This month, we are pleased to welcome Shayla Raquel for our new edition of “You Gotta Love This Writing.” A seasoned writer, she brings us some fresh new picks that are sure to be just what you need.
Shayla Raquel is experienced in editing, book writing, and consulting. Aside from all of these accomplishments, she even runs a successful blog that has won many awards.
Shayla prides herself on the great relationships she is able to develop with fellow authors through her editing services. You could say she’s an expert at making a newbie feel like a pro.
Thank you for joining us while we delve into these resources together, as they are explained by Shayla Raquel herself:
Resources
1. The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi
Listen to me, y’all. The Emotion Thesaurus is on my desk every day and is used constantly. There are 75+ emotion entries that list body language, thoughts, and visceral responses to take your writing to the next level. I don’t know how writers get along without it.
2. Master Class
I was so impressed with this birthday gift that I asked for an All-Access Pass for Christmas (and got it). I’ve been going through Margaret Atwood’s class on writing, but the following authors have classes too: R. L. Stine, Dan Brown, Malcolm Gladwell, Judy Blume, James Patterson, and more.
3. The Writers’ Nook Podcast by the Yukon Writers’ Society
“The Writers’ Nook is a laidback discussion of different topics covered in the Yukon Writers’ Society’s biweekly workshops. This enlightening podcast focuses on the obstacles and victories that charter members face every day,” by their own definition. Plus, there’s a big dose of humor.
4. Mixtus Media Blog by Jenn Hanson-dePaula
I have read every blog post this talented woman has put out and love her newsletters. She’s so generous with her knowledge. She teaches writers all about marketing, and does it oh-so well.
5. Biblio Virgo (Instagram) — Ryan Jones
I’ve been following Ryan (@biblio.virgo) since the beginning, and her #bookstagram photos bring me so much joy. She reviews books, take gorgeous photos of them, and has a heart for the written word.
6. Now Write! Fiction Exercises from Today’s Best Writers and Teachers by Sherris Ellis
This book gets so much use! I have a dozen or so chapters tabbed as my personal favorites that I use when teaching my local writers’ group. My all-time favorite writing exercise is called “Rattlesnake in a Drawer.”
Self-created Resource
7. Pre-Publishing Checklist
Always free, and always a time-saver, the Pre-Publishing Checklist was created to help self-publishing authors navigate the indie path. It goes over everything from hiring professionals to marketing your book, from author branding to printing.
An expert editor, seasoned writer, and author-centric marketer, Shayla Raquel works one-on-one with authors and business owners every day. A lifelong lover of books, she has edited over 300 books and has launched several Amazon bestsellers for her clients. Her award-winning blog teaches new and established authors how to write, publish, and market their books. She is the author of the Pre-Publishing Checklist, The Rotting (in Shivers in the Night), and The Suicide Tree. In her not-so-free time, she acts as organizer for the Yukon Writers’ Society, volunteers at the Oklahoma County Jail, and obsesses over squirrels. She lives in Oklahoma with her two dogs, Chanel, Wednesday, and Baker.
