writers

How To Write An Alpha Male

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Both equally loathed and loved, the alpha male brings forth a presence of being a beast and sexy at the same time. If you have decided you want this sort of presence in your novel, we are here to give you some of the best tips possible to make your alpha male stand out!

First things first, if you want your readers to believe it you have to believe it first! If you don’t believe it, no one will. If you feel as though your alpha keeps turning into a funny beta, don’t try and convince otherwise. Make sure that your characters truly belong and fit the theme of your novel.

An alpha has to be devilishly handsome. There’s no way around it. He can’t just be your Average Joe- he is an alpha! The cream of the crop. Highest on the ladder, if you will. Now, there is no man without his flaws, so he doesn’t have to be perfect (in fact he probably shouldn’t be), but the flaws need to pull the heroine in. Does he have a scar from his bad boy days? Is she curious about how he got that scar? And so forth. Your alpha needs to make the heroine -and your reader- weak in the knees. Have fun with it!

An alpha is still a person (duh) so try to not make him a cardboard cut out of a macho man who is nothing but an a-hole. Make his personality traits, history, and opinions shine through. Most alpha male that you read about can certainly come across in this way, but what stops him from turning into the stereotype is motivation. He needs to see something in the heroine he has never seen/felt before. 

Some more core things about alphas..

Alphas are leaders/protectors, they will always take charge of the situation. They are the type of guy that will embrace the heroine in his arms and push a kiss onto her lips- they aren’t afraid to show their interest or make the first move. At times they might not be your favorite character, but they will always try and do what they think is right.

They also aren’t shy about sharing their opinions, especially when in disagreement. 

At heart they are good guys, but they will never talk about their feelings. 

Write the hero you want! Make him strong with at least one weakness. Make him vulnerable, or too tough to handle. The possibilities are endless! To help you with some ideas for alpha males here are some books from our very own authors! These books will definitely make you hot, hot, hot!

Happy Writing!

Gain Your Voice

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Do it for you and the rest will follow! Don’t be so hung up on being heard. You write for yourself after all, because you enjoy it. When you put all your work into a piece and you share it with the world, believe in yourself. Believe that you wrote something worth the time to read and people will read it!

Do the best that you can, and it will show. Your voice will be heard when the time is right. But in the meantime keep writing and keep trying to be the best that you can be!

Read some more of our post for writing inspiration, and writing advice!

Be Open to Feedback and Criticism 

As a writer, it is important to be open to feedback and criticism. While it can be difficult to hear negative feedback about your work, it is an essential part of the writing process and can help you to improve your skills and grow as a writer. Improving your Writing Skills: One of the biggest…

by Hershman Rights

Write about What you Know

Writing about what you know can be a powerful and rewarding experience for any writer. Improved authenticity: One of the biggest benefits of writing about what you know is that it can help to create a sense of authenticity in your work. By drawing on your own experiences and knowledge, you can create work that…

by Hershman Rights

Set aside time for Self-Care as a Writer 

Writing can be a demanding and emotionally draining process, and it is important to take breaks and recharge in order to avoid becoming overwhelmed and burnt out.  Avoid burnout! One of the biggest benefits of self-care for writers is that it can help to prevent burnout. Writing can be an intense and demanding process, and…

by Hershman Rights

Happy Monday!

Who Are Your Writing Role Models?

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You probably already read the title..so who comes to your mind first? It doesn’t have to be a famous writer. It could be your fifth grade teacher, a parent or a blogger. But we all have role models, or someone who pushed us in the direction toward our dreams. We feed off of other people and in this case a positive way. If someone did not come to your mind right away that’s okay. Inspiration is all around you. Take what you can and build off of it! 

Some people will devote themselves to writing once they put down the one book that changed their lives. Think back to that time that made you want to become a writer. Was it the world building that J. K Rowling produced in Harry Potter? The character development by Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice? The disturbing nature of Steven King in Pet Sematary? The list can go on and on! Remember what/who made you want to become a writer in the first place. 

Every Monday we take a quote from a famous writer and break it down. Do any of them ring a bell? Consider yourself a role model to other writers everyday. Who knows maybe your quote will give inspiration for years to come. 

Happy Writing 

Your Time is Now! Move Towards Your Dream

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No matter where you are in life now, there are always ways to fulfill your dreams. Think back at what you always wanted and make the beginning steps and changes to get there. There is no time like the present right! There is no such thing as too old, or too young. Become your dream!

Happy Monday!

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Great Podcasts for Writers and Book Authors

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There is so much writing advice out there! You can read a book or articles, watch Youtube videos, or listen to podcasts! They are great for when you don’t necessarily have the ‘time’ to read. You can listen to them whenever you are available. However, some podcasts do have reading transcripts available that way you can get the best of both worlds. 

Now here are some great podcasts available!

The Self Publishing Show (Mark Dawson and James Blatch)

Frequency: weekly

Average length: 50 minutes

Transcript available: yes

Best for: self-publishers

Writers on Writing (Barbara DeMarco-Barrett)

Frequency: weekly

Average length: 55 – 60 minutes

Transcript available: no

Best for: fiction writers focused on their craft

The Portfolio Life (Jeff Goins)

Frequency: weekly

Average length: 30 – 40 minutes

Transcript available: no

Best for: writers looking for inspiration and encouragement

Helping Writers Become Authors (K.M. Weiland)

Frequency: three times a month

Average length: 15 – 20 minutes

Transcript available: yes (the podcast is a read-aloud version of K.M.’s blog posts)

Best for: fiction writers

The Creative Penn (Joanna Penn)

Frequency: weekly

Average length: 60 – 70 minutes

Transcript available: yes (for the interview portion of the episode)

Best for: fiction-writers; writers who are interested in self-publishing

Bestseller, from Reedsy

Frequency: roughly weekly while the season is running

Average length: 20 minutes

Transcript available: no

Best for: self-publishers, novelists

There are podcasts for everyone, whether you are just starting to listen or you’ve been listening forever! It doesn’t just end here. 

Tell us some of your favorite pdcasters!

Happy Listening!

Bring Out Your Wild Side With a Shapeshifter Romance

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If you prefer a little growl with your romance, then look no further. Experience the dark side of the moon in these shifter romance books! While animal instincts and natural raw behaviors may not be what you want in your real-life partner – doesn’t mean you can’t drool over them in a book. 

Do you want to write the next hot shapeshifter romance? Harness the power of the moon and get to it! When writing in this specific category of paranormal romance here are a few guidelines to go off of:

Dive deeper into the sensory realm – readers want to embrace the wild side!

Do your research! – what paranormal animals do you want to use, and what special abilities do they have amongst others?

How will the character be different in human form? – What traits will make them stand out?

Story line, story line, story line! – It is very important to identify the origin story! How were the shifters created? Who was the first one? How do they reproduce? Etc. 

Writing is work! Especially when building a complex and dynamic world. But you can do it, don’t be afraid to put your mind to the test!

Reading Recommendations For Your Next Full Moon

What’s On Your Writing Desk

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As most of us have made our homes our temporary work locations, setting up a space where you can actually get work done is very important. While our beds may be our safe havens and comfy places, hop out of there and find something that more or less resembles your real work space. I know it may be a faint memory, but you can do this! 

Everyone’s situation is different, which is very understandable. While some may have a whole room dedicated to their work space, others have to round up whatever free space they have. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make it just as comfortable. My recommendation is to create an uplifting space. Put a few words of encouragement or photos around you, light your favorite candle and try and go about your daily routine as best as possible. 

As time goes on you will find out what works best for you. Is it too noisy in your space? Try and work with headphones on. Do you get distracted easily? Play around with different locations, and create more of a day to day outline. We can do this together! Let us know what works best for you!

Happy Writing!

Cash In With Your Own Billionaire Romance – With Recs!

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The world of Christian Grey has opened and created an entire universe of billionaire hunks in the romance department (but we all know millionaire or financially stable hunks will also do the trick). If you are thinking about, or already started writing your own next billionaire must read then let’s find out how to make that happen!

The appeal is already there. A character who is highly successful, but lacks the personal life of a ‘nice guy’. Now in most cases the billionaire is male, but there’s no saying you can’t switch it up. That is a whole other door waiting to be opened! 

But back to the what’s what. 

There is more often than not the Cinderella story in this array of romance. The hero has financial security, and tends to offer the heroine security of some sort. That security often ranges somewhere from a business arrangement of getting down and dirty, some form of employment, or the heroine has some family member they have to save. 

Now here comes the nitty gritty. We don’t want a hero that we hate from the start with too much macho. Tension between the hero and heroine is always a plus, but try and stray away from too much of one trait. While the book can be focused on the financials of the hero, money shouldn’t be the main factor for the romance. We need more! The love, passion, secrets and everything that comes with it. Handing stacks of cash up front is an easy game to play. Now throw in an exciting cover and you’re good to go!

Happy Writing


Here are some recommendations from our own authors!

Writing Everyday

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Everyday can sound tedious and never ending. But doing something everyday can bring forth a lot of improvement and self empowerment. I love to write everyday. Each day can be different- a thought here, an idea or observation there. It helps my mind make sense of the day and gives me satisfaction once I completed my task. It can also be uplifting and beneficial to go back and read my entries later. Adding to these entries later can also keep the same process going and who knows what kind of great things can stem from them! Once you get into the habit of writing everyday your mind sees things differently and wham! You might just become the next philosophical thinker. But really, give it a try. Keep a pen and notebook by your bed or a place you see everyday and it becomes a lot easier. 

Let’s do it together! Write something everyday. Create a sentence journal, and keep it simple!

Happy Writing!