Seattle Book Company

Aspiring authors have two basic choices today — self-publishing their work and attempting to be traditionally published, typically with the help of a literary agent. Both routes offer paths to success, and self-published books can definitely become bestsellers now. 

You need a skilled editor no matter what kind of manuscript you’re publishing and no matter how you plan to do it. There are no exceptions. Epic fantasy novels and 20,000-word free ebooks explaining how to diagnose what’s wrong with a washing machine both scream to be edited. 

Why? Even famous novels have embarrassing mistakes (including Robinson Crusoe, where the protagonist strips naked and then promptly stuffs things into his non-existent pockets). Even great classics have typos (like the early version of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that accidentally said “was” instead of “saw” in one instance).

A professional, skilled, experienced, and talented editor is your biggest ally in the fight against stuff that really shouldn’t be in your book. Here’s why.

1. You Suck at Self-Editing

Have you ever taken a look at the beautiful, violent process through which the universe gives birth to brand-new stars? Well, writing is a bit like that. You start with an explosion of ideas, all fighting to be heard. You can’t transform all those sparks into a coherent whole without getting a little messy along the way.

Writing is a struggle. Writers inevitably become attached to the words they labored over. It’s easy, or even inevitable, to read your words and look at the creative ideas that inspired them, losing sight of the plot holes, dead ends, and 2 am grammar sins you left in your manuscript. 

Like a parent can never look at a child with objective, impartial eyes, a writer isn’t able to see their book for what it is. 

That cuts both ways! Some excessively confident aspiring authors may think their historical comedy is perfect the way it is and, therefore, ready for Kindle Direct Publishing after proofreading it a couple of times. On the other hand, overly critical writers risk hating everything they read and going to town with their control, A, and backspace buttons.

Unfortunately, you’ll have to come to terms with that because you should definitely self-edit your manuscript before passing it on to a professional editor. Never leave it there if you want your book to be the best it can be, though. 

2. A Great Editor Is Passionate About Making Your Work Shine

Editors are intensely curious. They’re passionate about language and devoted to helping you create the best manuscript possible. Editors don’t just offer a “fresh pair of eyes” (which also matters a great deal!) but also bring a bunch of experience to the table. They live and breathe manuscripts. They know what works, what doesn’t, and how to transform your book to make it great.

Where writers have to accept a degree of chaos to finish a manuscript successfully, editors love to bring order. By hiring a book editor, you gain a valuable teammate who boosts your strengths and eliminates your weaknesses.

3. It’s Not Difficult to Find the Editor You Need

The internet has made it easier (and faster!) than ever to find an excellent, vetted, and experienced editor who offers precisely the services you require. 

Writers planning to publish a full-length manuscript should strongly consider hiring a developmental editor as well as a copy editor or line editor. Those publishing short stories, brief non-fiction ebooks, or important personal essays typically only need a copy editor. 

While broader websites where you can find freelance services, such as Upwork or Fiverr, may immediately come to mind, you are better off looking for an editor on a dedicated platform. The Reedsy editor marketplace is one of the best. Only experienced editors with proven talent make it onto the platform, which makes it easy to filter by genre. 

Of course, you shouldn’t just pick the first editor you stumble on. The author/editor relationship is intense, and you can ensure it unfolds smoothly by interviewing potential editors carefully. 

Ask questions and explain your needs, especially if you have never worked with an editor before. You don’t have to become best buds with your editor, but it is vital that you understand each other’s work and communication styles.

4. Hiring an Editor Increases Your Odds of Getting Published

It’s more or less obvious that you need at least one skilled editor if you’ve decided to go the self-publishing route. Self-publishing removes all the gatekeeping that traditional publishing builds into the process, after all. An editor is the only thing standing between you and a terrible mistake, so don’t skip this step!

You may not think you need to hire a book editor if you have decided to try to get traditionally published. This process usually requires querying literary agents and landing a contract before your agent tries to place your book. As such, traditional publishing incorporates multiple levels of gatekeeping. 

While it’s true that publishers have their own editors, you may not land a literary agent and even get to that stage unless you hire an editor before you send your manuscript out. Literary agents skim through numerous first chapters daily and won’t hesitate to toss yours in the bin if it’s not polished.

Hiring an editor is a significant investment but a necessary one — and one that will pay off.

When Should You Hire an Editor?

Aspiring authors should pat themselves on the back, pour themselves a lovely glass of wine, and take a well-deserved break after finishing their manuscripts. Self-editing is the next stage in the process; don’t rest until you’ve done the best you can. 

Some authors will work with beta readers or critique partners before hiring a copy editor. That won’t be necessary if you have penned a non-fiction manuscript. 

You’re ready for an editor when your book has well and truly left first-draft territory behind, and you’re certain there’s nothing more you can do to improve your manuscript. That’s when a skilled editor can swoop in and work their magic, ensuring your book can become a success.

If you’re looking to get published, you need to understand the nuances of query letters. The query letter forms the foundation of your pitch to the agent or publisher, informing them of who you are and your work.

The query letter is crucial to the success of a publisher picking you up and working with you. So, it pays to know what they’re looking for when they read it, and, more importantly, the mistakes to avoid when sending it. 

The agent or publisher receives hundreds of query letters from aspiring authors each month, and yours needs to stand out from the pack. By knowing what to avoid when drafting your query letter, you up the odds of the agent or publisher taking you seriously and asking you for an interview. 

Take the following to mind when writing your query letter and avoid the painful sting of rejection. 

Mistake #1 – Incorrect Format and Appearance

Your query letter has weak formatting like “ALL CAPS,” esoteric or colored fonts, or quotes in your signature. Your letter might also lose its formatting after you email it to the recipient. To avoid this mistake, send a friend a copy of your email before submitting it to the publisher. 

Mistake #2 – Bad Blurbs

The biggest errors with blurbs include overusing characters and secondary characters when the emotional hook should be the main character. Also, using thematic instead or plot-driven descriptions. Don’t try and tell the entire story in the blurb, use it to tease the agent or publisher  into reading the rest of the query letter. 

Mistake #3 – Failing to Lead with the Facts

Skip rhetorical questions, agents and publishers find them annoying. It’s more effective to use facts or the reader feels you’re trying to manipulate them by creating sensation. Leading with the facts gets to the point, without wasting the reader’s time. 

Mistake #4 – Using the Wrong POV, Tense, and Pronouns 

It’s common for writers to change the point-of-view in their query letter as they progress. They’ll start writing in the first person and finish in the third person. This mistake shows amateur use of POV in their writing, giving a bad first impression of their work. Master the use of pronouns and watch the tenses you use throughout the query letter. It’s common for writers to start in the present tense and finish in the past, showing weak formal writing skills.

Mistake #5 – Mentioning Self-published books or Prior Manuscripts

You might be proud of your previous two unpublished works, but the agent or publisher doesn’t care. Mentioning them causes the publisher or agent to wonder why no-one picked up your work before, and why they should be the first to take a chance on you. Or they might think you’ll want them to take on your past projects, when they don’t see any value in them. 

Mistake #6 – Don’t Grovel

Professionals want to deal with confident and competent people, not desperate authors. Don’t mention your lack of experience or how you’ve tried to get the industry to see the value in your work to no avail. Resist the urge to be humble, confidence sells. 

Mistake #7 – TL;DR

Your bio should convey the interesting aspects of your personality, but avoid adding too much information. You don’t need to share your life story. Include relevant information, and leave the rest. If your novel is about the Afghan war, it’s fine to include your military background. The publisher and agent don’t want to know you missed a college scholarship because you got a knee injury in high school, landing you in the service. 

Mistake #8 – Insincere Flattery

Flattery will get you nowhere. Telling the agent you admire their firm is generic and irrelevant. They know they’re good, and they don’t need you to remind them. Unless the compliment is relevant, leave it out.

Mistake #9 – Including Cover Art

Including cover art shows you don’t know how the industry works. Publishers have design teams that take care of that for you. It also indicates you want more creative control and may cause problems for them in the publishing process. 

Mistake #10 – Including Copyright Symbols

The industry standard is to avoid using copyright symbols in your work. You’re handing the rights over to the publisher when you sign with them. Once again, this shows you want creative control. 

Pro Tip – Avoid Using these Common Phrases in Your Query Letter

“This is my first manuscript ever.”

You might think this statement showcases you talent and confidence. In reality, it shows you’re an amateur with no industry knowledge. 

“I’ve been a writer all my life.”

If you’re telling the agent you were born to be a writer, you’re telling them you’re a newbie with big dreams. They’ll hesitate to sign anyone that overestimates their capabilities. The reality is every author is a born writer, and everyone in their inbox dreams of landing that big book deal.

“I’m confident all ages and audiences will love this book.”

This statement shows the agent you haven’t researched your audience and it has no targeted appeal to a specific demographic. Essentially, you’re telling them no one will find your work appealing. 

“My book will make a great movie.”

Every author dreams of their book landing them a movie deal, but few ever reach this lofty goal. Your query letter must focus on representing and selling your work to the agent or publisher, not what you think they can do with it. Let the agent or publisher decide if the manuscript is screen worthy or deserves merchandising opportunities. 

“This will be a book Oprah will want in her book club.” 

That’s a blanket statement with no supporting evidence. Have you personally spoken to Oprah’s team? Do you have a guarantee of that directly from the mouth of Oprah herself? Don’t make assumptions you can’t back up with evidence.

“My family and friends love my writing.”

Everybody’s support group loves their work. They don’t want to crush your dreams by telling you your book needs improvement. Using these statements shows you don’t have confidence in your abilities. The agent or publisher doesn’t care if your dad likes your work – unless they’re a renowned literary critic.

Comic books and graphic novels have been popular for decades. Boys, girls, men, and women; comic books appeal to people of all ages, and of all interest levels. From superheroes to anime, and even cartoonish portrayals of normal, everyday men, women, teens, and children, and from fantasy to science fiction to historical fiction; comics come in a wide array of styles, themes, content, genres, topics, and more.

One of the reasons why comic books are so appealing is because they are so appealing. The graphic imagery brings the content to life, makes it more relatable, and more memorable. There really is no denying the awesomeness of comic books. You have a great idea for a genre, storyline, characters, and plot for a comic book. You’ve written up the dialogue, and you have to pat yourself on the back as you read it, because it really is awesome. While you’ve got the writing component of comic book creation down, there’s one major thing you’re missing: the artwork. 

A graphic novel can’t be a graphic novel without illustrations. Pictures are a vital part of a comic book, as they bring the story to life; in fact, the images are what separates comic books from other genres of writing. You are confident in the content you’ve written, but you can’t draw a stick figure to save your life, and, well, you can’t very well create comic book without images. What do you do? Well, you find a comic book artist, of course!

There are tons of talented artist out there that specialize in graphic novel style artwork. There’s just one problem: you have no idea how to go about finding a comic book artist for hire. Fortunately, it isn’t as hard as you might think. There are literally endless freelance artists out there, you just have to find them, and with the following tips, you will be able to do just that. Keep on reading to discover how you can go about finding the best comic book artists for hire. 

Determine Your Needs

First things first; you need to figure out what your needs are. Before you start looking for comic book artists for hire, figuring out exactly what it is that you require. To determine what you need, consider the genre and the content of your comic book, as well as the images that you have in mind when you think about the content that you’ve written for your comic book. By determining what it is that you are looking for first, finding comic artists for hire that can suit your needs will be a lot easier. To illustrate, the imagery for an anime graphic novel is going to be quite different than the imagery you’d use in a graphic novel that features everyday teenagers, or a young family.

Once you’ve determined what type of artwork you want, you’ll have a much easier time finding comic book artists for hire that specialize in that style of imagery, and who will be able to bring your words and story to life.  

Ask for Personal Recommendations

Do you know any comic book authors? If so, ask them if they do their own illustrations or if they use a freelance comic book artist for hire. If any of the people you ask use the latter – using freelance comic artists for hire – ask if they can recommend the artist that they use. Ask if they have any printed comic books that the freelance artist they worked with illustrated. If so, ask if you can see samples of the finished comics in print for. Thumb through the pages of the comics, paying close attention to the images on the pages. Do they speak to your style? Do they appear as if the style of imagery would appeal to your writing?

If any of the people you know make personal recommendations, ask if they were satisfied with the results that they provided, and if they would recommend using the comic book artist. The people you know are often the best resource to use when you’re looking for any professional service, including comic book artists. Why? Well, because you can usually count on the people you know to provide you with their honest feedback and recommendations. 

Check Online

Whether you don’t know anyone who can recommend comic book artists for hire or you do, but you’d like to add more names to the list of artists you’re considering, check the internet. You can find pretty much anything you need on the internet, including comic book artists for hire. 

To search the internet, simply head to your favorite search engine, type “comic book artists for hire near me”, and there’s no doubt that you’ll get a long list of results. While you can certainly use this method, using a more specific search tool would be even better. Reedsy, an online marketplace that features talented professionals that specialize in all types and phases of writing, editing, illustrating, and more, is a great tool to use. It’s essentially an online database that you can search through to find the most talented comic book artists for hire. 

Get In Touch

After you’ve finalized the list of comic book artists that you’re interested in, get in touch with each candidate. Ask each of the comic book artists for hire that you’re considering key questions that pertain to their professional history. Examples of some of the key questions that you might want to ask include: 

• Do you have professional training? 
• How long have you been creating comic artwork? 
• What types of comics have you worked on in the past
• What style and materials do you use? 
• Do you have samples I can look through? 
• Do you have references that I can contact? 

Jot down the answers to the questions that you ask and after you’ve spoken to each of the artists, compare the answers you received. Based on the information that you acquire, you should be able to narrow things down and choose the best comic book artists for hire. 

Books are one item that never goes out of fashion. While half of all books sales have now transitioned to online formats, the sale of stories remains as strong as ever. For those thinking about becoming writers or for existing writers who are focusing on getting published, this is cause for celebration. Thankfully, with so many options available, getting published is easier than ever. Worldwide the publishing industry is worth close to 150 billion USD between them. If you are thinking about getting your book into print, our list of the 6 largest publishing companies in the industry today will come in handy.

Pearson

Pearson, whose headquarters is located in London, England, is the biggest publishing house in the world. They handle most of the publishing for corporations, schools, and students and serve over 70 countries in the world. They are behind the majority of educational printing and makes up about 6.4 billion USD of the total market. They have been around since 1844 which is one of the reasons they are able to capture so much of the market share across the globe.

Barnes and Noble Press Self-publishing

Barnes & Noble Press, which used to be known as NOOK Press, is one of the largest publishers available for self-published authors. Although they have tough competition from Amazon, the fact that it is linked to an actual bookstore allows it to maintain its market share, despite the competition. The interface is easy to use and unlike some brick and mortar publishing houses, authors have the freedom to publish across multiple platforms with no exclusions.

RELX

RELX is another British publishing house that serves just over 180 nations. It is mainly focused on the publishing of medical, technical, legal, and scientific materials but considering it is the second-largest publisher in the world, it prints a lot. The name may not be familiar because it was actually was created from a merger between Reed International and Elsevier, who were both mid-level publishers in their own rights.

Amazon KDP Self-publishing

There would be no list of big publishers without Amazon making the cut. In fact, Amazon accounts for three-quarters of all eBook sales in the US and is the biggest purveyor of digital books in the entire world. Kindle Direct Publishing and Amazon Publishing are separate entities, however, as a whole, they have made their mark on the publishing world and are still going strong. Kindle Direct Publishing is ideal for those looking to self publish while Amazon Publishing works just like any other brick and mortar publishing house.

Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters is one of the more well-known publishing houses in the world even though it’s only the third largest of traditional publishers. This publishing house was founded in 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, and accounts for 5 billion of the annual publishing income worldwide. They are known for their branded sponsorships, investments, and more. They print a wide assortment of books ranging from children’s books to legal tomes the world over. For being such a young company, they have managed to amass a large following that has given them a huge market share.

Apple Books Self-publishing

Apple is known for a lot of things, but its publishing is not one of them. However, they opened a self-publishing platform in 2010, and just two years after that boasted a library of over 400 million books available for download. It can be hard to monetize a book on the platform, but that has not stopped anyone from using Apple to publish. The fact that there is no fee to publish is one of the many reasons the platform has been able to draw so many authors. Keep in mind there are a lot more publishing houses out there to chose from, and we have only covered the top six in the world in our post today. If you have dreams of becoming a published author, be sure to check out our vast resources available here.

​​What Expenses Are Deductible When You Work From Home?

Many people who work full time in an office dream of working from home. Working from home has been associated with being flexible and relaxing compared to physically going to the office. Unfortunately, since the pandemic, the dream turned into a reality for almost 43% of the workforce in the United States. Consequently, employees need to understand some of the expenses that are deductible when they work from home. Below are some of the costs that are deductible when you work from home. 

1. Rent or mortgage payments

This is one of the expenses that are deductible when you are working from home. Remote workers can claim a home office deduction instead of itemizing each expense. However, you need to be sure that the office is used solely for business purposes and not for any other reason. 

The only way you can ensure that you achieve this is to store all the receipts of all deductions safely. When the home is used solely for business purposes, you may deduct a portion of the expenses related to your home, such as homeowners insurance and mortgage interest, among others. 

In other words, a home office expense is a deduction that is allowed only if the home office meets at least one of any of the criteria below: 

• The home office is the place where the business takes place. 
• The home office is where the business owners meet with clients and customers as any other typical business day. 
• Where business is conducted is a separate structure from the property and is not attached to the house. 

2. Automobile expenses

Automobile expenses are another expense that is deductible when you are working from home. This applies if you have to drive a car for business occasionally. Any automobile mileage related to the company is tax-deductible, except for commuting to and from the place of work. As long as the travel is made solely for business purposes, it is considered a business expense. The mileage deduction is calculated using two different approaches that are allowed by the IRS. Unfortunately, car insurance is only deductible for a small selection of individuals.

3. Entertainment and travel expenses

Travel and entertainment costs are only deductible if they are directly related to the business or associated. In other words, if the company took place during entertainment or business was immediately discussed before or after entertainment, then the deduction applies. Any business-related travel is fully deductible.  

4. Health insurance

Even though you are working from home, you are still an employee who is on the payroll. Health insurance benefits that are provided to employees are considered as tax-deductible. However, those who are self-employed can deduct a portion of their income for health insurance. 

5. Business expenses

Working from home means that you are still conducting business-related functions. The only difference is that you are not physically at your place of work. There are some everyday expenses for running a business for which you can take a deduction. They include employee benefits, legal and professional services, advertising, office supplies, rents, wages, and other operations conducted at home. 

6. Travel expenses

You can make deductions of ordinary and necessary travel expenses that you incur while traveling on business. You should keep your records checked and updated such that the amount for each item, such as lodging, meals, and transportation, are included. Keep track of the date of departure and return for each trip that you take, and the number of days spent on the trip, and any other information that may be useful. While traveling for business, your laundry and cleaning expenses should also be kept well because they are deductible. 

7. Equipment purchases

When working from home, you should communicate with your employer to give you some equipment to work effectively from home. However, suppose this is not provided, and you buy equipment for the business. In that case, you can deduct a portion of the equipment cost in the year in which equipment was placed in service. Also, you need to check with your tax professional to check the limit for the current year. 

8. Maintenance and repair work

As long as you incur costs for maintenance and repair of any office equipment, it is deductible. This is the cost you incur in bringing back an asset to its original condition or the price incurred in keeping an asset operating effectively at its present condition. So, for example, assuming that you are working from home and using an office laptop. Then the computer breaks down when using it, and you take it for repair, then that expense is deductible. 

9. Delivery expenses

Suppose the company deals with a variety of products. In that case, delivery expenses are incurred in getting a product from the company to the customer’s hands. This includes gas and oil costs and other transportation costs that are incurred in the process. 

10. Self-education expenses

You can also claim a deduction for self-education only if the teaching of the study you are undertaking relates to your current employment activities. The course must be connected to your everyday employment activities to either;

• Maintain or improve a specific skill that is necessary for your current line of work.
• Is likely to result in an increment in your income.

It is only under the above scenarios that you can claim your self-education expense. If your course is not related to your current employment activities, you cannot claim it.  

In summary, working from home is very effective and convenient for many people. This is mainly because of how flexible it is. All of the above are some of the expenses that are deductible when you are working from home. Therefore, you need to be aware of what to claim and what not to claim. 

Rose Rosie is a writer for the personal finance website, Joy Wallet, which provides readers with useful information, resources, and tools to help maximize their financial fitness.

There comes a time in every writer’s life that they will have writer’s block. They will not be able to find anything to write about. Creative writing exercises are perfect to do to help writers find what they can write about, whether it’s a news article or book, for instance. It is better to do creative writing exercises, instead of sitting, staring at the computer with your pen or pencil in your hand. Writers will find these exercises are quite enjoyable when done for a few minutes or hours. It just depends on what mood the writer is in.

One creative exercise writers can do are writing prompts. It allows the writer to use his or her imagination. Writing prompts can make the writer write for a long period of time, especially if it’s something they enjoy talking about. One idea is talking about a dream or nightmare the writer had the night before. This could end up being the writer’s next book. When writing prompts, try to remember site, people’s faces, what each person were doing, and so forth. On the other hand, if your dream was scary, such as dreaming of zombies attacking you, you may not want to write about it, unless you just want to have a laugh while writing about it.

Consider writing or doing a video recording of yourself when you were younger. Pick an age that you would like to communicate with yourself. It is anything you want it to be.  It does not matter if it’s bad or good. It does not matter. It may get emotional for the writer, but at the same time, you will have inspiration to write about it, if you wish. Write or talk about things that were important or affected you. This could be an inspiration for your next story.

The alphabet exercise is a fun creative exercise to do. The idea of the alphabet exercise is to use each letter of the alphabet in a sentence. This will be a difficult, but fun exercise to do. Use all the resources that are available to you, such as online dictionaries. The idea of the alphabet exercise is to create a story with each alphabet letter as the first word of each sentence. It does not matter if the story sounds strange. It’s all about having fun and thinking outside of the box.

Another creative writing exercise is writing about a scene. Find a site, whether it is where you are at the moment or another site, but it is best to write on a site on where you are at the moment.  Write a few sentences on your surroundings. What do you see? What is the atmosphere like? The idea of this creative writing exercise is for you to begin a story. Writers shock themselves on how much writing they can do with just their surroundings. Once you have the scene in place, you can add characters.

Character exercises are another good creative writing exercise to complete. In order to complete the exercise, writers will need to come up with a name. The name doesn’t matter. It’s anything he or she wants. Writers who cannot think of a name, should make use of the Internet where they can find loads of names. Once you come up with a name, think of that person’s character, such as what is their personality like. Do they have a family? Are they single? What kind of job do they have? Write about anything that comes to mind. This could be a character to use for your next story.

Think of a story that you remember someone telling you. Even if you remember bits and pieces of the story, write it anyways. While writing, you can add to it make it more interesting. You may remember some other things that were left off in the story that you heard. If you get stuck, try reading some creative writing examples for inspiration. Who knows what will bring the spark?

Creative writing contests are a great way to improve your creative writing skills. They can help you grow as a creative writer or writer in general by testing your creativity and imagination. There are many writing contests both online and offline. Let’s have a look at the right way of finding creative writing contests that are suitable for you!

A number of these creative writing contests give incentives to the winners ranging from cash rewards to grants and awards.

Before you go on a hunt, here are a couple of things you should know first:

• Creative writing contests do more than just test your writing caliber. They also test how you measure up with other writers in the category – which might be something you need to prepare for beforehand by reading more than you write.
• You might be given the task of writing a short story, essay, poetry, script, etc. depending on which creative writing contest you choose – but they are almost always looking for fresh ideas and an original voice. If you write anything even remotely redundant or unoriginal then it’s a point taken from you.

With those tips out of the way, let’s now have a look at the right way of finding creative writing contests that are right for you!

Free contests

There are quite a few respected and reliable writing contests without any entry fees. All you need to do is do a Google search. Most of these contests work in a way where you have to send a copy of your work postmarked within the deadline.

Contests exist for both types of writers – amateurs and published ones.

For example, here are two contests:

1. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest is great for amateur writers.

• Short stories or novelettes that are up to 17,000 words.
• Genres: fantasy or science fiction.
• Prizes: $1000, $750, $500 plus an annual grand prize of $5000.
• Deadlines for submissions are March 31, June 30, and September 30.

On the other hand, only those are eligible for the Drue Heinz Literature Prize who have published a book-length novel with a reputable publisher or have at least three short stories or novellas in journals that are recognized nationally.

• 150-300 pages of a manuscript, short stories, or two or more novellas.
• Genre: short fiction.
• Prize: $15,000 and publication through the University of Pittsburgh Press.
• The deadline for submissions is May 1 through June 30 annually.

Needless to say, the competition is pretty high in these contests. But look on the bright side. Even if you don’t make it, it can be a great way to improve and see where you stand. Do check the previous winners. There are dozens of free contests that can ignite a fresh, creative writing spark in you.

Paid writing contests

Then there are some writing contests that have an entry fee. The entry fees are usually minimal within the range of $10-20 in most cases, and the prizes, if you happen to win, more than make up for that initial expense.

For example, the SiWC Writing Contest has a first prize of $1000 plus publication. Honorable mentions get $150. The entry fee is $15 and the criterion is to send 2500-4000 words long unpublished short stories.

Another great example is the Great American Fiction Contest with a similar prize and up to five runners-up that get $200 each. The entry fee is $10 and the criterion is to submit 1500 to 5000 words long short stories in any genre as long as it revolves around The Saturday Evening Post’s mission statement of “Celebrating America – Past, Present, and Future”.

Spend just a few minutes browsing through Goodreads reviews of paranormal romance books and you’ll discover a polarizing debate taking place. But the issue at hand isn’t vampires vs. werewolves, urban vs. traditional fantasy, or Twilight vs. True Blood — although  I’m certain you could find those battles being fervently waged in other forums)

Rather, it’s the trope of dangerous heroes — and whether, essentially, they are good or bad.

What is a “dangerous hero”?

“Dangerous heroes,” also known as “bad boy heroes,” are suitors in romance novels who have a bit of an edge to them — the opposite of a wholesome, Hallmark-worthy romantic hero. To put it euphemistically, they tend to behave very badly.

To put it less euphemistically, they’re often violent, controlling, temperamental, unpredictable, and even outright abusive. They’ve usually been through some kind of trauma that “justifies” this behavior: a rough childhood, the death of someone close to them, the betrayal of a friend, the infidelity of a previous partner. Bonus points if they feel responsible for this trauma, whether for a good reason (i.e. they actually caused it) or not.

Sometimes dangerous heroes evolve into more stable and respectful men over the course of the story. But most of the time they don’t. Even if the former is the case, the behavior has already been normalized over the course of the narrative, so readers have become desensitized to it.

Obviously, this isn’t a healthy depiction of romance or behavior as a whole, and I personally don’t feel comfortable reading romance books that engage with this trope at all. Which doesn’t mean I’m uncomfortable with the main couple clashing! I love spirited arguments, opposites attracting, and enemies-to-lovers arcs. But I draw the line at abuse. And according to the Goodreads debates, many other readers seem to agree with me. 

That said, the “dangerous hero” trope is so prevalent that it’s difficult to claim it’s a fringe fetish. This trope is present in every single subgenre of romance from historical to contemporary, and is especially popular in the world of self-published ebooks. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a mass-producing romance ebook author who hasn’t at least dabbled in “spicy bad boys” (yikes) or “dom daddies” (double yikes).

Clearly, plenty of fans have an appetite for this trope — and it’s perhaps most pervasive in paranormal romance, or PNR. I will spend the rest of this article dissecting what separates a dangerous hero in PNR from the rest of the pack, and unpacking the possible reasons why readers are so enthralled.

Who are the “bad boys” of PNR?

First, let’s meet some of the most notorious offenders of this trope in paranormal romance. Some of these I’ve read myself, but even I had no idea how deep this conspiracy went until I discovered the (hopefully tongue-in-cheekily named) Dangerous Heroes Addict Support Group. Here are just a few examples of the “bad boys” that the group and I have encountered in PNR:

• Wrath II (his actual name), the vampire protagonist of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger series
• Kaleb Krychek, a “Dual Cardinal” with psychic powers in the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh
• V’lane AND Jericho Barrons (that’s right — it’s a bad-boy love triangle) in the fae-based Bloodfever series by Karen Marie Moning
• Lothaire, a half-mad and highly volatile vampire who falls for a young woman in Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series
• Maddox, who’s possessed by an ancient demon of violence (you can’t make this stuff up) in Lords of the Underworld by Gena Showalter

Most of these “heroes” have distinct features in common. They are all distinguished for their special talents, even among their kind; for example, Kaleb is the most powerful Psy in known existence, as he has both telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Maddox embodies the most violent creature in all realms of heaven and earth. Wrath II is the only purebred vampire left in his world, and leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Indeed, these heroes also tend to hold high-level positions of power and privilege, just like the “bad boys” of non-paranormal romances (think Christian Grey). And if they’re not already in power, they’re after it — for instance, Lothaire is a half-prince cast out of his kingdom who has sworn a) revenge and b) to reclaim the throne. But in order to do so, he needs the help of a low-class mortal woman.

Which leads into the final critical component and shared feature of all these books: the heroine. She is, almost without exception, human; perhaps she’s been possessed by a malevolent force or is being “indoctrinated” into supernatural society before making a full transition, but she pretty much always starts off weak, innocent, and mortal. (That’s Twilight’s influence for you.) 

Again, our heroes are supremely powerful in both the traditional AND paranormal sense — arguably the most powerful entities in their respective universes. Even a relationship with your average vampire or lady-demon would already be seriously imbalanced. So when these “bad boys” (understatement of the century) end up seducing humans, their relationships inevitably take on an incredibly unhealthy dynamic.

Problematic, no? Especially when these guys exacerbate the disparity by treating their ladies so terribly — sometimes literally torturing them. Truth be told, your average “dangerous” PNR relationship is about as appropriate and morally acceptable as a CEO with a child bride.

But nonetheless, actual human readers eat this stuff up, as evidenced by the flourishing fanbase and Amazon best sellers list. Let’s look at a few possible reasons behind the supernatural bad boy obsession.

Why readers love them: 3 theories

1. Escapism

If reading fiction is a form of escapism, then fantasy is an even more heightened version, and paranormal romance is basically escapism on crack. Many romance readers who are bored, frustrated, or simply wish to forget about their regular lives (and possibly lackluster love lives) needn’t look any further than PNR shelves for the perfect title.

So how does this tie into the dangerous hero phenomenon? Well, nothing is more implausible than a functional and satisfying relationship between a dangerous immortal god and a mortal woman — and the more implausible something seems, the better a distraction it is. All mental energy that would normally go toward quotidian concerns is redirected into “WTF?! How is this possible? What’s going on? Oh my god, here comes another crazy thing!” (This is pretty much the plot of Lothaire.) And sometimes, that’s all people want out of a book.

On a more specific note, the more powerful the hero, the more exciting the relationship is for the heroine… even if it’s also very unhealthy. And since all these human heroines are potential self-inserts for readers, it’s easy for “dangerous hero addicts” to step into their shoes and get swept up in the story. Of course, since they’re just reading about it and not experiencing it, they get the best of both worlds: all the titillation and none of the abuse. (I’m pretty sure this is why dangerous heroes are so much more prominent in books than TV and film — because the more “real” the problem is, the more upsetting it becomes for the consumer.)

2. Societal brainwashing

It’s also possible that readers don’t realize quite how problematic these stories are when they immerse themselves in them. Obviously, the more abusive male behavior one reads about, the more one becomes numb to that behavior — but it’s something that we see constantly in real life as well.

#MeToo has exposed some of the biggest figures in Western politics and entertainment as abusers. And while a few have been persecuted or prosecuted for their actions, many have slipped quietly back under the radar after a scandalous headline or two, with people making excuses (“Oh, he could be a lot worse”) before forgetting about the issue entirely.

Again, it’s similar to the visceral violence of TV/film: out of sight, out of mind. Unless people personally witness something inappropriate (or, you know, illegal), they don’t really have to consider the implications of it. This same mindset contributes to the normalization and glorification of such behaviors in fiction.

I realize that this “brainwashing” may be less of a contributing cause than the desire for escapism — and indeed, I hope it is. I want to believe that readers are smart enough not to just consume these romances without any critical thought. So what’s the happy medium between thinking too much and too little? Probably thinking that… 

3. It’s all in good fun

Some readers may not be seeking to escape or succumbing to unfortunate normalization —  rather, they’re reading these books simply because they like them, cruel suitors and all. The fourth wall is alive and strong in fiction. At the end of the day, all this stuff is made up — and the presence of sorcery and the supernatural in the PNR subgenre emphasizes that further.

Occam’s razor posits that the simplest answer is usually the right one. Consequently, I’m inclined to think that this is the most compelling argument for why readers seem to love “bad boy” heroes so much, especially in PNR. 

So what’s the big deal, if this is the case? As we’ve seen time and time again, just because something is problematic doesn’t mean it’s impossible to enjoy. If the thing in question is fictional, shouldn’t we just leave it alone?

Depends on how you look at it

Though I’m sure you can tell my opinion by now, I didn’t write this post to universally decry dangerous heroes/bad boys in PNR, but to examine them. Far be it from me to dictate taste, especially since (as a lover of most romance tropes) I certainly have my own guilty pleasures. But I do urge other readers to think about the pros and cons of this particular trope.

Pros:

• It’s exhilarating to read about forbidden love, and “dangerous supernatural hero/human heroine” is perhaps the most forbidden of all.
• The hero sometimes experiences a growth arc over the course of the narrative and isn’t nearly as much of a “bad boy” by the end. Likewise, the human heroine is sometimes transformed into a supernatural creature, which lessens the power imbalance.
• Occurrence in paranormal romance is somewhat preferable to other subgenres, because the accompanying supernatural elements help demonstrate how unrealistic the situation is as a whole. That said…

Cons:

• Impressionable young readers may get inaccurate ideas about what constitutes a healthy relationship, potentially causing a genuine threat in future relationships.
• It’s a huge negative trigger for readers who have actually been in abusive relationships, and insulting/offensive to imply such a relationship desirable in any way, even in these alternate worlds.
• For the rest of us, knowing it’s fictional doesn’t necessarily make it less uncomfortable.

I realize that paranormal romance books won’t stop having these kinds of relationships in them, and other subgenres of romance aren’t likely to shy away, either — not least because they sell. But a girl can dream, and it’s my dream that romance authors will someday get abreast of more interesting (and ideally more balanced) relationship dynamics.

Until then, I suppose readers have made their beds and are happy to lie in them. But still, maybe don’t get in bed with a violence demon. I feel like that’s just common sense.

You’ve just penned your first sci-fi, and you’d be thrilled to share it with the world if it wasn’t for the fact that you’re painfully introverted? You’ve written a memoir about a traumatic childhood that you know can help others, but you’re terrified that the fallout of publishing it will stretch well beyond your coping abilities? Your erotic stories are steaming hot and just begging for eager readers, but you don’t want your company’s board of directions to find out about your exciting but stigmatizing side gig?

In other words, you really want to publish an ebook, but you dread what might happen if you were to do so under your own name? 

You’re in good company. J.K. Rowling, Dr. Seuss, Ann Rice, and Mark Twain are all pen names — and even through these authors didn’t rise to fame under them, the likes of Stephen King, Isaac Asimov, and Agatha Christie have all played around with pseudonyms, too. Just as publishing your manuscript digitally, in ebook form, is a perfectly valid choice in the 21st century, there are plenty of reasons to use a pseudonym. What are the pros and cons of publishing your ebook anonymously, and can you even do that?

Can you publish your ebook under a pen name?

Yes, you can! Although you can be traditionally published under a pseudonym, too, the process of self-publishing an ebook using a pen name is actually considerably easier. If you self-publish your ebook using the Kindle Direct Publishing platform, you’ll automatically be offered the chance to publish under a pen name. Your author account will likely still be in your true name, meaning you can get paid for your work — though, if privacy is your top priority, you may be able to go even further by establishing an anonymous LLC in your pen name to make it harder for serious diggers to find out who you are.

It’s also perfectly possible to copyright your work under a pseudonym. The US Copyright Office offers you the choice between copyrighting your book under your pen name and real name simultaneously or doing so solely under your pseudonym.

The advantages of publishing your ebook anonymously

If you write your ebook under a pen name, your work can speak for itself. Done right, your true identity will not color the lens through which your readers enjoy your work, and your ebook will not come back to haunt you in your “real life”. As a new, camera-shy, author, the low stakes of publishing your ebook anonymously may give you the confidence you need to actually get your work out there. If you’re tackling controversial topics, or if you’re afraid of hate comments, publishing your ebook under a pseudonym can protect you. 

What to consider before publishing your ebook anonymously

No matter how brilliant your manuscript is, your audience won’t magically show up — to get people to actually read your book, you have to learn how to market your ebook. Like it or not, your best marketing opportunity lies in allowing your target audience to connect with you as an author. By self-publishing your work under a pen name, you rob yourself of a great opportunity to promote your work. 

Anonymity is also surprisingly and increasingly unsustainable in today’s world. You’ll have to choose your pen name with care, so that nobody can connect it back to you, and make sure your manuscript isn’t accidentally littered with small details that offer glimpses into your true identity. Thanks to social media, you’ll also either want to have extremely trustworthy friends, or keep mum about the fact that you are self-publishing an ebook. It only takes one person to spill the beans!

The more successful your ebook becomes, the harder it will be to maintain your anonymity. If you’re not aiming for your manuscript to become profitable and you’re content sharing it on writers’ groups, it’s going to be fairly easy to keep your real name out of it — but if you self-publish a successful ebook, you may eventually want to take credit for your work or be faced with sleuthing experts who dox you. 

Should you publish an ebook under a pen name? That is, ultimately, a very personal question. Authors who would eventually like to be credited for their work should strongly consider publishing under their real name from the get-go, while those who fear that their personal life or professional reputation could be ruined if the fact that they anonymously published a book came out would be advised to seek legal counsel before proceeding. 

Many writers out there are also fans of fiction found in every other form, and every writer has a list of their favorite movies and TV shows – some writers even prefer to keep the TV running while they’re writing for the addition of background noise, while others prefer to fire up Netflix once they’re done writing for some relaxation.

But watching fiction isn’t all fun. There’s a lot writers can learn from three act fiction from movies and TV that can be applied to their own writing process to create a better story that’s easier to outline. 

Want your TV watching to turn into serious story research instead? Whip up some fresh juice with a blender and let’s talk about  how to turn your TV watching time into something that can help you write. 

Why Three Acts Work 

Three act storytelling is one of the most popular types. Here’s why. 

Act one introduces the setting, the scenes, the characters and the intrigue. It tells people why they should give a damn about the characters or the story. 

Act two introduces the intrigue, the storyline, the chase, the rest of the characters, the twists and the journey. This is the vital middle part of the story. 

Act three concludes your plot – though sometimes with a surprising twist or a cliffhanger. It brings the story together, and tells people why they have been giving a damn throughout the middle. Thus, give your ending some real punch.

Three acts are effective. It allows for tension, peaking, conclusion, twists and an end to the story (whether it’s the final end or only the end to one part in a series). 

Examples of Three Acts in Film

The popular three acts are seen in thousands of Blockbuster movies. The same way, it appears in thousands upon thousands of books and short stories. Almost no story begins without introducing (1) settings and (2) characters – and that’s act one of most stories and movies.

Die Hard, Toy Story, Star Wars, The Stand, Rocky, Rambo, The Hills Have Eyes, Cujo, The Shining, The Jungle Book, The Princess Bride, The Road. 

In fact, the list of movies that use the three acts – some in obvious ways and most not – is almost endless.

It works so well because it works. 

Even life can be seen as life in three acts if you were to think about it. First, there’s birth when you get introduced to the characters that will be in it – then there’s the middle part where your journey happens – and finally, there’s the conclusion.

Examples of Three Acts in Episodic Fiction 

Three act stories can be seen all over episodic fiction. 

This type of fiction generally has a presiding story arc (the characters and general setting remains the same), while each episode another “topic”, “story arc” or mystery that gets dealt with by the characters.

Fiction in episodes like these is a great way to illustrate the progression of a story arc, and you can practically  use this to see how your chapters and story can progress.

The Three Acts in Individual Chapters

The three acts (beginning, middle and end) apply to your story as a whole whether it’s 3, 000 words or closer to 300, 000. But it can also apply to your chapters individually – each chapter has a beginning, middle and end too. Realizing this can make outlining and writing chapters (and seeing them in perspective for the rest of your story) a lot easier for you as a writer. 

When outlining, use the “episodic” format and see each chapter as an episode in a larger part of the story.

For many writers, this is the revelation they need to get over writer’s block and back to serious writing.