Welcome to Daniel Howard’s blog, a place where we talk about reading, writing, and everything in between. Expect a healthy does of cynicism and a less-healthy dose of foul language. There may even be the occasional sprinkle of new releases and other fun content.
Why I’m an Independent Author
Whenever I meet someone new, the social contract kicks in and someone inevitably asks, "So, what do you do for a living?" Or some equally trite equivalent. I have a lot of options -- teaching, editing, writing, and a few others from time to time -- but I usually tick...
Voices of Imagination 2 – FREE on Amazon Kindle April 25 to April 29 (2015)
Hey there readers, writers, and anonymous advertising robots! The anthology Voices of Imagination 2 is up for grabs free on Amazon from April 25 to April 29 2015. This is part of a promotion strategy to get people to read the awesome authors contained in that book....
Like the Work, Don’t Like the Author?
I’ve recently learned about the slate voting problem in this year’s Hugo Awards, especially by two groups of conservative science fiction writers: the Sad Puppies and the Rabid Puppies. These two groups seem to feel feel white, heterosexual males are under attack and...
Guest Post by Rayne Hall: THREE TRICKS FOR SCARY SCENES
Rayne Hall is an author and editor based in the UK. Her books on the writing craft are bestsellers. Click here to visit her author's page for a complete list of her work. Or follow her on Twitter @RayneHall. Does your novel have a scary scene? Most novels have at...
Pretentious Sh*t That Works — Meditation and Writing
While writing and publishing Into Stillness (which is currently in indie publishing purgatory), I’ve been thinking about meditation and how it relates to my writing. I’ve engaged in some form of meditation for the last twenty years on and off. That means I started in...
Grammar Gripes: Dash Away! Dash Away! Dash Away, All!
This one has been bothering me for months. (Yes, I’m the kind of person who can be bothered by punctuation for months. What of it?) I had been trying to figure out how to format dashes in both of my anthologies, and I finally gave up and made a few stylistic...
Things I Learned Publishing a Second Anthology
Voices of Imagination was an idea with equal parts altruism and selfish pragmatism. On the one hand, I really do want to give authors of all kinds another venue by which to publish their work. On the other hand, I wanted to have more literary properties to sell with...
Can Your Writing Take a Punch (Part 3)
As an editor, I’m also in the position to criticize and alter other writers work, especially when they submit to my anthology. I go out of my way to be accommodating, not only because I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but at thirty-three I still look thirteen....
Can Your Writing Take a Punch? (Part 2)
So what inspired this blog post? Funny you should ask. I’ve recently been reminded of the sting of criticism, and it was upsetting. Mostly, it was upsetting because it came out of the blue, but it also may have cost me a steady project. I won’t go into the details,...
Can Your Writing Take a Punch? (Part 1)
Writing is more than just a job. It’s a lifestyle choice. It’s a way of looking at things. It’s and art and a science. It can be one of the simplest, most straightforward processes. Or it can be a steaming pile of pretentiousness. It’s act of creation that we invest...
About Me
I'm a writer, editor, nerd, and foul-mouthed cheerleader of creative people everywhere. When not trying to force words to do my bidding, I'm a husband and father. Subscribe
Proofread with Grammarly
