey, the more questions I get asked. Don’t get me wrong, I love answering questions and engaging in any conversation related to writing. There are just some questions that come up more frequently than others—and oftentimes they inspire a blog post.
5 Tips for Writing Better Scenes
“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.” – William Faulkner
10 Tips to Maximize Your Author Presence on Instagram
I’m not an expert. And let’s be real, the Instagram platform changes so frequently that anyone claiming to hold the “expert” title is likely full of bologna. That said though, I am an active daily user of Instagram and have been for about three years. I started my author journey writing in contemporary romance back in 2020 (but my day job literally pays me to post on Instagram for a state university).
5 books that will both shatter and stitch your heart
I’m an avid reader. Like most authors, it’s only natural to want to consume words, stories, plots, and characters written by others. Reading books (quite obviously) helps me learn and teaches me ways to better write my own stories. As an author of contemporary romance, I gravitate toward the genre. And when I find something I like, all I want to do is consume more.
Optimize Your Amazon Sales: The Four Critical Components of a Book Description
In 2020, Amazon joined the $1 trillion market cap club. It’s a dominant commerce platform and a true marketing powerhouse. And it’s every author’s dream to become the next best-seller with Amazon’s coveted little orange tab.
Your fiction novel: Five things your first chapter simply must do
The most edited page of an entire manuscript is the very first. The first page has a tremendous amount of responsibility. Not only does it set the tone and mood for the full novel, but it also must immediately hook the reader in a compelling—and sometimes showstopping—manner.
Launch Your Book: 5 Cornerstone Strategies for a Successful Release Day
Launch days are stressful. There’s really no other word for it. As an author, I know firsthand how many weeks, months, and sometimes years go into writing a book. Not to mention the oftentimes LONG wait for publication if you take the traditional path.
When a blank page looks back: Six USEFUL tips for combatting writer’s block
I cannot pretend that there are not already a million and two blogs in existence on how to combat writer’s block. A quick Google search will generate thousands of (some really absurd) ideas, all of which are meant to help you break through that blank page.
2022: The Year I Published a Book (er—well, 2)
It’s the time of the year where we all reflect and flaunt our successes, right? I mean, that’s what social media is for—showing off the versions of ourselves we want others to see. And while I’ll absolutely admit to falling in line with this at points in time throughout 2022, I wanted to write my December blog with the purpose of sharing the honest truth behind the lessons I’ve learned on the path to publication.