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Book Writing & Publishing Tips from a Creativity Alchemist
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Writing prompts generator and story ideas that will banish writer’s block for good.

Writing prompts generator and story ideas that will banish writer’s block for good.

I’ve been up for days, anxious and paranoid, because I’m excited about a new tool I found on Reddit and immediately reached out to buy. I’ve been thinking about making a “magic 8-ball” tool to generate writing prompts for years so this one caught my eye. The prompts are fun, clever and creative, and there The 3...

December 2, 2022 Derek Murphy creativity, inspiration, writing 112
Writing fiction with AI (openai GPT-3 playground for novels, short stories and children’s books)

Writing fiction with AI (openai GPT-3 playground for novels, short stories and children’s books)

I wrote a post a few months ago when AI writing tools were just starting to get good enough to be exciting. I was impressed with the results using Jasper AI, especially for improving the blurbs for my novels. But OpenAI just updated to a newer version of GPT3 (davinci3) and I wanted to test The 3 secrets to book marketing, and a haunted...

November 30, 2022 Derek Murphy 115
Dall-E is an absolute revolution in AI digital art

Dall-E is an absolute revolution in AI digital art

This week I’ve finally been playing with text-to-image AI generators, and it’s been fun. Stunned by the creative artwork some of my facebook friends are creating, I wanted to get on board fast. I’ve been a book cover design and graphic artist for years, so I know my way around Photoshop. Ultimately I gave up The 3 secrets...

June 11, 2022 Derek Murphy AI illustration, Dall-E 2 384
How to sell illustrated books, novels and comics at conventions and events

How to sell illustrated books, novels and comics at conventions and events

Since the show season is wrapping up, I thought I would avail you of my convention strategy, going all the way back to when I started doing shows, as you plan for 2023 and beyond.  If you wanna get to the next level as a creator quickly (aside from making better comics) then here’s the The 3 secrets to book marketing, and a...

May 5, 2022 Russell Nohelty conventions 190
Genius is a lifestyle, not a hobby (Einstein as seen by National Geographic)

Genius is a lifestyle, not a hobby (Einstein as seen by National Geographic)

I’m watching “Genius” on the National Geographic channel; a dramatic representation of the life of Einstein. It’s fun. Einstein is portrayed as the kind of crazy, self-destructive genius we love to watch. He fights with teachers. He’s careless with women; both charming and confident but casually distant about...

January 8, 2022 Derek Murphy 114
Are you building or jumping? (What’s your tower – how to be resilient)

Are you building or jumping? (What’s your tower – how to be resilient)

I started this post years ago as a series of rough notes, and I’m attempting today to make it make sense, because I think the topic is crucial, even if I can’t explain it as clearly as I’d like. It started from a presentation on discontent given by Chris Guillebeau. If only X, I’ll be The 3 secrets to book marketing...

January 8, 2022 Derek Murphy 87
How to hire the best story writer for your NFT/crypto game

How to hire the best story writer for your NFT/crypto game

A few years ago I was in Bali when I got pitched a full-time, $200K/year job in New York managing a creative team to turn a book into a video game. The author had won seed funding and had money to burn, but no idea how to make it work in reality; and he knew The 3 secrets to book marketing, and a haunted castle tour. Totally free. Get it...

December 27, 2021 Derek Murphy crypto, NFT, writing tips 621
When and how to include backstory (without boring readers)

When and how to include backstory (without boring readers)

I feel like I’ve discussed this ad nauseum, but it was probably tucked into some broader concepts and it’s a HUGE issue. So I wanted to share a very relevant, crucial bit of advice that might make everything easier. What’s backstory? Backstory is usually the deeper, poignant scenes that reveal character motivations. A lot of...

December 14, 2021 Derek Murphy self-publishing, writing, writing tips 263
Is an MFA in creative writing worth it? The truth about online writing certificates

Is an MFA in creative writing worth it? The truth about online writing certificates

Someone asked me this question recently on YouTube: Where do authors go to learn more about story craft? How do we know when we’ve found a reputable teacher? Is it a college degree in English and literature? What is the best way to learn how to piece together a readable story? I’ve gotten similar questions The 3 secrets to book...

December 9, 2021 Derek Murphy writing tips 638
Plottr review and novel plotting template (download)

Plottr review and novel plotting template (download)

I’ve been hearing more chatter about Plottr, the book-timeline software that helps you map out your novel’s key scenes. A while back someone created a pretty cool template based on my chapter plotting outline, and I’ve been talking with Plottr’s founder to add my template within their tool so everyone can access it. That...

December 8, 2021 Derek Murphy writing tips 1463
How to write a nonfiction book or memoir (free chapter outlining templates)

How to write a nonfiction book or memoir (free chapter outlining templates)

When I wrote my huge guide to book writing (Book Craft) I cut out all the nonfiction tips and strategies last minute; I’d already explored a bunch of material in my writing courses but wasn’t quite ready to share the nonfiction resources. Mainly, because, while I’m proud of the detailed 24 chapter novel outlining templates...

March 27, 2021 Derek Murphy nonfiction, writing tips 2809
4 Books With Great Plot Twists and Things You Can Learn From Their Authors

4 Books With Great Plot Twists and Things You Can Learn From Their Authors

Twists make readers react. Sometimes, a great plot twist makes your jaw hit the floor, or make you want to turn back to page one and start the book all over again, this time with a whole new perspective. Learning how to write twists will help you entertain your readers and sell your stories, especially The 3 secrets to book marketing, and a...

November 21, 2020 Derek Murphy writing, writing tips 199
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Book Writing & Publishing Tips from a Creativity Alchemist
Art, Design & Writing Tips for Creatives
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Free social media templates for reviews, excerpts or book marketing
Free social media templates for reviews, excerpts or book marketing
December 20, 202267
110 haikus about life, love, inspiration, passion and creativity
110 haikus about life, love, inspiration, passion and creativity
December 14, 202272
Love poems (poetry examples that will make her swoon)
Love poems (poetry examples that will make her swoon)
December 14, 202269
How to make a children's book in a weekend with AI... (and why you probably shouldn't)
December 12, 202292
Is Quillbots the best paraphrase tool? (AI writing & editing software)
Is Quillbots the best paraphrase tool? (AI writing & editing software)
December 7, 202294

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Free fiction writing template to help you outline your novel (Word, Scrivener, G-Docs, Plottr)
Free fiction writing template to help you outline your novel (Word, Scrivener, G-Docs, Plottr)
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Free novel outlining template for Google docs
Free novel outlining template for Google docs
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The 8 brilliant fonts you NEED to use in your book layout (with type combos & samples)
The 8 brilliant fonts you NEED to use in your book layout (with type combos & samples)
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300+ Fool-Proof Fonts to use for your Book Cover Design (an epic list of best fonts per genre)
300+ Fool-Proof Fonts to use for your Book Cover Design (an epic list of best fonts per genre)
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How to make a full print book cover in Microsoft Word for KDP, Lulu or IngramSpark
How to make a full print book cover in Microsoft Word for KDP, Lulu or IngramSpark
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The horrible hidden truth behind the Secret Life of Walter Mitty that’s keeping you from your dreams.
The horrible hidden truth behind the Secret Life of Walter Mitty that's keeping you from your dreams.
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How much does the average author earn publishing their book?
How much does the average author earn publishing their book?
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