Indie Author Month: How Books Can Save the World by Tiana Warner

How books can save the world

Reading fiction is one of the most important things you can do, and science can prove it. Here’s why a good fantasy or sci-fi has the power to make the world a better place.

I truly believe that the problems facing our world stem from a lack of compassion — prejudice, inequality, the treatment of animals and the environment, even nasty comments on social media. If everyone had more concern over others’ suffering, the world would be a better place.

Indie Author Month: Editing with Dyslexia – Samantha Nicklaus

Editing with Dyslexia by Samantha Nicklaus

I’ve known I’ve had a learning disability since I was about nineteen years old. The running joke in my house was that I was the best dyslexic reader in the world. I could read two books a week no problem, but my spelling was absolutely laughable. I couldn’t “sound out” words I hadn’t heard before. If I had to read in class, it was painful for everyone involved. But I didn’t have any classic signs of dyslexia. Words and letters never “floated around” for me, and when I was reading silently, I had no issues. To me, this wasn’t a learning disability, it was just how I worked.

Indie author month: guest post – G.R. Dix

Adults in children’s fiction – Villain, Useless or Reactive?
GR Dix

I think a useful ‘rule’ to have in children’s stories concerns the adults that interact with the main character(s). Essentially this rule states that, in terms of the events of the story, every adult in the hero’s life must be either:
• the Villain – self-explanatory;
• ‘Useless’ – not completely useless, but provides no help with the problem your hero must overcome (e.g. a parent);
• or, ‘Reactive’ – that is to say, they will only provide the specific help, advice or information that they are asked for.