Anne R. Allen's Blog… with Ruth Harris

The Villain’s Journey: Who’s Driving Your Story? (Hint: Not the Hero)

Anne R. Allen — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 03:02:40 +0000

by Debbie Burke For years, I spun my wheels writing mysteries My heroes were interesting, multi-dimensional, flawed yet likable. My novels won contests, engaged two respected agents, made the submission rounds, and… received rave rejections. Something was missing but I didn’t know what. Finally, epiphany struck. If you’re gonna write crime fiction, you need […]

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Don’t Let Your Short Stories Gather Digital Dust

Anne R. Allen — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 02:33:28 +0000

by Tracy Cooper-Posey For years, I thought I had a good system. Whenever one of my short stories was published—in a magazine, or an anthology—I would celebrate. Then, as soon as the rights reverted, and because I’m an indie author, I’d self-publish the story on the major retail platforms. I was making the same […]

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Up a Tree in the Zone With Your Character

Anne R. Allen — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:54:08 +0000

by Yvonne Osborne You can’t blame a writer for what the characters say. – Truman Capote How important is the relationship between a writer and their character? What is the Zone? If you’re a writer, have you been there? If you’re a reader, have you? They are first-cousin related. Let’s go! What is the […]

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What to Eat When You Read

Anne R. Allen — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 02:58:37 +0000

Note: while Anne is dealing with some health issues, some friends of the blog have stepped up to keep the blog going. This week we have a fun post from one of our favorite authors, Melodie Campbell, “Canada’s Queen of Comedy.” by Melodie Campbell I like to get in the mood, when I’m reading. Here’s […]

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10 Tips For Guest Blogging or Getting an Interview on a Blog

Anne R. Allen — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:03:16 +0000

by Anne R. Allen Guest blogging is still one of the best free book marketing strategies. Even though blogging has lost some of its luster, visits to some well-chosen blogs can get your book and name in front of a lot of eyeballs, and jumpstart your sales. But in order to land that guest […]

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5 Pieces of Terrible Advice Writers Get on Social Media

Anne R. Allen — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 03:05:30 +0000

by Anne R. Allen It’s great for writers to make friends on social media. That’s why we’re there. Networking with other writers is essential to a writing career these days. But it’s good to be aware that, like people on the rest of the internet, writers on social media can be the source of […]

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