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Each type of book has its own expected word count. From chick-lit to epic fantasy, from picture books, to middle-grade to adult, it’s often easier to find traction with agents, publishers, and even readers when your story length meets expectations. What do you do when your story is WAY too short -- or too long? =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

After you’ve written your manuscript and gone over it at least once, it’s usually time to ship it out to some beta-readers, to get an outside perspective. But -- how do you find and pick the right beta readers? =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

For those writers trying to get traditionally published, there are about 10 general approaches, and some are better than others. Which are you? =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

There are writers who take feedback well, but there are plenty who don’t. Try not to make these mistakes. Feel your feels, but control your behavior. =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

I don’t know how your write-ins work, but these are the guidelines I follow, to get the most out of any write-in — virtual or not. =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

In Romances, the romance is the point of the story. In genre fiction: the intrigue, the adventure, the mystery is the point, and the main character’s relationships are often what makes the victory possible — be they romantic or otherwise. How do you get the balance right? =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

After you’ve sent out your writing out, there comes a day when you have to deal with the feedback. Most writers start with the big fixes, because there's no need to fix the line edits if you're not keeping that chapter. Is there? =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

Impostor syndrome. Most of us have experienced it. Some of us live with it. Here are some ways to confront it, head on! =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

Have you ever gotten feedback from someone who you respect, saying they hated your work? They liked the idea, but think you should have done it a completely different way? Sometimes, the fix is smaller than it sounds like. =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

Did you know there’s a way to take your writing from draft to beloved classic? Something often skipped when you’re learning all the ‘should’ and ‘should nots’ of the novelist’s world? =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

While many writers dream of abandoning the daily grind for becoming full-time writers, there's pluses and minuses to both sides of the equation. =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

Looking back on 2022, where did Morgan meet her goals, where did she exceed them, and where did she fall short? If you're a goal-person, how did you do with your goals for 2022? =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

Welcome back for more Writing Tips from the Pros and my own Writerly Musings. What's new for season 6? =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

All industries have their own specialized terms, and even inside an industry, different people can want things done different ways. In the publishing world, you hear a lot about blurbs, queries, synopses, and more. Now, I can’t tell you what ALL agents, publishers, and readers are looking for, but I can point you in the right direction. =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

Some people work with partners. And some people like to work with their romantic partner. But whether you’re romantically involved or not, there’s techniques that could work for you. At WorldCon2019, Heidi Goody led the working couples of Peter Morwood and Diane Duane, plus Delia Sherman and Ellen Kushner in discussing how to maintain working and romantic relationships — with the same person. =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

Some books are straight up romances, some have no romantic dealings at all, but for everything in between, they’ve probably got a romantic sub-plot (or two) simmering in the background. At WorldCon2019, PRK, Kate Johnson, Darlene Marshall, and Elliot Kay shared their tips for creating a successful romantic subplot. =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

All writers who want to share their work with the world want to be published. Some want to self-publish while others would prefer to have the backing — and distribution — of a publishing house. At the titular panel at WorldCon 2019, George Sandison, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Rachel Winterbottom, E.C. Ambrose, and Michelle Sagara talked about the realities of traditional publishing — when you’re not an A-list author. =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

These days, people prioritize a lot of things. Truth. Honesty. Maximizing share holder wealth. But there is something that seems undervalued — often described as a tool of the weak by those who are so inclined. But they’re wrong. Today, I’m talking about the importance of kindness. At the titular panel at WorldCon2019, Corinne Duyvis, Geoff Ryman, Claire Light, and Vanessa Rose Phin shared their thoughts about the true importance of kindness. =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

Portrayals of people with mental illnesses have come a long way. From variety to accuracy to ending stereotypes. In the titular panel at WorldCon2019, Alasdair Stuart, Penny Jones, Dr. Glyn Morgan, and Devin Madson, discussed who gets it right… and who gets it wrong. =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)

Authors get a lot of mixed advice when it comes to social media. Let’s talk about different author approaches and tips and tricks to make social media work for you. In this post, I’m combining notes from two panels. From the titular panel, Francesca T. Barbini, Gareth Powell, and Georgina Kamsika discussed if social media was our friend… or our foe. And in Social Media: Tips and Tricks, Brenda Noiseux, Stevie Finegan, Lydia Gittens, and Pablo Defendini shared their experience with us. =============================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! You can find most of these posts over on my Blog (https://morganhazelwood.com) / Vlog/Youtube (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) If you want to connect? Check out my Linktree (https://linktr.ee/morganHazelwood)