Rebecca Heflin, Gainesville author of contemporary romance, revealed many secrets of writing for fun and profit in her March 12 PowerPoint presentation. Too bad we cannot include all of them here. She stressed the importance of voice, saying that "a bad editor can take away the author's voice; don't let … Read More
Kassandra Lamb, retired psychotherapist turned mystery writer, presented seven lessons she has learned about including social issues in fiction: show, don’t tell; do your research; make readers care about the character; don’t stereotype; keep it balanced; expect some push back; and be open to learning from your characters. “Authors must show readers … Read More
Professor Emeritus Ronald W. Haase, who taught architecture for twenty years at the University of Florida, shared his experience of transitioning from the college teaching environment to creating fiction, while incorporating his respect for and knowledge of architecture. In his presentation, Haase explored with good humor the good, the bad, … Read More
At WAG's June general meeting, Advantage Publishing Editor Jackie Smith gave aspiring writers tips from the editor’s side of the desk. Freelancing allows writers a flexible schedule and the potential for earnings “on the side.” Editors like to use freelancers because it allows for more diversity in content. On the … Read More
Terry Martin-Back enthusiastically told of using his background in construction and real estate to write and sell non-fiction books useful for homeowners at the July 9 WAG meeting at Millhopper Library. He emphasized that writing is a business, whether you want to sell your work or not. At minimum, both … Read More
WAG's one-day Marketing Workshop on Saturday, August 5, at St. Leo University filled up days before the event and was a huge success. Speakers showed attendees how to market and promote their published works and covered these topics: e-flyers social media tools networking skills book-signing kick-off party and possible venues … Read More
Nick West's presentation - Summarized by Bonnie Ogle - On August 13, novelist and local businessman Nick West spoke to the general meeting of the Writers Alliance of Gainesville about using family stories to create a historical novel. A fifth generation Floridian, West has a plethora of family stories, which … Read More
