Book Design: Beauty in the Details
by Joel Friedlander The first book my son ever got truly captivated by as an early reader was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. We had read the earlier Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone together, with me doing most of the reading since he had just learned to read. By the time the second book came out, he was determined to read it himself. It was a remarkable experience to watch him drop into the

The Savvy Author’s Guide to Podcasting
By Emma Newman At the time of writing this, fifteen chapters of my novel have been published on my site as podcasts. I love recording and publishing them now, but it was daunting at the start. I’d like to give you a hand with some of the basics if you are considering taking the podcasting plunge.

Get Ready for the “Why I Write” Contest
An all-new writing contest sponsored by two great online resources for writers: Editor Unleashed and Smashwords! You help choose the $500 Grand Prize winner. No entry fee! The Dates: • Post Your Entry on the Forum: Monday, November 9 –

How to Let Your Imagination Take Flight
by John Wiswell Writers get asked about imagination a lot. Where do you get your ideas? Most recently a writer on the forum asked the Fantasy and Science Fiction folk who participate in #FridayFlash on Twitter where they get their ideas. Is it drugs? Videogames? I believe that most good fiction c

Announcing: Why I Write Essay Contest
The topic that every writer takes on at some point is: “Why I Write.” In fact, reflecting on what compels a writer could be a genre in itself. You might say it’s the literary equivalent of an artist’s self-portrait. That’s why I’m so excited to announce that Editor Unleashed is once again teaming up with Smashwords to present a writing contest with a theme: Why I Write… You may remember the popular