6 Common Features of Book Writing Software

In the world of literature and creativity, book writing software has emerged as an indispensable tool for authors of all calibers. Whether you’re a first-time novelist or a seasoned author, the right software can transform the daunting task of writing a book into a more manageable and enjoyable process. 

This digital aid not only streamlines the act of writing but also enriches the entire creative journey. From organizing complex narratives to polishing prose, book writing software offers a suite of features designed to cater to the unique needs of storytellers. This blog post delves into the common features of book writing software, highlighting how they facilitate the crafting of compelling narratives. 

As we explore these essential tools, writers will discover new ways to harness technology for their artistic expression, making the journey from a blank page to a published book smoother and more efficient.

1. Ease of Use and User Interface

The foundation of any effective book writing software lies in its ease of use and user-friendly interface. Writers, who often juggle creativity with the practicalities of organizing their thoughts, require a tool that is intuitive and non-intrusive. A well-designed interface in book writing software minimizes the learning curve, allowing authors to dive straight into their creative process. Key features like clean layouts, easily accessible menus, and customizable views are vital. These elements ensure that the software complements the writer’s flow rather than complicating it. Moreover, the ability to adjust settings to suit individual preferences – such as changing themes or font sizes – makes the writing experience more comfortable and personalized. For writers who spend countless hours in front of their screens, these aspects of software design are not just about aesthetics but about creating a conducive environment for storytelling.

2. Organizational Tools

A paramount feature of book writing software is its array of organizational tools, designed to bring order to the complex process of crafting a narrative. For authors, managing the myriad elements of a book—from character profiles to plot timelines—can be overwhelming. This is where the organizational prowess of specialized software comes into play.

Central to these tools is the chapter management feature. It allows writers to easily arrange, rearrange, and navigate through different sections and chapters of their manuscript. This flexibility is crucial when dealing with large volumes of text and when restructuring is needed to enhance the flow of the narrative.

Beyond chapters, advanced organizational features include timeline tools and mind maps. Timelines assist authors in keeping track of chronological events in their story, a vital aspect for maintaining narrative consistency, especially in complex genres like historical fiction or fantasy. Mind maps, on the other hand, offer a visual way to brainstorm and connect ideas, characters, and plot points, fostering a more cohesive and interconnected story development.

Additionally, some book writing software includes character development tools. These enable authors to build detailed character profiles, keeping track of attributes, backgrounds, and relationships. This becomes indispensable in maintaining consistency in character behavior and development throughout the book.

By integrating these organizational tools, book writing software becomes more than just a writing platform; it transforms into a comprehensive workspace where all elements of a book can be methodically structured and easily accessed, significantly enhancing the author’s productivity and creative flow.

3. Writing and Editing Features

At the heart of book writing software are its writing and editing features, which are critical for crafting polished manuscripts. These tools go beyond the basics of text creation; they are designed to assist authors in refining their language and enhancing their narrative style.

One of the most fundamental aspects is the spell check feature. This tool is essential for catching typos and spelling errors, helping writers maintain professionalism in their work. However, modern book writing software often extends beyond simple spell checking. It includes advanced grammar and syntax suggestions, aiding authors in improving the overall quality of their writing. Some programs even offer style guides, which can be customized according to the genre or personal preference, ensuring that the prose meets specific stylistic standards.

Another significant component is the editing toolkit. This can range from basic functions like find-and-replace to more complex features like sentence structure analysis and readability scores. These editing tools allow writers to self-edit their work effectively, making the text more concise, clear, and engaging.

For writers aiming to refine their voice and narrative flow, some book writing software provides feedback on pacing, dialogue, and narrative structure. This kind of feedback can be invaluable in identifying areas of improvement, ensuring that the final product resonates well with readers.

Incorporating these writing and editing features, book writing software not only simplifies the writing process but also elevates the quality of the output, enabling authors to produce compelling and well-polished manuscripts.

4. Research and Note-taking Capabilities

A crucial aspect of book writing software is its ability to support the research and note-taking process, which is fundamental to crafting a well-rounded narrative. Effective book writing software integrates tools that allow authors to seamlessly collect, organize, and reference research materials and ideas within the writing environment.

These features often include digital note-taking capabilities, enabling writers to jot down ideas, snippets of dialogue, or research notes without leaving the writing interface. This integrated approach ensures that inspiration and crucial information are readily accessible, enhancing the efficiency of the writing process.

Additionally, some software offers the ability to link research directly to sections of the manuscript. This feature is particularly useful for non-fiction writers who need to cite sources or for fiction writers who base their narratives on historical events or scientific facts. By having research materials linked or embedded within the manuscript, authors can easily reference their notes and data, ensuring accuracy and consistency in their writing.

In essence, the research and note-taking capabilities of book writing software are indispensable for authors, providing a cohesive and streamlined environment that nurtures the creative process from conception to completion.

5. Collaboration and Feedback Options

In today’s interconnected world, the ability to collaborate and receive feedback is a valuable feature of book writing software. These tools often include options for sharing drafts with editors, beta readers, or writing groups. This collaborative feature enables writers to easily receive and manage feedback, an essential part of the writing and revision process.

Moreover, some software offers real-time collaboration, akin to what’s seen in online document editing platforms. This allows multiple users to contribute to a manuscript simultaneously, facilitating a dynamic and interactive editing process. Such collaborative capabilities not only enhance the quality of the final manuscript but also foster a sense of community and support among writers and their peers.

6. Publishing Support

As a final step, many book writing software options offer publishing support features. These range from formatting tools that prepare manuscripts for submission to direct publishing options for various platforms. This seamless transition from writing to publishing streamlines the journey of a manuscript from a writer’s desk to the reader’s hands.

Book writing software is more than a mere word processor; it’s a comprehensive suite of tools designed to facilitate every stage of the writing process. From intuitive interfaces to sophisticated organizational and editing features, these programs are tailored to meet the diverse needs of authors. The inclusion of research, note-taking, and collaborative features further enriches the experience, making writing more efficient and enjoyable. By leveraging these powerful tools, writers can focus on what truly matters: bringing their stories to life. In an era where technology and creativity intersect, book writing software stands as a testament to how innovation can enhance artistic expression.

5 Questions to Ask a Fantasy Illustrator Before You Hire Them 

Illustrations are a wonderful way to visually support the superb world-building of your fantasy novel, making your book more immersive. Deciding to enrich your fantasy novel with illustrations is easy — but finding the right illustrator is another question entirely!

Some world-famous authors also illustrated their own books, but most of us are better off outsourcing that job to a professional. Are you about to start your search? Here’s a look at the questions you should ask illustrators you are considering for the job before you sign a contract, to make sure the illustrator you choose is the best person for the job.

  1. 1. Can You Tell Me About Your Style? Can I See Your Portfolio?

There are many different ways to go about finding an illustrator for your fantasy novel. An illustrator’s art may be the first thing you see because some illustrators share it all over their websites. As a debut or experienced fantasy author, you may not know much (or anything, even) about different art styles. However, you do have a personal sense of aesthetics. Taking a look at an illustrator’s portfolio, which contains the best examples of their previous work, is by far the best way to find out whether you believe their work belongs in your fantasy novel. 

Illustrators can be very versatile, producing illustrations for a variety of genres and purposes with ease. The one thing all their work has in common is that they made it — and each artist does develop a signature style. 

Asking an illustrator to tell you about their style and the types of illustrations they love doing can give you a great sense of who they are as an artist. This can help you decide if an illustrator is right for your fantasy novel. 

  1. 2. Can You Tell Me About Your Process? What Ideas Do You Have for My Fantasy Novel?

Illustrators, like writers, draw inspiration from the world around them and are influenced by their moods. Learning about the process the fantasy illustrators you have shortlisted go through to create beautiful art for your novel is important. 

Some fantasy illustrators may expect you to send in a very brief description of the illustration you would like them to create — like “young woman with magical sword bravely looks at the cityscape ahead.” 

Others are perfectly willing to read a few chapters of your work, especially if you are asking for numerous illustrators. These illustrators may even feel they need to immerse themselves in your fantasy novel before they can design illustrations that do it justice.

Some illustrators produce client-directed work, while others welcome the opportunity to run with their own inspiration, based on your novel. 

That’s why it is so essential to get a feel for an illustrator’s process before you start working together. Your chances of ending up with beautiful illustrations that make the world your mind has given birth to come to life go up if you can develop a productive and enjoyable working relationship with your illustrator, after all.

  1. 3. What Are Your Rates?

You’ll want to know if the type of art an illustrator fits the mood of your novel before you ask how much hiring an illustrator will cost you. “What are your rates?” is probably your most burning question once you figure out you love the illustrator’s work, though!

Don’t be like Fortnite developer Epic Games and make insulting lowball offers if you want to earn the illustrator’s respect. The illustrator you’re negotiating with is thrilled to be able to make a living doing what they love, just like you, but they do need and want to make money. 

It helps to know that illustrations can cost anywhere between $375 and $12,000 a piece. The rates depend on the complexity of the illustration, the amount of time an illustration takes to complete, and the illustrator’s experience. Some illustrators are happy to work for royalties as well, and if you want to own the copyright, that’ll cost more.

Just ask the question. The illustrator is expecting it, and you need to know.

  1. 4. How Long Will it Take to Complete the Illustrations?

An illustrator’s availability is another important question to consider. Do you have a deadline in mind? You will have to make sure an illustrator whose work you love can have the illustrations ready in time.

  1. 5. Do You Have Any Questions for Me?

Debut authors who have never worked with illustrators before know less about the process than experienced illustrators. Don’t hesitate to ask if an illustrator you are considering hiring for your fantasy novel has any questions for you.

These questions may be about the creative direction of the work you would like to have done. They could also take a more technical direction, such as questions about preferred software, or relate to your contract. 

The illustrator you are talking to is probably happy to ask their own questions. However, inviting them to do so shows respect for the illustrator’s role in your fantasy novel. 

This quick look at the questions you shouldn’t skip when you’re considering fantasy illustrators for your novel shows what questions not to skip. Don’t stop there, though! Write everything you want to ask an illustrator down in advance, so you don’t forget, and enquire about anything else that comes to mind along the way. 

Don’t forget to Google your illustrator before you sign a contract, as this simple step can tell you a lot about their work history and reputation. Being thorough ensures your fantasy novel will be filled with illustrations that perfectly capture the mood of your book, allowing your audience to paint their own vivid pictures in their minds.

Smart Ways to Spend Money Self-Publishing

When it comes to self-publishing, there are smart ways to spend your money and then there are dumb ways as well. Many people fall in the trap of spending their money in the wrong places. What that usually means is that the book that they work so hard on falls into obscurity and never actually gets read. But if you know what the smart ways are to spend money on self-publishing, then you are much less likely to fall into these traps. Here are five very smart places spend your money when it comes to self-publishing.

The Developmental Editing

The first smart way to spend money on your book is with developmental editing. Developmental editing is when you spend money to have someone check your narrative to make sure that it flows correctly and that all of your ducks are in a row. For example, you want your continuity to be the same. On films, they have people that are specifically hired to check the continuity of a film. For example, if someone is wearing a red shirt in one scene, then you want them to continue to be wearing that same redshirt if they have moved onto a different scene but they have not had time to change clothes. You also want the plot to flow properly, and that is all part of developmental editing.

The Copy Editing

You also are going to have to spend money on copyediting. The reason that this is a smart way to spend your money is that the fewer grammar and spelling mistakes you have in your manuscript and your published work, the more seriously people are going to take you as a writer if you publish a book that is full of grammatical mistakes and misspellings, people are going to consider you an amateur and not by your books in the future.

The Book Cover

You also want to spend money in your book cover. No matter what anyone says, people judge books by their cover. That means that your cover needs to be absolutely killer in order to get people to be interested in it and buy it. Hiring a graphic designer to create your book cover is one of the smartest investment you will make.

Your Author Website

You will also want to spend a little money on your author website, both to make sure that it is hosted through a reputable and reliable service, and to ensure that it is designed properly and that people are able to navigate it successfully and find out about you and your books.

The Book Promotions

Finally, you are going to want to spend money on promoting your book. How you promote your book will depend upon what sort of opportunities you come across, and what you prefer to use is advertising and promotion, you have to promote your book if you want people to find it and read it. Every author needs to get the word out about their book.

Building Your Reputation – 5 Steps to Publishing a Guest Article in a Magazine

Self-published authors don’t have the luxury of a publishing house promoting their work and reputation. It’s up to you to gain a foothold in the market and recognition for your work. 

One of the best methods for getting your name out there is to write “guest posts” for magazines and top-tier blogs or money sites. What is a guest post? It’s a short-form article, usually between 400 to 2,000 words, discussing a popular topic adding value to the site’s readership.

Guest posts are freebies, so you won’t receive any money for writing them. To the contrary, you’ll have to pay the site a fee to get them to publish your work. Why would you pay someone to publish a post you’re offering them for free?

When you pay a site to publish a guest post, they allow you to insert a permanent link into the text. You could hyperlink a phrase to your blog or “about me” page on your site. Many people click the link when they read your guest post.

Google notices this activity, and the search bots start viewing your blog or author site as offering value to the community. They start pushing your site up the search rankings when people enter keywords in search requests.

More traffic to your site means more people read your work and look for your books online. The guest post also usually includes a brief bio on you, introducing readers to who you are and what you do. If you publish enough guest posts, you’ll start getting more attention from your target audience and more people buying your books as you build your reputation.

Step #1 – Find the Right Publication

There are millions of blogs online. To build your reputation effectively, you’ll need to publish your guest posts on a reputable site related to your work. For self-published authors, you’re looking for sites discussing book reviews, topics in your writing genre, and anything about new authors.

Look for the top-rated sites, magazines, or journals in your niche and create a spreadsheet of ten you feel could benefit your writing career if you published a guest post on their blog. Visit their website and see if they accept guest posts. Send an email to the editorial team asking them for their rate card for publishing guest posts on their site.

You could pay anything from $10 to $500 or more to get a guest post opportunity. You’ll have to weigh the value the site offers your career if you get a post published on their site and compare it to the cost involved.

Don’t be afraid of the expensive sites, as they probably have a large audience, and get plenty of clicks on your links. Set a budget for your guest post campaign and plan your outreach strategy.

Step #2 – Run Through Topic Ideas

The editorial team at the prospective guest post site will want to know the topic you want to discuss with your guest post. You can ask them what they would like you to write on or send them a list of a few topic ideas.

Brainstorm a few topic ideas you think they’ll publish and send them to the editorial team for approval. If you choose the right sites and publications, you shouldn’t have any trouble coming up with plentiful topic ideas for your posts.

Reach out to the editing team with your ideas and ask them what word count they feel would be the best option for your post. It’s no good writing 3,000 words if most of their blogs are 500 words long. Sometimes shorter is better. The idea is to add value to their community, and there’s no need to write high-volume if it’s not necessary.

Step #3 – Do the Research

As a self-published author, you understand the value of researching your topic before writing. It’s the same with guest posts. You’ll need to spend time coming up with original ideas for your posts. Search Google for topic ideas and read other people’s work for inspiration.

Rehashing other people’s work isn’t a good idea. You want to think of original ideas to write on that add value to the site’s community. Look through the other blog topics published on your prospective website’s blog. This strategy gives direction for topic ideas, then write your post.

Step #4 – Re-Read and Edit Your Article

After you finish your post, re-read and edit it. If you send the site a boring half-hearted post, they’ll likely reject it. It’s also crucial to run the article through grammar-editing software before sending it to the editing team.

Sending poorly written content to the editors makes you look bad. They’ll probably refuse to work with you again if you waste their time. Writing a guest post isn’t as challenging or rewarding as writing a novel, but it’s just as important, in fact, more important, because it’s attracting readers to your books.

See it as an opportunity to gain more readers and build your reputation. The goal of the guest post is to help you sell more books and spread your name to your target audience. You won’t achieve that goal with sending them shoddy work.

Step #5 – Submit Your Article

When you’re confident you have an informative, polished guest post adding value to the site’s readership, send it to the editorial team for publication. You must follow the site’s editorial guidelines for submissions. Study them carefully before submitting.

Do they require a cover letter? Do they have specific requirements for word counts or writing style? Understand what they want before hitting the send button on your email. It could take up to two weeks for the editorial team to publish your post, even if you’ve paid for it.

If you’re still waiting for a result in two weeks, follow up and ask them what’s happening. When they do publish, check the post to see if they included your link. Use a tracking tool in Google to monitor your traffic from the link, and you’ll know if it was a worthwhile exercise.

How to Draw Comics with No Artistic Experience

Do you want to try drawing a comic strip but have no artistic talent? No worries. Technology can make anyone an artist. Even if you struggle drawing stick figures, sequential artwork offers you a way to express your artistic ambition.

If you have a story to tell, you can work it out as a digital cartoon strip or comic book. Visual narratives are a great way to boost reader engagement. Don’t let people try to convince you that comics are just for kids. Storytelling through sequential artwork is one of the oldest forms of human communication.

Visual storytelling media traces back to the beginning of humanity, from tapestries to carvings and ancient cave paintings. If you’re worried that your lack of artistic skill might deter you from producing a comic, think again.

Thanks to the evolution of technology, anyone can create a comic book to tell their story. This post unpacks the top technological tools to help you get your vision into comic panels. All you need is a desktop, laptop, or iPad, and some time. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!

Review the Masters

First, take the time to decide on the type of strip you want to create before you pick up your device and download the required tools.

Do you want to design a single-panel cartoon focusing on political satire? Maybe you want to create a “Garfield” style three or four-panel strip? Do you want to go the distance and make a full comic book like Marvel’s “X-Men?” You may be into Manga and want to create the next Akira. You have plenty of creative options available.

If you don’t know where to start, take the time to study the masters of the craft. Read through articles by legends of the game like Todd McFarlane and Neil Gaiman. There are plenty of online resources from top talents in the game showing you how to start your journey to creating your first comic book.

You could always visit your local comic book store and pick up a few issues of your favorite titles to get inspiration for your project.

No Talent? No Problem

When you have a clear idea of the comic you want to create, it’s time to start the creative process. You may be wondering how you’ll be able to draw a comic book if you have no artistic talent. This part is where the magic happens.

Using software can turn you from a no-talent artist into the next coming of Jim Davis or Bob Kane. Choosing the right app for your project and skill level gives you a great starting point. Apps like “Storyboard That,” “Canva,” and “Pixton” are great choices for an easy learning curve to success.

These tools offer a “drag-and-drop” interface providing you with hundreds of choices for speech bubbles and backgrounds. These tools interface with all devices, from desktops to tablets and smartphones. We also like the “Make Beliefs Comix” website, offering free access to various tools for creating your first digital comic.

Pixton is an online comic production app for mobile and desktop, offering a variety of stock scenes and characters for you to personalize. You can customize the character’s dialogue and actions as you unfold your design, giving your comic a unique look.

Suppose you’re a parent looking to stir your child’s creative capabilities. In that case, the nonprofit website “Common Sense” offers a simple, easy-to-understand guide on comic-making software tools and reviews these apps’ child safety and privacy features.

Make Your Comic with Photos

Use your smartphone if you’re useless with a pencil but a master behind the lens. You can create comics with a snap of the shutter using these tools. Turn your siblings into a superhero or relive a memorable moment in your life. Comic Strip Pro for Android and ComicBook for iOS are excellent apps in this category. Both have affordable subscriptions starting at $3 per month.

Both apps have a similar interface. Begin with choosing a page or panel layout for your strip or comic book. Import images from your smartphone’s camera roll and use them as panel illustrations. ComicBook for iOS and Comic Strip Pro for Android offer users a huge library of stickers, filters, and speech balloons to customize.

After arranging your photos, you can apply these filters to your images, making them appear as comic book panels—all with a simple tap. When you’re satisfied with the finished product, export or email it to share it with your audience. It’s that easy.

Other Apps and Software to Draw Comics

Artistic talent helps when creating your comic masterpiece, giving you more freedom and range in the apps designed for turning pencil sketches into fully-completed comic books ready for distribution. We like the free MediBang Paint tool, offering users a digital comics-creation platform for mobile devices and desktops.

Medibang Paint offers a holistic range of tools designed to bring your artistic vision to life. Illustration and drawing software tools like Procreate also allow users to create artwork for their comics. Sites like Printable Paper offer downloadable comic-book templates you can print and design using your pen or pencil.

After you finish, you can use the previously mentioned software to scan the artwork and put the finishing touches on it with digital tools. There are plenty of free options for your comic book software, but many have limited functionality. Fortunately, they have an affordable monthly fee, ranging from $3 to $14.

Where Can I Hire a Comic Artist?

You have other options if you have an idea for a comic book but can’t be bothered to use the digital tools recommended in this post. You could always find comic book artists for hire on platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, Reedsy, and Freelancer or other sites with dedicated comic artists looking for work. 

These platforms make it easy to communicate and collaborate with professional comic book artists. If you find the right talent for your project, you could start a relationship that sees you publish your comic in online or offline publications. The sky is the limit! Good luck!

How to Earn Extra Money as a Delivery Driver

The delivery and courier industry is one of the fields that have flourished amid the Covid-19 pandemic. While most industries have suffered financial losses, more people prefer staying home and maintaining social distance to protect themselves. Thus, ultimately increasing the demand for delivery drivers, which recent studies confirm has risen by 6.5%. 

However, not everyone is getting enough, and that’s where clever tricks come in handy. With a few tips here and there, you can get ahead of the rest of the delivery people and increase your take-home. Find out from this article which ways are these.

1. Use different companies and apps

Of course, as a delivery driver, you likely have that particular company you prefer working with and cherish its app. This could be due to the location and proximity: the payment is given to drivers, the drop convenience, or any other factor. However, be sure to take time comparing it against the others to be sure it’s the best for you.

Fortunately, signing up with different apps and companies for delivery jobs is not hard. Most companies will only ask you for similar insurance requirements, which you likely secured while getting your first delivery job. JustEat, Deliveroo, and UberEats are some of the biggest delivery companies requiring the same insurance from riders and drivers. Having such an opportunity, weigh the pros and cons of working with each company and its app before you can settle for one. 

The other tip that has likely proven fruitful for many is talking to fellow delivery drivers while waiting to pick your stuff and deliver it to a client. You might run into a driver who has been in the industry for some time and has more insight into delivery jobs, including the apps and companies with the biggest gigs.

2. Take advantage of heat maps and peak hours

Almost every industry has its peak season or time, which you need to take advantage of if you want to make it in the field. Likewise, delivery jobs have peak hours when clients call, and you need not hang around aimlessly waiting for a job. Instead, take advantage of these peak hours and heat maps, and increase your take home. Then, all you need to do is assess and research when these peak hours come and wait for them.

According to Deliveroo and UberEats, the peak hours are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, 7 to 9 p.m. every day of the week, and every day’s lunch hours (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.). If you work as a courier guy, peak days mostly hit during the holidays. For instance, keep an eye on the Christmas, Boxing, Easter, and Good Friday holidays for the highest demand for delivery jobs. What’s especially interesting with delivery jobs is that they are pretty flexible. So once you have mastered the peak hours and days, you can focus elsewhere and hover around the delivery app as the peak season knocks.

3. Work with different businesses

In delivery jobs, you can work with multiple companies at the same time and make gigs. Of course, companies have a policy that prevents their employees from running two apps exactly simultaneously. However, it’s okay to complete a delivery using one app, log out of it, sign in with another app, and make another delivery. 

You might realize that companies that pay slightly less come in handy at such times and help you make a few more bucks, especially if you get jobs with them throughout the day. On the other hand, some companies pay better than the rest, but their delivery jobs might be pretty scarce. Balancing between both categories and working smartly with them will see you crack crazy deals you would never find by concentrating on one company.

4. Be smart with tips

Like rideshare jobs, delivery apps and companies allow their drivers to receive tips. Still, you need to work to get them. While smiling with clients may seem a bit taxing, especially after a rough long day, it’s almost always rewarding because some clients will be impressed with your enthusiasm and tip you. Besides, you can try your best to deliver goods on time, although you need not exceed speed limits since the fines will not be worthwhile. Make sure you pick up some rideshare insurance as well.

5. Get an economical vehicle and drive it efficiently

In case you delay, be courteous enough to explain to the client why this happened, and who knows, your courtesy may translate to a tip. Lastly, ask your client to rate you on the app since high ratings will make you eligible for incentives, although they will not translate to extra payments. What’s more, the incentives may come as cash or other gifts with great worth, ultimately boosting your overall take home.

While most people would love fancy things, including vehicles, you must wisely choose the car for delivery jobs. If you are serious about getting ahead of the rest and increasing your earnings. A car could be lavish, but you need to ask yourself how much goes into maintaining it and how much fuel it uses. You could talk to fellow delivery guys before settling on the appropriate car to use to be on the safe side. 

Once you have it, efficient driving will help you save money and earn extra. For instance, instead of driving endlessly to get a client, settle in a central point while evading the suburbs. Such practices reduce the distance you will have to cover to get to the store or shopping point. Thus, reducing the overall driving cost and leaving you with a few extra pence. 

The bottom line

After the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, the need and demand for delivery drivers increased since people wanted to stay home and avoid unnecessary movements. However, you need to be smart about earning extra money during this high demand. 

Rose Rosie is a writer for the personal finance website, Joy Wallet, which provides readers with useful information, resources, and tools to help maximize their financial fitness. 

Great Reasons to Take Creative Writing Classes

For some, creative writing is an enjoyable hobby, for others, it’s a necessity, as their words allow them to express themselves. Whichever group you fit in, there are definite benefits to engaging in creative writing. It’s a great way to develop problem solving skills, it allows you to share your ideas, thoughts, and feelings, and of course, it allows you to express your creative side. 

Whether you love to write creatively and you want to improve your skills so you can publish a book one day, or you’re a college student who is interested in enhancing your writing abilities; whatever the case may be, enrolling in creative writing classes may be something that you’re considering. Here’s a look at some fantastic reasons why formal creative writing classes are an excellent idea. 

Stimulate Your Creativity 

One of the most notable benefits of taking creative writing classes is that they will enable you to foster your creativity. Even if you’ve been writing creatively for years, sometimes you can get stumped and hit a case or writer’s block. If creative writing is something that has always intrigued you and you’d like to give it a try, trying to figure out how to get started can be tough. 

Creative writing classes are an excellent way to spark your creative brain. Teachers offer prompts that you can use to develop your very own fanciful story. Lectures provide invaluable information that you can use to think outside the box and develop your own plots, characters, settings, timeline, climax, and more. The bottom line: creative writing classes are a great way to explore and enhance your creative thinking. 

 Improve Writing Skills

Creative writing classes usually put a lot of focus on writing style. If you’re someone who finds it easy to get your thoughts out on paper, but you have a hard time doing so in a graceful manner that will engage readers, formal classes teach you how to improve your writing skills. 

Learn How to Take and Give Constructive Criticism

A large part of creative writing classes are spent workshopping, which entails the class reading their own writing and critiquing what others have written. While it’s true that workshopping can feel stressful and overwhelming – especially if you’re shy – it’s really beneficial, as it teaches you how to handle constructive criticism with grace, learn from it, and use it to enhance your writing. If you’re planning on publishing your writing one day, this also readies you for meeting and sharing your work with publishing houses. 

Learn Self-Expression Tips 

Creative writing usually requires that you look within yourself. This is particularly true if you’re writing a personal essay or a memoir. Taking classes will help you learn how to better express yourself; how to look deep within yourself and share your thoughts, emotions, and ideas, and share those things in your writing. 

They Offer Stress-Relief

It’s no secret that writing for pleasure – such as journaling – is a fantastic way to relieve stress. A creative writing class, then, is a great form of stress relief. Not only will you be able to alleviate your stress during the classes, but you’ll also learn tips and tricks that you can use to bring your stress levels down outside of class, too. In other words, by taking creative writing classes, you’ll feel a whole lot lighter and much more stress-free. 

They’re Fun!

Last but certainly not least, creative writing classes are a whole lot of fun. Having the opportunity to share your creative side, coming up with unique ideas, engaging with like-minded people, and hearing others stories are just some of the reasons that make creative writing classes enjoyable. 

Essential Resources To Help You Write A Book

Writing a book is a journey into the creative centers of your mind. This journey is led by your heart and brought to life with your imagination. The pursuit of literary fame is not easy, in fact, many writers give up long before they become published authors. There can never be too many books in the world or too many stories in the library, so if you are interested in writing a book, our list of resources can help make your trip significantly easier.

Wattpad & Medium

Books and stories are meant the be shared with the world. If you are looking for an easy way to get feedback from the public and from other writers, Medium can deliver. With just over 65 million users, this is a great way to get motivated to complete your work. The site allows you to upload single chapters at a time and even link out to your online bookstore. Wattpad is another way to build a readership following and upload your stories in shorter sections.

Dragon by Nuance

The physical act of writing often limits how much a writer can actually get down on paper at any one time. Instead of fighting with yourself to sit down and write, this software allows you to both transcribe and dictate your words so they can easily be transformed into your book. While you still need to spend time training the software to fully understand your syntax, once you have it set up you can speak your stories into existence in no time flat. The price is a bit on the higher end but if you tend to write a lot, it can be worth the investment. If you are looking for a more affordable option, consider Descript. This is a SaaS product that offers a similar service for a much lower cost.

Reedsy

Finding the right book editor is an essential part of self-publishing. While you can proofreading your text on your own, an editor can help see your story from a different angle. This can help you narrow down the focus when your characters run off track, or just simply polish up your content to make it publishing-ready. Book Butchers can do it all including pacing, plot development, content organization, and more. Reedsy is a similar service however it is more of a marketplace rather than a one-stop-shop. Regardless of which one you choose, the prices are affordable, and the editing services provided will make your book look highly professional.

BookBaby, Kindle Direct Publishing & IngramSpark

Publishing is the most important part of writing your book. With BookBaby you will have access to worldwide distribution channels and very affordable ISBN’s you can assign to your published book. If you are not quite sure about the cost, the calculator on the site will help you budget your publishing to meet your specific needs. Kindle Direct Publishing is one of the most popular places for authors looking to self-publish. You can release an electronic book with the option for audio or to print a paper copy on demand. If you are on a budget this low-cost option is worth considering. IngramSpark is a great resource for writers who want to sell their books in places other than Amazon. You can use them to distribute your books to libraries, bookstores, and even big-box bookstores like Barnes & Noble. There is a small fee to set up your account but it is well worth the sheer number of benefits you will experience.

Finding Creative Writing Contests

Creative writing is different from academic and technical writing. It involves the writer to use his or her imagination, such as in poetry, development of a character, and a theme. A creative writer may want to showcase his or her talents, but do not know how to go about it. There are creative writing contests that writing companies offer every year. There is a deadline for each submission. That is why it is important to get work on your creative writing piece early. There are some places where you can find creative writing contests. It is important when submitting a piece of work to not pay a fee. Creative writing contests are free.

Ask your creative writing teacher for information on creative writing contests. Creative writing class teachers will even look for contests for you, if they find that you have an interest. It is best to ask your teacher during the beginning of the semester since most contests require submitting work early in the semester. When you begin writing your piece, take your time, but not too much time. Your creative writing teacher will more than likely help you as well. The teacher will not write it for you, but give you support and answer any questions you may have.

Guidance counselors is another way you can find creative writing contests. Guidance counselors have resources for students that will help them. A lot of times students do not use those resources. For instance, if you tell your guidance counselor that you are looking for creative writing contests, he or she may find a number of resources, including scholarships, grants, and contests. Look over all the materials that the guidance counselor gives you and choose which ones you want to give to. If you plan on going to college, the scholarships and grants will come in handy.

Go online to find creative writing contests. Social media are exploding and it is a way to find just about anything. On Google, search creative writing contests and you will see sites that are taking creative writing submissions. Make sure you read the rules before submitting. That is with all contests. You have to read the rules because not doing so may keep you out of the running of winning the contest. Do not be afraid to apply to many creative writing contests. Just because you lost one does not mean you will lose all of them.

Visit a newspaper or publishing agency to see if they are having any creative writing contests. Sometimes these agencies do not make these contests public and if they do, not many writers know about them. Always ask questions to make sure that you are going to give the work correctly. For instance if you are unsure about if you can write about anything or is it for just one category, such as poetry. Newspaper and publishing agencies may have other resources for you, such as where you could give your work. Whether it pays or not, but either way you will still want someone to see your work.

Another place you can find writing contests are on high school and college bulletin boards. Most students do not read bulletin boards where they have so much valuable information. Browse the bulletin board to see if there are any creative writing contests.

Creative writing contests are scary, but fun at the same time. You are using your imagination and putting it down on paper for the world to see it. By doing so, you could win money that will help you to take your next step in life, such as going to college.

Submitting Your Work to Literary Magazines

Writing is hard, and that’s the one thing nobody tells you when you first choose it as a career. But literary magazines are a great place to start if you already have a strong body of work to submit. Here’s some practical advice about how to submit your work to literary magazines – and a bonus list of the best literary magazines to submit your work.

Need to find more literary magazines? Check out our list at the bottom – or sign up to Reedsy for updated lists of some of the best.

Just Write

Writing is a very self-critical process, and the biggest thing that holds some authors back is the fact that they judge their work far too heavily while they’re writing it. Sometimes ideas flow much easier if you shelve the judgement and just continue to write. Edit later: Get the core of the idea down on paper first and you’ll end up with something great: Raw emotion.

Choose Your Best Work

Choose your absolute best work when you are submitting it to a literary magazine: If not, you know that your work is going to end up in the slush pile. It might take some edits and a couple of rewrites, but always polish your work until it’s perfect.

Read the Guidelines

Read the submission guidelines of the publication before you submit your story to them. This will save you a lot of story rejections in the long run. Guidelines will clearly state exactly what the publication is looking for, the length, the tone; and generally they’re pretty straight about what they don’t want in their magazine.

Research Your Magazine

Research your magazine as well as you can. This means reading the type of stories that they currently publish and making sure what their themes are. Double-check this by ordering back-issues or reading some examples on their website.

LITERARY MARKETS

TAYO Literary Magazine

www.tayoliterarymag.com

TAYO is a literary magazine that’s looking for any stories that evoke emotion within the reader – and that can be fiction or non-fiction and stretch through a variety of genres.

The Drum Literary Magazine

www.drumlitmag.com

The Drum Literary Magazine is an audio literary journal that focuses on publishing good fiction and nonfiction.

Typehouse Literary Magazine

www.typehousemagazine.com

Typehouse Literary Magazine is looking for submissions of short fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction. They also accept visual art submissions.

Grain Magazine

www.grainmagazine.ca

Grain Magazine is published four times per year, and they’re looking for overall strong stories with a focus on stories that engage and challenge readers; this can be fiction or nonfiction.

The Pinch Literary Journal

www.pinchjournal.com/guidelines

The Pinch Literary Journal focuses on publishing fiction, nonfiction and art – with a focus on exceptionally strong stories that engage the reader and draw them in. Submissions should be accompanied by a cover letter: Read their guidelines carefully to see what they’re looking for.

Apparition Literary Magazine

www.apparitionlit.com

Apparition Literary Magazine is published quarterly and they are looking for both short story and poetry submissions. Read their guidelines to make sure what you submit is exactly what they’re looking for.