Category: Writing Life
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Questions That Strengthen Your Story: A Guide for Writers, Beta Readers, and Book Reviewers
Whether you’re writing a book, preparing beta readers, or reviewing stories for your blog or socials, the right questions make everything clearer. Thoughtful questions help writers understand what’s working, help beta readers give useful feedback, and help reviewers move beyond “I liked it.” The questions in this guide support all sorts of manuscript or book…
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7 Ways Writers Can Prevent Beta Readers From Submitting AI-Generated Feedback
One question I get asked a lot these days is ‘do you use AI to create your reports?’ At first I found this to be a strange question because beta reading is, by definition, a test read where you give your opinion. Generative AI, or Large Language Models, don’t have opinions, so they cannot really…
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Author Interview: Five Questions with Rick Wood, Author of Little Mango
Hey Wordies! Welcome to the latest instalment of Five Questions, One Author, a series that shines a spotlight on incredible new, indie, and underrepresented authors. This week, I’m excited to introduce you to author Rick Wood, who recently released adorable children’s book, Little Mango. Each post in this series features the same five questions, giving these…
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Author Interview: Five Questions with Sienna Harlow, Author of Crown of Ellova
Hey Wordies! Welcome to the third instalment of Five Questions, One Author, a series that shines a spotlight on incredible new, indie, and underrepresented authors. This week, I’m excited to introduce you to author Sienna Harlow, who recently released the first part of her adult fantasy romance duology, Crown of Ellova. Each post in this series…
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Unboxing Ferrishyn: A Bookish Gift Box
Wordies, I am so excited about the bookmail I received today. I first saw this book when the author reached out for sensitivity reading on a very early draft and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing that baby manuscript grow from a rough draft to a published book. Although I’ve worked with well over 600…
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Author Interview: Five Questions with Vladimir Stefan, Author of What to Eat During the Apocalypse
Hey Wordies! I’m so excited to kick off this new series, ‘Five Questions, One Author’, where we spotlight new, indie, and underrepresented authors. I wanted a way to celebrate the amazing talent in our writing community, and what better way than to hear straight from the authors themselves? Each post in this series features the…
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Book Community Key Terms and Abbreviations List
Last week, I was reading a Threads post that contained a bookish acronym that I just couldn’t work out. I was floored. I’ve been on Bookstagram and Facebook reading groups for six years now. The acronym in questions wasn’t even new; I simply hadn’t come across it before because it was about a sub-genre I…
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My Laptop Was in Repairs for Two Weeks – Here’s How My Life Changed
As a freelancer working from home, my laptop is a major part of my business and daily life. I use it to read, annotate, research, play, connect, and manage my life… I’m also a Millennial who likes to think of herself as someone who uses a computer and doesn’t get used by it. Meaning, I…
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I’ve Helped Over 600 Authors – Here’s What They Told Me About Writing a Winning Query Letter
As an alpha, beta, and sensitivity reader, I often get asked if I review query letters. While I don’t currently offer a specific service for this (though people are welcome to include their query letter along with their manuscript), I’ve picked up useful tips from authors who have stayed in touch throughout their writing journeys.…
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Baffled by Beta Readers? Wondering if you need ARCs or Alphas? Read This Guide for Writers
As a professional alpha, beta and sensitivity reader who also happens to enjoy writing about books, I often encounter writers who are uncertain about the roles and types of early readers. Misunderstandings can take precious time away from writing, so I have created this guide to demystify the roles of alpha, beta, sensitivity, and ARC…