Author Archive: Sandra Herner
I help writers with professional editing that helps them turn their stories (particularly: mysteries, SF/F and series) into published books that engage readers.
Lifelines – Don’t Let Your Writing Drown
Is your creative writing drifting is a sea of doubt? Or drowning in the undertow of life? Grab a lifeline to buoy you to the surface for a gasp of air and get afloat again. There is a tenuous balance between…
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What if 2016 Never Happened?
What if we could rewrite SKIP 2016? I’d be onboard in a heartbeat! Writers have a rare gift and it is one that CAN change the world. Consider this: If you could replay that year, create an alternate history for 2016, what would…
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Have You Asked: “What the Heck Happened to My Story?”
Twisty story endings are fun. But sometimes the story twist is on the author! I recently saw the movie “Arrival,” where the concepts of change and of time—and surprises– struck home. Arrival is a thoughtful movie, and as such I…
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Protagonist Murdered!
Caution: Villains Can Kill Your Story! Your main character may survive the bad guy’s beating, shooting and stabbing him. But your story can suffer–and die–if you don’t know how to pick the right antagonist and how to integrate him into your story….
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Thinking about a Series? Think again!
SERIES, SERIALS, SEQUELS AND SPIN-OFFS Have you thought about writing a book series but felt the task was just TOO big? Or have you planned a series, like for YEARS, and yet never quite gotten that first chapter written? Or…
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Are Writers Being Shorted with the new James Patterson approach?
What’s this “the shorter the better” all about in publishing these days? James Patterson jumped on that bandwagon–and is racing off! Publishers are also seeking shorter books. Short fiction is no longer ONLY a testing ground for new writers–here are the facts.
Writers: Is Your Window Open?
People often have specific experiences or unique perspectives they want to share with the world. Yet something holds them back. The fact is: People WANT to hear what you have to say. Writing your story, in your way, with your unique flavor, is the freshest breath of air you’ll ever experience. Open that window on your life and share!
Quit Writing to Stop Procrastinating! Huh?
Procrastination is a demon in any writer’s life. So why quit writing to avoid it? Here’s a 5-step “Quit” trick that will find you writing more productively. Procrastination comes in many guises, but here are two that I see often…
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How to Escape Your Life, Live in Paradise, and Rule the World
Too good to be true? Not if you’re a writer. And not only if you write the next great blockbuster. Enjoy the multiple benefits of being a writer RIGHT NOW! Writers have advantages that people in NO other profession can enjoy. The…
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My Top 4 Trend Recommendations for 2016
A new year always brings trends to mind. So what will 2016 offer writers? Some interesting trends, some backpedaling, and some skewed perspectives too! Frankly, I think we dwell too much on those items on our “to do’s” that fell…
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