Category: News and Editorials
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Level Up Your Writing: What Authors Can Learn from Video Games
Like most writers, I’m always on the hunt for inspiration. Seeking a spark for their next story, some writers devour books, watch movies or tv shows, and travel to new or exciting places. But there’s another treasure trove I’ve found for inspiration: video games. Full disclosure: I’m an avid gamer. I played video games when…
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Next Newsletter Issue Coming Friday…
Back in 2022, I launched a quarterly newsletter called “Berneta’s Reading Misfits.” While I’m great at keeping Waking Writer up-to-date, I’m not as stellar about keeping a steady newsletter for those interested in my own books and writings. But there’s no better time than the present to make some changes, eh? In past issues of…
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Challenges of Writing Fantasy (and How to Avoid Pulling Out All Your Hair)
Last year, I began my work-in-progress: a fantasy about a struggling actor who stumbles into a parallel world. Not only is the novel my first portal fantasy, but it has some typical fantasy tropes, such as taverns, lots of travel and quests, sorcerers and magics, were-people, etc. Unlike my previous novels, which fall more into…
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Sci-fi and Fantasy Book Giveaways in June!
Prolific Works regularly does book giveaways that allow indie authors to get their books in front of more people. Readers can get free samples of books and, in some cases, free whole books. I often use Prolific Works to offer free samples of my books and find other authors. About this month’s giveaways: June Sci-Fi…
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New Group for Indie Writers and Readers
As you may remember, fellow indie author Cendrine Marrouat and I created an #AuthorIndieSpeak Twitter chat last year, where we discussed all sorts of things relevant to indie authors. We discussed marketing, how to publish, reaching readers, and much more. We’ve decided a Facebook group might be a better format for these conversations and better…
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Five Characteristics of Great Speculative Fiction
Speculative fiction explores the unknown, the impossible, and the extraordinary. The genre (which includes fantasy, science fiction, horror, superhero fiction, dystopian, utopian, and other stories with supernatural and/or futuristic elements) allows us to venture into the uncharted territories of our imagination, and delve into worlds that challenge our understanding of what is possible. I write…
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Faders and Alphas Series: 2nd Edition
Dear Reader, As you probably know, I’ve spent the past couple of years writing and publishing the Faders and Alphas two-book series that also includes two short story serials. Well, with the release of the second edition covers, my co-author (Lornett B. Vestal) and I have finally reached the end of our journey with the…
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A Letter from the Editor: Looking Forward to an Exciting 2023
Dear Readers, I hope you are enjoying the content here at Waking Writer. Since I started this site in 2016, Waking Writer has become quite a hub for indie authors looking for more exposure. Last year was a busy year as promotion requests poured in! This year, you can expect more fascinating interviews, book highlights,…
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Next #AutherIndieSpeak on Sept. 29!
Our next #AuthorIndieSpeak is coming soon. The #AuthorIndieSpeak Chat is a monthly invitation to all indie authors who are interested in discussing the self-publishing industry and building meaningful relationships in their field. While we envision #AuthorIndieSpeak as a meet-and-greet type of event, we also sprinkle questions in the mix. Further, we would love for indie…
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A Serene Study of Love: Review of A Particle of You
“To truly enjoy poetry, we must leave behind our preconceived notions of what the art form is supposed to be; and instead, let the words freely come and speak to us. The same goes for love, actually. The more we embrace it, the more we grow.” Cendrine Marrouat “Love can mean so many things to…
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