The only real occupational hazard as a writer is that many people will ask you if you can help them write their book. The only appropriate answer to this question is “Hell no!” For lots of reasons. If they’ve never tried to write before, such people think it’s incredibly easy to write a book. You just sit down and type whatever comes to mind. How freeing! What could be easier? Well, it’s not easy. It’s the toughest and yet most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life. And sometimes, despite my misgivings, I help others achieve their dreams. But most people get the brush-off. Why?

I spotted a book online that grabbed me as soon as I read the premise. The great thriller writer John Grisham agreed to coach a personal friend of his write a first-time thriller novel. I was hooked, mostly because I was curious what Grisham’s advice would be. I’m a professional writer, and I’m always fascinated by how highly successful commercial writers work their magic. This book seemed too good to pass up. The book is called Writing with the Master, and before you run out and buy it, I think you ought to read my article first, because…

Some writers are fans of outlines. Others aren’t. Hence the age-old dichotomy of pantsers and plotters. When I write journalistic work, I tend to use an outline because nonfiction lends itself to “easier” organization. When I write fiction, my brain just doesn’t want an outline crowding it in. That’s when I prefer to make it up as I go along. Turns out, there’s a way to have your cake and eat it too. Here’s how…

Our friend, the thriller writer Robert Swartwood, recently swung through town to participate in the author interview event my wife Denise runs once a month at a local cocktail bar. I’ve known Rob for a number of years, and he’s always a breath of fresh air. I have fun with him every time I see him, and learn so much about the world of publishing. This time was no different. He was in town promoting his new thriller, The Killing Room, which is freaking awesome. (Affiliate link alert.) One of those breakneck novels that keep you guessing, and then blow your mind at big reveals you didn’t see coming…

If you are a writer who works with an agent, you probably ought to embrace bifurcation. That means that any royalty payments due you by your publisher comes directly to your bank account instead of taking bizarre zigzag to your agent’s account first. My wife and I have bifurcated our payments with numerous publishers, and the process isn’t too onerous. I spell out the process, step by step today at SleuthSayers, the mystery blog, in a post entitled…

I hate reading those articles that insist “Every writer needs to do THIS!” or “If you’re not doing X, you’re doomed to fail as a writer!” But I may have just written that article. About two years ago, when I was on a research trip with my wife, I read a book that I have had my eye on for years. It’s one of those books about writing that kept popping up on my radar, called [affiliate link throughout this article] The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield.

I’m talking about about this today at SleuthSayers, the mystery blog, in a post entitled,

The Pressfield Synchronicities!

As I explain in the post, once I read the book, which I found fascinating, I kept running into people who either had read it or have been meaning to read it, or needed to read it. You probably need to read it, too. Here’s why..

Are you a writer? Why not turn your book cover or covers into irresistible matchbook art?

A few years ago, I started seeing a cute item in gift shops around town: matchbooks designed to look like vintage book covers. Somehow two of these ended up in our house, lingering near our stash of candles in the living room. At $7 or $8 a pop, I hate to think we bought them. Maybe they were gifts.

But upon close inspection, I saw that they were handmade and thus theoretically makeable by, well, me. Specifically, I wanted to be able to make matchbooks featuring my books, and not John Steinbeck’s or Margaret Mitchell’s or F. Scott Fitzgerald’s.

I tinkered around at the craft bench, and produced a few using my covers and a few covers of books written by my crime fiction writer friends. Here’s how you can do the same…

I told you about my new short story on Tuesday, and promised I’d have an update for you by the end of the week. Today I’m sharing an in-depth article about the research that went into the story. You can find that article at SleuthSayers, the mystery blog, at the following link…

I have a short story in a new anthology that is published today! I’m excited to tell you about it because, believe it or not, it’s my first appearance in a fiction anthology. The book is a collection of 24 short stories by 24 different writers who contribute to the SleuthSayers mystery blog that I am always crowing about here…

I spent a stupid amount of time over the holidays consuming advice for authors in the form of articles, podcasts, and videos. Some of it was actually helpful. A lot of it was just nonsense designed to a) make you insecure, and b) spend money on whatever service the person doing the spouting was selling. Since the rise of self-publishing, a LOT of people are marketing courses and software for writers. I jumped for a lot of those things at the beginning, thinking it would give me the edge. But I’ve soured on most of it.

My latest post for SleuthSayers, the mystery writers blog, shows what happens when stuff annoys me…