To succeed in the business of writing and selling books, you’ll need an online headquarters — a place that readers can visit to learn everything they need to know about who you are, what you write, and where they can purchase your books. In other words, you’ll need an author website.

What information should an author website include? How does one go about creating an author website, exactly? When is the right time to create and launch your online headquarters?

Creative comparison often gets a bad rap. Like self-doubt, comparison can be a lens through which writers can identify the strengths and weaknesses in their work, ultimately helping them improve the quality of their skills and stories with intention.

But without the right attitude in place, ego and insecurity can blind writers to the insights that comparison can provide, warping constructive comparison into a dangerously destructive act.

So, how can you overcome unhealthy creative comparison?

Every successful author needs a platform, which publishing professional Jane Friedman defines as “the ability to sell books because of who you are or who you can reach.”

Unless you’re a celebrity, politician, or public speaker, you probably won’t find commercial success as an author simply because of who you are. Instead, it will be your ability to reach and engage with readers that will ultimately determine your success as a writer.

So, how do you build an author platform that will help you develop a readership and writing career?

Death can serve as a powerful storytelling tool in many ways, but with great power comes great responsibility. What's the secret sauce to killing off characters in a way that readers can respect? Let’s break down the five key reasons that good storytellers choose to kill their characters.

Many writers dream of becoming full-time authors. But how exactly do successful self-published authors earn their livings? The answer to this question lies in an entrepreneurial spirit.

Turning a creative hobby into a career is a business endeavor, yet many writers hesitate to think of their books as products, their readers as customers, and book marketing as an essential part of what it means to be a full-time author — which is also why so many self-published writers fail to garner more than just a few occasional sales.

That said, there's nothing easy about building a small business from the ground up. Most successful self-published authors spend years cultivating their careers before quitting their day jobs.

How do they get to the point where they can write full-time?

Let’s break down the three P's of successful self-publishing, writer. 👇

Both the traditional and independent publishing industries offer writers the fantastic opportunity to share their work with the world. But which path to publication is right for you?

To answer this question, we're first going to operate under the assumption that you'd like to publish for profit, meaning you aren't just looking to print a few copies of your recently finished book to give to family and friends. Your intent is to make a living as a writer — or, at the very least, to use your writing as a secondary income stream.

Writers are commonly advised to craft complex characters. But what exactly makes a character complex? To answer this question, we must first take a quick dive into an important aspect of human nature.

Anthropologically speaking, humans are a tribal species. We need to band together to survive the dangers of this world, as well as the dangers that other tribes present. To more easily identity friend from foe (and to find a sense of community based on shared identity), we often apply labels to ourselves and those around us.

If I were to ask who you are, you'd likely answer by sharing the labels you feel define your identity, which may include your profession, racial or ethnic background, political or religious affiliations, who you are in relation to your loved ones, what hobbies and interests you enjoy, and so on.

Have you tried and failed to build a lasting writing habit time and time again?

You aren't alone. In fact, maintaining consistency in the face of creative turbulence (and the rollercoaster that is life) is something I've long struggled with myself.

Taking a break from writing when life gets tough is one thing. But when the slightest hint of upheaval repeatedly sends your creative practice into a tailspin, you know you have an issue on your hands — and that is issue is almost certainly a distinct lack of self-trust.

When I feel uninspired, I have a go-to activity that I refer to as "sketching." This isn't a guide on how to draw. The sketching I'm referring to is a written variation, and it has saved me from many panicked moments of not delivering.

Want to create a better, stronger writing habit?

Here at Well-Storied, I often talk about the many reasons writers fail to put pen to paper or fingers on keys, including:

• Time

• Doubts

• Creative Resistance

• Perfectionism

• Imposter Syndrome

• Burnout

But what about those of us who are looking to maintain (or even improve upon) the writing habits we've worked to build? Today, I'd like to share the easiest way to double down on your commitment to the craft: habit tracking.

You’ve no doubt heard of plotters and pantsers—plotters like to plot and outline before they write; pantsers like to skip this step and instead write by the seat of their pants.

But what about obsessive plotters? Have you heard of those? Because that’s me.

I love outlining. Outlining is probably my favorite part of the writing experience. It’s like a puzzle—figuring out where everything goes and why, incorporating details in the best way possible. I love getting to know my characters and learning why they do what they do.

For a long time, I tried to find a way of outlining that allowed me to be as detailed as I wanted. I was looking for something visually oriented—something where I could see everything at a glance. I checked out lots of different programs, paid and free, and nothing ever quite worked out...until recently! A couple months ago, I discovered Trello.

When writing, storytellers possess the god-like power to make something out of nothing. To create worlds where previously none existed and breathe life into characters whose journeys are entirely of their own creation.

To make something out of nothing (and better yet, to do it well), it’s important to understand the composition of the thing one is trying to create.

For storytellers, a major component of this composition is structure. Every story features at least one arc of events. This arc can be broken down into acts, which are comprised of chapters that contain scenes.

I’ve discussed each of these tiers of story structure here on the blog, but the one element I’ve yet to explore in detail is perhaps the most atomic aspect of a story’s composition: its beats.