7 Tips to Help You Set Solid Writing Goals

Before we dive into the tips, it’s important to note why setting goals is so critical. Your writing goals are a roadmap that you can use to measure your progress and stay motivated throughout the entire process of writing your book. Developing useful and realistic goals will also help keep you focused and on track throughout the year.

The best way to get started with setting writing goals is to brainstorm all of the ideas that you have for your project. Then pick one particular goal that stands out from the bunch and make it specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). This is known as SMART goal setting – where each element of your goal should fulfill these criteria for you to have the best chance at achieving it.

1. Create Realistic Goals

If your writing goals are unrealistic, you’ll have a really hard time achieving them. Not only will you experience an overwhelming sense of discouragement and failure for missing an unrealistic goal, but it will only make it that much harder for you to push forward in finishing your novel. Don’t let the passion for finishing your book cause you to rush the process by setting goals that just aren’t possible. For example, it’s not reasonable to think you can write your entire book in a month. It’s also not reasonable to think you can meet a daily writing goal of 8,000 – 10,000 words per day.

Consistency is key to reaching any goal. Setting smaller, achievable goals that you know you can achieve as you work toward finishing your book will get you much farther along. Most of us are working full-time jobs, have families, and other responsibilities, so setting a smaller daily goal that you can stick to will help you make steady progress forward.

Similar to the concept of dieting, we can’t only eat healthy for a period of time and expect long-term results. When it comes to writing, we should focus on developing a writing lifestyle that includes healthy daily writing habits. The compound effect of your consistent writing will help you reach your greatest writing goals while keeping you from experiencing burnout.

Helpful Daily Writing Habits:

• Write around 1,500 words every day
• Set aside 2 to 3 hours every day at a scheduled time
• Plan to finish one chapter per week
• Set aside some time to read books from authors you admire (this inspires ideas)
• Practice journaling or writing down your ideas in detail
• Meditate or spend time in reflection (practicing deep thought)

2. Set Measurable Goals

Once you achieve a goal or two, you’ll feel a burst of motivation to continue pushing forward to achieve even more. However, if your goals are too vague, you won’t know when you’ve actually achieved them. For example, if you create a goal like, “I want to write more each day,” “I want to become a better writer,” or “I want to read more books,” then you won’t have a definitive way to track your success. Instead, you can add metrics to these vague goals, which will make them more specific and measurable. For example, “I want to write 1,000 words per day,” “I want to read one book per month,” or “I want to take two writing courses this year.”

Adding numeric values to your goals will allow you to not only track your progress, but it will draw a clear finish line in the sand, letting you know exactly when you’ve achieved your goal. You can schedule meeting with yourself to see how much progress you have made at the end of every month or every 60 or 90 days. Establish a reasonable time frame for when you plan to accomplish the goals you’ve listed. Knowing the date you should finish or achieve a goal will help you break down those larger goals into smaller ones.

3. Track Your Progress

You can’t celebrate your progress if you’re not tracking it! Whether you’re writing a novel, a memoir, a screenplay, a short story, a creative nonfiction book, or anything else, you should acknowledge and be proud of any progress you have made. Tracking your progress as you go will let you know how much closer you’ve gotten to the finish line.

The easiest way to track your goals is with a calendar or project management software. There are tons of great online tools out there that will allow you to easily set up your large and small goals. Something we have enjoyed using in the past is Asana, which is a project management software that is free to use for single users working on smaller projects. With software like Asana, you can set your writing goals, add due dates, and format your project in a task list view or calendar view.

4. Prioritize Your Writing Goals

Writing a good book not only comes down to effort but also time. To set aside the time required to write a high-quality book or anything else for that matter, you must make writing a priority. It’s so easy to let our dreams slide to the wayside, especially when other life priorities get in the way. Even still, you must remember that life is short and your dream of finishing this writing project is only going to happen once. You deserve to realize your passion and dream, so don’t let the other priorities in life make you feel like your writing dream isn’t as important. It is!

One of the best ways to prioritize is by using a priority matrix. This is a simple tool that helps you sort out which tasks are urgent and which aren’t so much. You can use a priority matrix to figure out what needs to get done now and what can wait until later. This will help ensure that your energy goes towards daily priorities that truly matter, allowing you to continue carving out time to accomplish your writing dream.

5. Find Motivation

If you’re passionate about writing, then finding the motivation to write might not be a problem for you. But when life gets busy or when you become discouraged about your progress, knowing where to turn for motivation can help you keep moving forward toward your goals. If you’re struggling with a lack of ideas, you might find inspiration and motivation by reading books that are similar to the one you’re writing. If you’re writing a short story or narrative essay, you might draw motivation from reading literary journals. If you’re writing a screenplay, you can look up a few scripts for your favorite movies online.

If you have plenty of ideas but something in your life has you feeling down, you may be more interested in personal motivation. We all struggle with ups and downs in life, and sometimes hearing encouraging words of success from others like us is what we need most. In situations like this, consider joining a local writing group or book club. Get around people who love writing. You can also look up author interviews and hear personal stories and tips directly from successful authors and writers.

6. Get An Accountability Partner

Having someone to help you stay on track is a great way to ensure that your writing goals are achieved. It’s all too easy to make excuses and procrastinate when no one else knows about our goals; so having an accountability partner, such as a friend or family member who will listen and encourage you, can really help keep you motivated and determined. You can also join online writing groups where other members are working towards similar goals. Not only will they encourage you, but they’ll be able to offer advice and feedback on your project.

Accountability partners don’t have to be involved in the creative process of your book or any other writing project; all they need to do is check in with you from time to time and encourage you to keep going when the going gets tough. You can plan to meet your accountability partner monthly or quarterly to go over progress. Ideally, you might be a great help to that person in their writing journey as well!

7. Reward Yourself

Celebrating the little wins is what can drive you to reach the finish line of actually completing your writing project. Every time you hit a milestone, such as completing the first draft of your book or simply finishing a chapter, reward yourself! You can plan small rewards to encourage yourself throughout the writing process and then save up for something special after you complete it.

Rewarding yourself doesn’t just have to be materialistic either; it could simply be taking an evening off once a week from your entire workload, going out with friends, or even treating yourself to a massage. The idea is to break up the monotony of working towards your goal so that when things get hard, you have something inspirational to look forward to. This will help keep your enthusiasm and energy levels high so that you can push through any obstacles that stand in your way.

Writing Reward Ideas:

• Make a small purchase of something related to your writing career such as a new keyboard, mouse, journal, or pens.
• Invest in a writing course or certificate
• Invest in a writing conference or retreat
• Take a weekend trip
• Plan a small milestone party with friends

Putting It Into Practice

As we move into a new year, we sincerely hope you find these tips helpful as you plan your writing goals. Remember, writing can be a fulfilling and enjoyable task— if you plan and set yourself up for success. The team at Writer’s Hive Media is rooting for all the writers out there, and we are wishing you good writing vibes in the new year!

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‘Heroes’ and ‘Heros’ represent two separate entities. The word ‘heroes’ is the standard plural form of the noun ‘hero’, meaning a person admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. It follows the common rule for making nouns ending in ‘o’ plural in English. If a noun ends in a consonant and ‘o’, we typically add ‘es’ to create the plural form, such as ‘potatoes’, ‘tomatoes’, and ‘echoes’. However, as with all rules, there are exceptions, such as ‘pianos’ and ‘photos’, but ‘heroes’ isn’t one of those exceptions.

For example, consider the sentence: “The firefighters were the true heroes of the day.” Here, ‘heroes’ is the correct usage as it is referring to more than one individual who performed a heroic act.

‘Heros’, on the other hand, is not the correct plural form of ‘hero’ in English. If used in the same context as ‘heroes’, it would be a grammatical error. For instance, “The firefighters were the true heros of the day” is an incorrect usage.

However, it’s worth noting that ‘Heros’ is not incorrect in every context. In fact, it is a valid term in the field of ichthyology, the study of fish. ‘Heros’ is a genus of fish in the cichlid family, found in South America. If you were discussing multiple fish from this genus, you might say, “The Heros are known for their vibrant patterns.”

Grammatical accuracy is not just about using the correct forms and structures, it also involves understanding the context and applying the appropriate terminology. In the case of ‘Heroes’ versus ‘Heros’, remember that the plural of ‘hero’ is ‘heroes’, and ‘Heros’ takes us to a very different place – under the waters of South America!

To avoid confusion, here are some key points to remember:

‘Heroes’ is the plural form of ‘hero’, denoting more than one person who is admired for their courage or noble qualities.

‘Heros’ is not the correct English plural of ‘hero’. Using it as such would be a grammatical error.

‘Heros’ is correct when referring to a genus of fish within the field of ichthyology.

Thus, ‘heroes’ and ‘heros’ both have their place within the English language, but they exist in entirely different contexts. The essential part is to understand and apply these terms accurately to ensure clear and effective communication.

Whether you’re penning a tale of heroic deeds or engaging in a lively discussion on South American cichlids, getting your ‘heroes’ and ‘Heros’ right can make all the difference. Language is indeed a fascinating journey, with its unique twists and turns pushing us to continually learn and grow. Happy exploring!

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That said, there’s many reasons to ensure your writing is clean from grammar errors and spelling mistakes. If you’re a serious writer, you don’t want to miss out on a publishing opportunity due to misspelling a common word, especially when there are so many tools out there to help you proofread your writing. 

Misspelled words can lead to confusion, misinterpretation, and may even diminish the trust of your audience. However, with the help of online tools and spell checkers, it’s easier than ever to ensure that your content is free from grammar and spelling errors. These tools can highlight mistakes, suggest corrections, and offer helpful tips to improve your writing skills. Many tools provide grammar and style suggestions to improve the overall quality of your writing. By utilizing online tools and spell checkers, you can ensure that your content is error-free and polished, and you can communicate your message with confidence and professionalism.

Below is a list of 50 commonly misspelled words to watch out for in your writing!

1. Accommodate – Two c’s and two m’s, don’t forget!
2. Address – Double-d it and you’re good to go.
3. Argument – Be sure to include the second “e” in the middle.
4. Calendar – Remember that the “a” comes before the “e”!
5. Cemetery – There are two e’s and one a in this word.
6. Definitely – Be sure to include the “i” after the “e”!
7. Embarrass – Double-r, double-s, and no “e” after the “b”.
8. February – Don’t forget that there’s an “r” after the “b”!
9. Foreign – Be careful with the “e” and “i” order.
10. Gauge – It’s spelled with a “u”, not an “o”.
11. Grammar – Double-m and double-a.
12. Harass – Two r’s, one s, and no “e” after the “a”.
13. Independent – Don’t forget the “e” after the “n”!
14. Jewelry – This is the British spelling, but don’t forget the double-l’s!
15. Library – There’s no “a” after the “r”!
16. Maintenance – Don’t forget the “e” after the “n”!
17. Millennium – Double-l and double-n.
18. Necessary – Remember that there’s one “c” and two “s’s”.
19. Occasion – There’s no “a” after the “o”!
20. Parallel – Two “l’s” and one “e”.
21. Peculiar – Remember that there’s no “e” after the “c”!
22. Perseverance – Double-r and no “a” after the “e”.
23. Recommend – Don’t forget the second “m”!
24. Restaurant – There’s no “a” after the “u.”
25. Separate – Be sure to include the second “e.”
26. Successful – There are two “c’s” and one “s.”
27. Supersede – Don’t forget the “s” after the “p.”
28. Tomorrow – Be careful with the double “m” and double “r.”
29. Unnecessary – Remember that there’s only one “n” and two “s’s.”
30. Vacuum – Be sure to include both “u’s.”
31. Weird – Remember that it’s “i” before “e”, except after “c.”
32. Yacht – There’s no “o” in this word!
33. Accomplish – Don’t forget the second “c.”
34. Business – Be careful with the “i” and “u” order.
35. Conscience – Be sure to include the “i” after the “c.”
36. Development – Double “p” and “m.”
37. Embarrassment – Two “r’s” and two “s’s.”
38. Environment – Be careful with the “n” and “m” order.
39. Exaggerate – Double “g” and “r.”
40. Government – Remember that there’s only one “n.”
41. Hierarchy – Be sure to include the “e” after the “r.”
42. Immediately – Be sure to include the second “m.”
43. Knowledge – Don’t forget the “k” at the beginning!
44. Mediterranean – Double “r’s” and “n’s.”
45. Occurrence – Be sure to include both “c’s” and both “r’s.”
46. Parallelism – Two “l’s”, two “a’s”, and one “e.”
47. Privilege – Be careful with the “i” and “e” order.
48. Questionnaire – There’s no “a” after the “e.”
49. Receive – Don’t forget the “e” after the “c.”
50. Separate – Remember that there’s an “a” in the middle!

You can find more commonly misspelled words by visiting the WordTips website.

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While writing itself is not inherently harmful, the nature of the work can contribute to emotional struggles, such as the constant exposure to depressing news, adopting sedentary habits, and immersing oneself in the minds of troubled characters. 

As a writer myself, I’ve certainly succumbed to down feelings either from too much self-reflection (when writing nonfiction, especially memoir), too much exposure to chaotic current affairs, and also from getting a little too well-acquainted with mentally unstable fictional characters! It wasn’t until I went through my creative writing degree program that I also noticed a trend of what seemed like emotional distress from a number of my writer counterparts that caused me to ponder potential factors surrounding the practice of consistent writing that might contribute to the more melancholy tendencies writers experience. 

In this article, we’ll explore the unique challenges faced by writers that might contribute to an inclination toward depression and anxiety, plus ways we can protect our mental health.

Are Writers Really at Risk for Depression?

I couldn’t find any recent research that directly pointed to writers being at a greater risk for depression except for a 2010 article published by The Guardian, which cited a survey from Health.com that pointed to the career of writing as being at high risk. Even from these articles, I quickly concluded that it’s not the writing that can contribute to depression, but one’s writing practices that do. 

For example, it’s common knowledge that writers are highly sedentary beings because we use laptops or notebooks to write. Additionally, we spend a lot of time sitting still while researching our writing by reading books or articles. Tons of literature has been published online that attributes a sedentary lifestyle to depression and anxiety. 

Here is a list of common writing practices that are actually causing us writers to feel down at times. 

Constant Exposure to Current Events

As a writer, staying informed about current events is essential. Writers often need to understand and reflect on contemporary issues in their work, whether they are reporting on news stories or weaving these events into their fiction. However, consuming a steady diet of news can take its toll on one’s mental well-being.

Overexposure to negative news, such as stories about war, crime, and natural disasters, can lead to feelings of helplessness, anxiety, and depression. This phenomenon is known as ‘headline stress disorder,’ and it has become increasingly common in the digital age, where a constant stream of distressing stories is just a click away. For writers, this stress can be amplified, as they not only consume the news but often have to engage with it more deeply in their work.

Writers Live Sedentary Lifestyles

Writing is a predominantly sedentary profession. While creativity and mental agility are crucial, the physical act of writing typically involves long hours of sitting still. Recent research indicates that individuals who sit for more than six hours per day have a higher risk of developing depression than those who are more active. Prolonged sitting has also been linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and a host of other health issues.

Writers may struggle to maintain a healthy balance between work and physical activity, especially when faced with tight deadlines or creative challenges. A sedentary lifestyle can exacerbate feelings of depression and make it more difficult for a writer to manage their mental health.

Embodying Characters with Mental and Emotional Instabilities

Writers often delve deep into the minds of their characters, sometimes exploring dark and complex emotions. While this level of empathy can enrich a writer’s work, it can also take a psychological toll. Performers who practice method acting have been known to experience emotional distress by embodying their characters as well. “Method acting is a technique that performers employ to empathize with the characters they are portraying emotionally. In this technique, the actor ‘becomes’ the character and frequently remains in the role for long periods,” according to Nashville Film Institute. There’s no doubt that artists who engage with the suffering of their subjects may be more prone to depression and other mental health issues.

This phenomenon, known as ‘emotional contagion,’ refers to the process by which a person can ‘catch’ the emotions of others, even fictional characters. For writers, this means that spending hours each day exploring the inner worlds of characters dealing with trauma, grief, or mental illness can lead to a heightened vulnerability to depression.

Writers Drink a Lot of Caffeine

 Writers are often known to rely heavily on caffeine to fuel their creative processes. The stimulant effects of caffeine can provide a quick boost of energy, alertness, and focus, which are all desirable qualities for writers trying to meet deadlines or overcome writer’s block. However, excessive caffeine consumption can have negative effects on mental health, such as anxiety and depression. Caffeine increases the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which can trigger the “fight or flight” response and lead to feelings of nervousness and tension. Moreover, the overconsumption of caffeine can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to fatigue, irritability, and decreased concentration, which can also contribute to anxiety and depression. While moderate caffeine intake can be beneficial, writers should be mindful of their caffeine consumption and consider other strategies, such as exercise or meditation, to manage stress and maintain their mental well-being.

Protecting Your Mental Health as a Writer

Given the unique challenges writers face, it is essential for us to prioritize our mental well-being. Here are some strategies that can help:

Limit Exposure to Negative News

While it’s crucial for writers to stay informed, setting boundaries around news consumption can help protect against the negative effects of headline stress disorder. Consider allocating specific times of day for checking the news and avoid consuming it during leisure time or before bed. Additionally, make an effort to seek out positive news stories to balance the negative ones.

Prioritize Physical Activity

Incorporate regular exercise into your routine to counteract the sedentary nature of writing. Aim to partake in physical activity for at least 30 minutes to an hour each day. This can take the form of going on a long walk, riding a bike, or catching a workout in the gym or at home. There are tons of YouTube videos now that can guide you through how to workout at home using free weights or no weights at all!

Engage in Mindfulness and Meditation Practices

Incorporate mindfulness and meditation practices into your daily routine to promote mental well-being. Techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery can help reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance emotional resilience. Meditation can also foster self-awareness, which may help writers become more attuned to their own emotional states and prevent emotional contagion from affecting them as intensely.

Limit Your Caffeine Intake

Limiting caffeine intake can be beneficial for those looking to reduce anxiety and improve overall health. One effective way to limit caffeine intake is to gradually decrease the amount consumed over time. This can be achieved by gradually substituting caffeinated drinks with decaffeinated versions, reducing the number of cups consumed per day, or decreasing the strength of the coffee or tea. Another approach is to switch to herbal teas or other non-caffeinated beverages like water or juice. It’s also important to be mindful of hidden sources of caffeine, such as chocolate, energy drinks, and some medications. Reading labels carefully can help in identifying products that contain caffeine. Getting enough sleep and staying hydrated can reduce the need for caffeine and improve overall health.

Diversify Your Writing Projects

To counteract the potentially draining effects of delving into the minds of troubled characters, consider diversifying your creative projects. Balance darker, more emotionally intense work with lighter, uplifting stories or explore different genres and writing styles. By varying your writing projects, you can help maintain a healthy emotional equilibrium and reduce the risk of emotional contagion.

Seek Professional Help When Necessary

It’s crucial for writers to recognize when their mental health may be at risk and seek professional help when necessary. If feelings of depression, anxiety, or other emotional challenges persist or worsen, consulting a mental health professional can provide the guidance and support needed to navigate these challenges. Early intervention can make a significant difference in addressing mental health issues.

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Instead of relying solely on the overused word happy, introducing diverse synonyms can help convey the nuances of the emotion you are trying to express. By employing a range of words, you can create a richer, more immersive experience for your readers, allowing them to feel the full extent of the emotion you are portraying. Moreover, an expansive vocabulary not only adds depth to your writing but also reflects your expertise and creativity as a writer.

Consider the impact of replacing the word happy with a more precise synonym that captures the exact sentiment you want to convey. For instance, using ecstatic or elated suggests a heightened level of happiness, while content or satisfied implies a more subtle, subdued pleasure. By thoughtfully selecting the most fitting synonym, you can not only create a more vivid and dynamic reading experience but also showcase your mastery of the language.

Here are 50 synonyms for the word happy to enrich your writing:

1. Joyful
2. Delighted
3. Pleased
4. Thrilled
5. Ecstatic
6. Elated
7. Overjoyed
8. Jubilant
9. Blissful
10. Radiant
11. Exultant
12. Gleeful
13. Merry
14. Cheerful
15. Grateful
16. Content
17. Satisfied
18. Gratified
19. Euphoric
20. Exhilarated
21. Rapturous
22. Blissed-out
23. Tickled
24. Enchanted
25. Beaming
26. Lighthearted
27. Buoyant
28. On cloud nine
29. Walking on air
30. Sunny
31. Optimistic
32. Upbeat
33. Gladsome
34. Glowing
35. Jovial
36. Jolly
37. Mirthful
38. Sparkling
39. Pleasant
40. Cheer
41. Happy-go-lucky
42. Enraptured
43. In high spirits
44. Floating on air
45. Gleaming
46. Exuberant
47. Chipper
48. Smiling
49. Carefree
50. Giddy

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For example, if one wishes to highlight the moral aspect of something considered “bad,” terms such as “wicked” or “sinful” might be more appropriate. In contrast, if the focus is on the poor quality or performance of an object or action, words like “inferior” or “subpar” could be utilized. “Dismal” or “gloomy” might be suitable when discussing unfavorable weather or a depressing situation. Additionally, words such as “noxious” and “harmful” can be employed to describe things that are detrimental to our health or well-being.

Synonyms for “bad” can be found in various parts of speech, including adjectives, nouns, and verbs. By expanding our vocabulary and employing these alternatives, we can enrich our language and more accurately convey the specific nuances of what we wish to express.

Below is a list of 50 synonyms that can be used in place of the word “bad”:

1. Awful
2. Terrible
3. Dreadful
4. Horrible
5. Lousy
6. Poor
7. Unfavorable
8. Inferior
9. Subpar
10. Mediocre
11. Unfortunate
12. Unpleasant
13. Disagreeable
14. Unsatisfactory
15. Regrettable
16. Deplorable
17. Dismal
18. Gloomy
19. Dire
20. Inadequate
21. Insufficient
22. Wretched
23. Abysmal
24. Atrocious
25. Ghastly
26. Nasty
27. Unpalatable
28. Harmful
29. Noxious
30. Detrimental
31. Adverse
32. Damaging
33. Unhealthy
34. Sinful
35. Wicked
36. Immoral
37. Evil
38. Base
39. Vile
40. Foul
41. Injurious
42. Undesirable
43. Hateful
44. Repugnant
45. Appalling
46. Disastrous
47. Gruesome
48. Malicious
49. Rotten
50. Unwholesome

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With a background in search engine optimization and author website design, I’m going to give you the top 7 elements you should include on your author website to make it truly work for you. 

Creating Your Author Website

Your author website shouldn’t resemble that of the typical business, blog, or personal portfolio website. It’s important to acknowledge that author websites should be different and unique because you’re not only selling a product (a book), but you’re also selling yourself as a personal brand. Also, unlike the average product a business might sell that usually has a set customer base, books often have a much wider, harder-to-understand customer base that could include readers you might not have ever expected. 

When it comes to creating your author website, your goal shouldn’t be to simply look professional or serious as an author. Sure, embodying a level of professionalism and seriousness as a writer is important, especially to agents and publishers, but more importantly, you should think about the true function of your website.

The Purpose Of Your Author Website

Let’s be real. The whole point of your author website should be to grow your career as an author or writer. If your website is not helping you do that, you should examine why. Below are some common ways your author website can serve its true purpose in life. 

1. To show professionalism and seriousness as a writer
2. To build an online presence as an author in your genre
3. To build an online presence for your books
4. To drive more sales for your book(s)
5. To book more events such as signings, readings, speaking engagements

In addition to the above purposes an author website should have, some authors might even want to drive traffic to a YouTube channel, blog, or podcast using their website. When approaching the creation of your author website, always keep in mind that your website should serve a purpose that pushes you forward in growing your writing career. Understanding this will help you stay focused on what matters most when it comes to your website layout. 

1. Highlight Your Latest Book

At the very top of the homepage of your author website, you should always feature your latest book as front and center. This is often the book that will be receiving the most press and attention at any given time, so it makes sense that you should highlight it above other titles on your website. You can do this by including your book cover, the title of the book, and including a description of the book. It may also be a good idea to include a purchase link that takes the user to the publisher’s website. 

Always work directly with your publisher to determine the best way to describe and feature your book. For example, if you’re self-published, you may just want to send your users to Amazon to purchase the book. However, if you have published with one of the “Big 5” publishers or with an independent publisher, they may want users to purchase the book directly at their website.

2. Feature Book Accolades And Reviews

If you’re planning your book launch the right way, or if you’ve done the marketing correctly, you probably already have a few reader reviews that should be featured on the homepage. These reviews will act as credibility for you as a writer, and they will also encourage potential readers to hit that buy button. Keep your reviews short and sweet, focusing on the best parts of each one. Make sure you credit the reviewer by mentioning the name of the person or publication that provided the review. 

In addition to reviews, you can also put any accolades you might have already received for the book. This could include blurbs by big-name authors, influencers, etc., or it could be awards the title has received so far. 

3. Provide A Brief Author Bio Excerpt

Your book wouldn’t exist without you, so you should definitely feature a shortened version of your author bio and a headshot on the homepage. Your author website will include a full “About” page that contains your full bio, so keep it short on the homepage. You can include a “Learn More” button on this section that takes the users to the full “About” page. For your author headshot, I highly recommend getting a professional photo taken. Yes, you will have to spend a couple hundred dollars getting professional author headshots, but it’s essential to making your website look high-end and beautiful. 

4. Display Your Other Titles

This may not be relevant if you’re an emerging author, but if you do have additional books under your name, you should feature those on the homepage as well. This is a great chance for you to promote the other titles in your portfolio, and you can link to your full list of books on a separate “Books” page, or you can link to individual book landing pages. If you don’t yet have any other titles to feature, you can also use this space to feature shorter published works such as narrative essays you may have published in literary magazines. This not only shows you’re a serious writer, but it gives your readers the chance to sample your writing before purchasing your latest book.

5. Show Your Latest Blog Posts

If you’re like me and many other writers out there, you probably love to write for yourself. Your author website is a great place to share the latest news about what you’re doing in your writing career, as well as provide tips and musings to your biggest fans. If you plan to include a blog on your author website, you should feature 3 to 4 of your latest articles on the home page. This will spark intrigue in your website visitors, encouraging them to explore your website for longer. 

6. Provide A Way To Subscribe

Your email list is quite often your greatest marketing power. Unlike social media where algorithms rule, or digital advertising where competition is fierce, your email list provides direct communication to your readers. If you haven’t started building your email list yet, you should start doing so as soon as possible. The homepage of your website should feature an easy-to-find call to subscribe to your newsletter. As you grow your list, you’ll be able to send news blasts directly to your fans whenever you want, which can help with book sales and filling the seats at your events.

7. Include Social Media Links

Growing on social media isn’t easy for anyone, but it’s still another way to build your online presence and fan base. Determine the best social media platforms for your genre and audience, and focus on being consistent on those platforms. You should feature your social media links on either your website header or footer–maybe even both places! Give your fans the chance to connect with you on a more personal level by sharing the platforms you’re using. 

Bonus Tip: Video or Book Trailers

It’s not always the case, but if you have a short author introductory video that you feel would captivate your audience, it might be a good idea to feature this on your website near your author bio or book feature section. Some authors might have had a book trailer created, so this might also be a great thing to feature on the homepage. If your video is very low quality (bad lighting or bad sound quality), it might be better to forego featuring it on the homepage. Remember, it’s crucial to appear professional, so you don’t want to ruin that look with a low-quality video.

I hope you found these author website tips helpful. Good luck!

The post 7 Elements of a Great Author Website Homepage appeared first on Writer's Hive Media.

Well, this “Public Domain Day” of January 1, 2023 we’ll see some books from some heavy hitters. Authors like Agatha Christie, Ernest Hemingway, and Virginia Woolf among others have works that will become part of the public domain. This article will cover some of the titles hitting the public domain, and provide a brief bio of each author just in case you’re not familiar with them. 

How Book Copyrights Work

Before we dive into the books going into public domain in 2023, let’s get a little background in book copyright laws. Keep in mind that every country has its own copyright laws, so you’ll want to do your own research if you’re not located in the United States. These copyright laws mentioned below are focused on the U.S.

Who Is A Copyright Owner?

Everyone who creates an original work is a copyright owner. If you create an original work such as a blog, short film, screenplay, poem, manuscript, song, and beyond, you are considered the author and owner of that work. That being said, if you create an original work under the umbrella of a company or organization (i.e., if they hired you to create such a work), then that company or organization is the copyright owner of that work. Copyrights can also be subject to wills and bequests. You can learn more about copyright ownership here.

How Long Does Copyright Protection Last?

How long copyright protection lasts depends on when a given work was created. Here is a paragraph from Copyright.gov about the duration of copyright.

The length of copyright protection depends on when a work was created. Under the current law, works created on or after January 1, 1978, have a copyright term of life of the author plus seventy years after the author’s death. If the work is a joint work, the term lasts for seventy years after the last surviving author’s death. For works made for hire and anonymous or pseudonymous works, copyright protection is 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever is shorter. Works created before 1978 have a different timeframe. Learn more about copyright duration in our Duration of Copyrights Circular.

Books Entering Public Domain in 2023

Here are the books coming to the public domain this new year!

The Big Four by Agatha Christie (Purchase Here)

Synopsis: An unexpected visitor called Mayerling comes in through Hercule Poirot’s bedroom and collapses on the floor. The only clue to what he wants is his repeating Poirot’s name and address and writing the number 4, many times. When Hastings jokingly calls it “The Mystery of the Big Four,” the man begins speaking about an international crime cartel of that name. He describes the four leaders: Number 1 is a Chinese political mastermind named Li Chang Yen; Number 2 is probably American; Number 3 is a Frenchwoman; and Number 4 is known only as “the Destroyer.” The man dies soon after and Poirot and Hastings go off on the trail of the Big Four.

The Author: Agatha Christie (15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world’s longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End since 1952. A writer during the “Golden Age of Detective Fiction”, Christie has been called the “Queen of Crime”. She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott.

To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (Purchase Here)

Synopsis: The novel centers on the Ramsay family and their visits to the Isle of Skye in Scotland between 1910 and 1920. The plot of To the Lighthouse is secondary to its philosophical introspection. Cited as a key example of the literary technique of multiple focalization, the novel includes little dialogue and almost no direct action; most of it is written as thoughts and observations. To the Lighthouse is made up of three powerfully charged visions into the life of the Ramsay family, living in a summer house off the rocky coast of Scotland.

The Author: Adeline Virginia Woolf (25 January 1882 – 28 March 1941) was an English writer, considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors and a pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device. Throughout her life, Woolf was troubled by mental illness. She was institutionalised several times and attempted suicide at least twice. According to Dalsimer (2004), her illness was characterized by symptoms that would today be diagnosed as bipolar disorder, for which there was no effective treatment during her lifetime. In 1941, at age 59, Woolf died by drowning herself in the River Ouse at Lewes.

Men Without Women by Ernest Hemingway (Purchase Here)

Synopsis: Men Without Women (1927) is the second collection of short stories written by American author Ernest Hemingway. The volume consists of 14 stories, 10 of which had been previously published in magazines. It was published in October 1927, with a first print-run of approximately 7600 copies at $2. The subject matter of the stories in the collection includes bullfighting, prizefighting, infidelity, divorce, and death. “The Killers”, “Hills Like White Elephants”, and “In Another Country” are considered to be among Hemingway’s better works.

The Author: Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his adventurous lifestyle and public image brought him admiration from later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the mid-1950s, and he was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature. He published seven novels, six short-story collections, and two nonfiction works. Three of his novels, four short-story collections, and three nonfiction works were published posthumously. Many of his works are considered classics of American literature.

Mosquitos by William Faulkner (Purchase Here)

Synopsis: Faulkner’s second novel follows a bohemian cast of artists, socialites, and dilettantes as they set sail on a four-day excursion aboard the Nausikaa. Faulkner’s quick wit and endless appetite for satire make this audiobook a fascinating exploration of character, as well as a rare glimpse into the author himself. The novel explores questions of sex and sexuality, as well as the societal role of the artist. Inspired by his own participation in the arts community in New Orleans, Mosquitoes is an engaging and delightful novel from one of America’s greatest writers.

The Author: William Cuthbert Faulkner (September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American writer known for his novels and short stories set in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, based on Lafayette County, Mississippi, where Faulkner spent most of his life. A Nobel Prize laureate, Faulkner is one of the most celebrated writers of American literature and is considered the greatest writer of Southern literature.

Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne, Illustrations by E. H. Shepard (Purchase Here)

Synopsis: Whether you’re six, sixty-six, or anywhere in between, this enchanting collection of verses about Christopher Robin and, of course, Winnie-the-Pooh, will enchant. Filled with gentle humor and playful rhythms, Now We Are Six contains some of the best-loved poems for children. Between its pages, readers will delight in the always accessible, sun-filled realm of the imagination, perfectly rendered in Ernest Shepard’s beautiful illustrations. The essential book for that all-important birthday, Now We Are Six is a classic in its own right, treasured by every new generation of readers.

The Author: Alan Alexander Milne (January 18, 1882 – January 31, 1956) was an English writer best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh, as well as for children’s poetry. Milne was primarily a playwright before the huge success of Winnie-the-Pooh overshadowed all his previous work. Milne served in both World Wars, as a lieutenant in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in the First World War and as a captain in the Home Guard in the Second World War. Milne was the father of bookseller Christopher Robin Milne, upon whom the character Christopher Robin is based. It was during a visit to London Zoo, where Christopher became enamored with the tame and amiable bear Winnipeg, that Milne was inspired to write the story of Winnie-the-Pooh for his son.

The Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon (Purchase Here)

Synopsis: This is the original 1927 story of The Tower Treasure: The Hardy Boys Book 1. Frank and Joe Hardy, brothers who are high school students, use their investigation skills to solve the mystery of the stolen treasure from the eccentric Applegates. After finally finding out who did it, the dying criminal confesses that the loot had been hidden “in the old tower.” The tower is searched in vain, but it remains for the Hardy boys to make an astonishing discovery that cleared up the mystery. Much has changed in America since 1927. The modern reader may be delighted with the warmth and innocence of the characters, but uncomfortable with the racial, social, and sexist terms and stereotypes.

The Author: Franklin W. Dixon is the pen name used by a variety of different authors who were part of a team that wrote The Hardy Boys novels for the Stratemeyer Syndicate (now owned by Simon & Schuster). Dixon was also the writer attributed for the Ted Scott Flying Stories series, published by Grosset & Dunlap. Canadian author Charles Leslie McFarlane is believed to have written the first sixteen Hardy Boys books.

Other Titles Entering Public Domain in 2023 Include:

• Arthur Conan Doyle, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes
• Willa Cather, Death Comes for the Archbishop
• Countee Cullen, Copper Sun
• Thornton Wilder, The Bridge of San Luis Rey
• Edith Wharton, Twilight Sleep
• Herbert Asbury, The Gangs of New York (the original 1927 publication)

Book synopses and author bios were grabbed from various places online, including online book sellers, Wikipedia, etc.*

You can review the 2023 public domain list of books, among other artistic works hitting the public domain by visiting this list put out by Duke Law. 

The post Books Entering The Public Domain in 2023 appeared first on Writer's Hive Media.

How many times have you daydreamed about packing up your life into a van and hitting the open road? Or quitting your job to travel the world indefinitely? While travel is an amazing opportunity, it’s not always feasible to quit your job and travel full-time. Unless you have a trust fund (lucky you), you’ll need to find ways to make money while traveling. So in this article, we’ll go over 5 practical ways you can make money as a writer while continuing to travel the world!

1) Become a freelance writer on Upwork

If you’re not familiar with Upwork, it’s a freelance platform that helps freelancers connect with clients to get high-quality short or long-term projects. The platform allows freelancers to set up a profile, list experience, feature a full portfolio, and host client testimonials. With Upwork, you also don’t have to worry about invoicing or contracts because it handles all of that for you.

All you have to do to get started with Upwork after you create an account is search for writing-related projects that interest you. You’ll find companies looking for bloggers, sales copywriters, journalists, proofreaders, and beyond! If you need help creating a winning proposal to land gigs on Upwork, check out these proposal writing tips!

2) Find freelance writing gigs on Fiverr

Fiverr is another freelancing platform designed to connect freelancers to projects. This platform is a little more challenging to find top-paying work on, but it can be a great way to supplement income when you’re in a tight spot. Unlike Upwork where you can search for open jobs, Fiverr features projects in fixed-bid only format. Additionally, there can tend to be a lot of “freelancer crowding” on the platform, so it can be tough to land projects initially. With a little persistence, though, you can certainly land solid writing projects on the platform!

3) Become a writer or editor on Reedsy

Reedsy is one of the absolute best resources for those looking to break into the writing or editing fields. The platform is designed specifically for freelancers in the writing, editing, author, and publishing space. Since its inception in 2014, Reedsy has proudly built a community of over 1 million authors and 2,500 freelance professionals!

By creating an account on Reedsy, you’re able to connect directly with the clientele that matters most to your writing and editing career. The platform will give you access to clients who need help ghostwriting, editing, or even designing the cover of their books! Check out some Reedsy freelancers on LinkedIn and you’ll find that many freelancers on the website have been working successfully for years!

4) Write guest articles for established blogs or businesses

This route is going to take a little more legwork on your part, but can often be extremely rewarding and pay quite well. Established blogs often pay contributing writers to write content for them, especially if you have direct experience with the topic/theme of the website. If you’re traveling the world, you should probably start by reaching out to the editors of travel-related blogs.

You can also reach out to businesses who need SEO blog content for their website. A great example of guest writers being used on a business website would be the blog for PODS, an international mobile storage company, which uses content from many different writers. Start by reaching out to small and medium-sized brands to see if they need help writing content, and then you can branch out to large companies as you build your portfolio.

5) Contact marketing agencies for writing work

Marketing agencies are always looking for content writers to help create compelling copy for their clients. One of the best things about working with marketing agencies is that they often have long-term projects available, which can provide you with a consistent stream of work and income.

Additionally, working with marketing agencies can help you build a strong network of contacts within the industry, which can be extremely beneficial as you continue to travel and freelance. There’s no shortage of marketing agencies out there, so just start looking them up in various cities. Reach out to them with a friendly email and some writing samples, and let them know your rates. If you need help setting your writing rate, check out this article.

If you’re looking for a way to make money while traveling the world, it’s possible to do so through writing. As long as you can connect to the internet on occasion, and you have a laptop available for typing, that’s all you need to be a traveling writer!

The post 5 Ways to Make Money Writing While Traveling the World appeared first on Writer's Hive Media.

Free SEO Tools for Authors

Keep in mind that we’re covering useful SEO tools for authors, but this article won’t give much insight into how to use them. We’ll be posting other how-to articles on how to use each of these SEO tools for growing your online presence, but for now, you can allow yourself to become familiar with them. 

[Check out The Ultimate Guide to SEO for Authors: Tips to Ranking Google]

Google Analytics

You’ve probably already heard about Google Analytics and what it does, but just in case you haven’t, we’ll explain. Google Analytics is an essential SEO tool for any author or writer trying to grow online. This is relatively simple tracking software that will provide highly useful information about the visitors who land on your website. Setting up a Google Analytics account and using it is completely free, and all you have to do is paste a short code into the head of your website to start collecting essential user data on your website visitors. 

[et_bloom_inline optin_id=optin_2] 

Don’t worry. We’ll show you how to use this tool in a later article. In the meantime, some of the audience insights you can collect using Google Analytics on your author website include:

• Total traffic per month
• Bounce rate (how many people come to your site and leave immediately)
• Average time on your site or a given page
• User behavior (which pages they land on and where they end up traveling throughout your website)
• How users discover you (whether it’s social media or search engines)
• General demographics (age, gender, location, etc.)
• Popular devices (learn if your users are mostly using cell phones or desktops when exploring your website)

This information is invaluable to you as an author because it’s going to help guide further SEO and marketing decisions you make as an author or writer. For example, if you find out that your bounce rate is 90 percent, and that users are leaving your website within seconds of hitting your home page, then you may want to look into how you adjust your homepage to make it more appealing to those visitors. 

Google Search Console

Google Search Console is another simple and free tool by Google that you should most certainly use in conjunction with Google Analytics. Google Search Console will allow you to monitor your website’s indexing status and optimize its visibility online. Some features you’ll find useful with Google Search Console include:

• Ability to easily submit your sitemap to Google’s search engine
• Ability to see any indexing errors for specific pages as they occur
• Easily see search rankings and search engine impressions
• Learn which keywords and search terms you’re showing up for on Google

We’ll cover more on how to use the Google Search Console in later articles. 

Ubersuggest

Ubersuggest is an SEO audit software by the search engine marketing guru, Neil Patel. Competitors like Moz, Ahrefs, and SEMrush charge $950 to $9,900 a year, but Ubersuggest is extremely affordable at $29 per month for individuals. You simply can’t beat that kind of pricing with all that you get from Ubersuggest, not to mention that you don’t even have to keep your subscription for an extended period if you don’t want to. 

Some amazing features that you get with Ubersuggest include:

• Website SEO audits
• Pinpoint SEO errors on your website
• Keyword ideas
• Backlink ideas
• Competitive analysis
• Domain authority overview (you or a competitor)
• Top SEO pages (you or a competitor)
• Content ideas

I have used Ubersuggest to help clients boost SEO, and it truly is one of the absolute best tools I have ever used. I highly recommend it for freelancers, writers, and authors looking to boost their SEO. 

[Check out The Ultimate Guide to SEO for Authors: Tips to Ranking Google]

WordPress

WordPress is the absolute best website platform you can use as a writer, author, or freelancer. As a writer, your primary focus is most certainly writing, but it’s important to consider which website platform makes the most sense for your writer or author brand in the long term. Unlike other website platforms that are extremely user-friendly like Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, and others, there’s no other website platform as powerful and SEO-friendly as WordPress. 

With WordPress, you fully own your website and have the power to do just about anything on it, including countless SEO optimizations that just aren’t available on other website platforms. Not only is WordPress far more affordable than other website platforms, but it comes with the ability to install tons of free tools that can help optimize your website SEO for you, as well as create added functionality that isn’t available on other platforms.

If you’re a freelancer, writer, or author, it’s highly recommended that you switch over to WordPress. You will not be disappointed, and you will most certainly rank higher in searches on a WordPress site than you ever will on these other plug-and-play platforms. 

Some great benefits of WordPress include:

• It’s more affordable
• You have more control over the design
• You have more options for SEO
• It ranks better in searches overall
• There are TONS of free plugins that can easily add functionality
• It’s relatively easy to use once you learn your way around
• It automatically supports TONS of other software, so you integrate just about anything, including your email provider for automated newsletters.

Yoast SEO

Yoast SEO is one of the most powerful and robust SEO tools on the market, but if your website isn’t built with WordPress, you won’t be able to use it. Yoast SEO is a WordPress plugin designed to help you optimize your blogs and pages for SEO with a user-friendly, guided experience. While there is a premium version of Yoast, all the features you need are already free to use with the plugin. 

Some of the SEO features available with Yoast include:

• Custom meta descriptions and guidance for creating descriptions that can rank better in search engines.
• Guidance on whether or not certain page content is optimized for SEO, including a checklist of what you can do to improve it.
• Automatic sitemap creation (this is needed to help search engines crawl your website)
• Simple integration with top search engines so that you can easily submit your website for indexing. 

Why SEO Matters for Authors, Freelancers, and Writers

Whether you’re trying to sell more books, land more projects, or get new clients, SEO should be an important piece of your marketing strategy. With the right amount of focus and effort on SEO, it will eventually decrease the number of marketing dollars and time you have to invest because you’ll be showing up more online where it counts. That being said, you shouldn’t have to become an SEO expert to see great results from it. By leveraging the tools in this article, you should know enough to be dangerous, which is all that matters! If you want to learn more about boosting your SEO as an author or writer, check out this article.

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