Book Writing Tips: Quick Tips for New and Seasoned Authors

It's 2025. People are used to texting and memes. Does grammar matter as much as it used to, or have we as a society kind of lost our interest in proper grammar?

Links from this episode:

Scrivener (the writing software I use, also an affiliate link)

Pro Writing Aid 

Grammarly

Additional links:

AlbaArango.com (my website and contact information)

The Sleepwalking Vampire (one of my books)

Social Media links

Instagram

Threads

Bluesky

Face...

Past tense vs. Present tense... which is better when writing a book?

In this episode I will first explain the difference between the two tenses, and then look at different genres, both fiction and non-fiction,  and discuss which tense is more popular within each genre.

Links mentioned in this episode

Episode 3: Who's telling this story? Examining Different Points of View (POV)

Additional links (some are affiliate links)

Scrivener (...

Not all readers are writers, but all writers are readers. At least, I hope that's true. 

In this episode, I will get into why reading (in general) is important for a writer, but also why reading in your genre (specifically, the genre you are writing) is a must. I will also go over the importance of craft books, something I feel is beneficial for writers at all stages in their career.

Links mentioned in this episode (all are affi...

Most authors are pretty good about describing the things the characters see, but what about what they hear? Smell? Touch? Taste?

In this episode, I will go over some tips on how to incorporate all the senses into not only your setting, but also your character development.

Some helpful links (some are affiliate inks):

Scrivener (the writing software I use)

AlbaArango.com (my website and contact information)

Problems in Prague (one of my ...

For many years, your social media platform was stressed as the most important thing an author had to do (besides writing a good book, of course). But times change. Social media apps rise and dive in popularity. People take breaks from social media, often for their own mental well-being.

But.

Email is still around. People who sign up for newsletters check their email. No algorithms to worry about, only a catchy subject line.

In this ep...

In this episode, I’m going to delve into the amazing tool of backstory. If done correctly, backstory can help you fully develop your characters and help your reader better understand your characters by seeing elements from their past. But, if done poorly, backstory can take your readers out of the story and drive them away from your book.

So, if your characters have some interesting history (which I hope they do), let’s learn how to...

In this episode, I will be talking about the weather. Random, right? I mean, normally people talk about the weather when they have nothing else to say. lol

But! As an author, using the weather in your writing is a great way to not only bring your reader further inside your setting, but it can also help with character development within your story.

So, let's talk about the weather.

Helpful links (some are affiliate inks):

Scrivener...

Dialogue is such an important part of a story, and what characters say and how they say it can affect the way readers perceive your characters. 

There are entire seminars that focus on the topic of dialogue, but in this (short) episode, we are going to focus on a few ways to make your characters sound believable, and then how to use character tags in your story.

Sit back, relax, and let's talk dialogue.

Helpful links (some a...

Whether you’re a newbie author two chapters into their first book, or a seasoned author with two dozen books in the bookstores, connecting with other authors can be a wonderful source of inspiration and motivation.

In this episode, I will share many different places to connect with authors (some of which don’t even require any speaking for my shy introverts out there).

Links mentioned in this episode:

Henderson Writers Group

Meetu...

I don't know about you, but sometimes, as an author, I get stuck. Just...stuck. And when that happens, I need some help to get...unstuck.

In this episode, I will discuss the different strategies I personally use, and strategies I know other authors use, to help overcome "writer's block."

Helpful links (some are affiliate inks):

Scrivener (the writing software I use)

AlbaArango.com (my website and contact information...

Episode 1: Welcome! If you have an idea for a book, but don’t know where to begin, you’ve come to the right place (or the WRITE place...hahaha).  After a quick introduction (this is the first episode), I dive right into today’s topic…Where Do I Begin? I start by discussing various methods/software for doing your writing, and then I share some different strategies of how to start writing your book—turning that idea into an actual bo...

Whether you're a new author working on your first book, or a seasoned author with three or four books under your belt, setting writing goals can be the defining factor for getting that book done in a timely manner. 

But setting unrealistic goals can cause frustration and, sometimes, cause authors to give up. In this episode, I'll give you several different strategies (including mine) for setting realistic goals that you ca...

Not sure which POV is best for your book? This episode breaks down the pros and cons of writing in the different points of view, from first person to third person limited and omniscient (and even second person!). Not really sure what each of these are? No worries! I'll break down what each POV means and (hopefully) give you some food for thought on which one would be best for your book.

Helpful links (some are affiliate in...