Will you read what I’ve written? As soon as I think I’ve finished writing a new piece, there’s that irresistible urge to get feedback from a reader. What do you think, eh? It’s more than yearning for instant ego gratification. That’s pretty nice, too. But it won’t help me take my writing to the next level. The sense of accomplishment from getting it down on paper and nailing? It isn’t enough. My inner editor kicks in and creates self-doubt. That’s a good thing and keeps me humble. No, really. Tell me what you think. Always be open to revision. Or don’t ask. After a half century of putting pencil to paper this much I know to be true. Took me a couple decades for it to sink in. I might not always be right and I don’t know everything. What didn’t work? You need to find those readers who are like your true friends who will tell you there is the spinach between your front teeth or your fly is open. Every writer needs editorial feedback. Editors are a writer’s best friend. Wait, wait! Last week Brooke Warner wrote a spot-on essay published in the Huffington Post on the 5 things she wished every author knew. Brilliant content. Wished I’d written it myself. Filled with typos. Ouch. Her excuse, when she shared it on social media, involved her technical inability to edit within the HuffPo platform. Double ouch. She’s a great editor. I’ve been there. As a writer who writes…

Who are your readers? They are not your family and friends. And don’t expect them to buy the book when it comes out. Unless they are in it. And that might not always be a good thing. Who are the people who don’t know you and will be pulled to your book enough to take money out of their pocket to buy it so they can read it? Do you know who those people are? They are book-buying customers. If not, it’s time to get to know them. The whole point of getting published is to be read. It IS about the readers. What will they think of it? How will they respond? As an author you can’t pretend you aren’t writing to a reader. Imagine who that is. Who are you talking to as the narrator of your book? What do you want them to think, feel, and do as a result of reading your book? When I coach radio journalists, I encourage them to identify their listeners. To whom exactly are they telling the story? If they can’t picture the specific person they are speaking to in a conversational manner, then they sound like the sing-songy news readers we all hate and tune out. Your writing will be stronger when you write to a specific audience. Let’s face it. Most of us don’t have time to read many books anymore. Buying a book is a luxury, not a necessity in most cases. If readers buy a book, they…

Spring is arriving, and that means Green Bay’s annual UntitledTown Book and Author Festival, now in its third year, is just around the corner. Sporting 100+ free literary events in downtown Green Bay, including readings, discussions, panels, workshops, and other events of interest to writers and readers, UntitledTown celebrates “all aspects of book culture.” With events for people of all ages, interests, and walks of life, the festival truly has something for everyone. This year, UntitledTown will be held April 25-28. As part of the festival, Jill Swenson will moderate a discussion on parenting memoirs featuring authors Laura Jean Baker, author of The Motherhood Affadavits, and David McGlynn, author of One Day You’ll Thank Me. It will be held on April 26 from 4-4:45 p.m. at the Brown County Library’s Central Branch. See the event listing for more details. UntitledTown has a history of bringing in big-name authors like Margaret Atwood and R.L. Stine, and this year will be no different. The author lineup includes headliners Susan Orlean, Nickolas Butler, Rebecca Makkai, Walter Mosley, Joelle Charbonneau, Andrea Gibson, Jamie Ford, Michael Moreci, William Kent Krueger, Miranda Paul, Michael Perry and Long Beds, and Baptiste Paul. All headliner events, with the exception of the Michael Perry fundraising event, are free with general access admission tickets, but with a $30 donation, festival-goers can get priority access to the author signing line and closer seating. Getting to see your favorite authors up close is one of the best opportunities UntitledTown has to offer.…