Resolutions for Readers

Posted on by Brenda Poulos
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You’re familiar with diet and exercise resolutions for the new year, but readers often making resolutions, too.

These are usually in the form of reading MORE books or reading books on a particular subject.

Here are some you may not have considered:

  1. Begin reading a series in a genre you enjoy.
  2. Read a book in a genre you have never read before.
  3. Diversify by reading books in several different genres and/or on several different subjects.
  4. Read from a list of CLASSICS, which are timeless.
  5. Try reading YA. Even more mature readers enjoy the newly trending YA books which have evolved to offerings which are full of complex characters with lots of emotion and suspense!
  6. Listen to Audiobooks.
  7. Join a book club.

More Shocking Than Funny

Posted on by Brenda Poulos
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I thought I’d share a “more shocking than funny” happening in my life this past week.

I put my cell phone on top of my laundry basket and by the time I was ready to do my weekly wash, I had forgotten all about it. I simply dumped everything into the washer, added soap, and turned it on.

About fifteen minutes later, I realized what I had done. I retrieved my phone from the soapy water and blow-dried it back to perfect health. 

I shudder to think what would have happened if I hadn’t saved it from the spin cycle!

My phone is now squeaky clean and works perfectly.

This morning, a friend told me Apple products are water resistant—Don’t quote me on this.

So, my point in telling you about my phone incident?

  1. To garner a little sympathy, I guess.
  2. To give a shout-out to Apple for anticipating problems and “fixing” them before they happen.
  3. To prove to writers that they can find material for their blogs even in the unlikeliness of places!

Two Things for You to Try

Posted on by Brenda Poulos
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Thinking of writing your first novel in 2026 and don’t know exactly how to get started?

If you long to write and don’t want do a lot of planning, you might want to try stream-of-consciousness writing, where the narrators’s thoughts are presented in a continuous flow.

To many, this is considered “pantsing”—or writing by the seat of your pants. It’s an unstructured approach where the writer begins with their basic idea and then lets the story unfold.

Perhaps, instead, you want the structure offered by actually outlining (plotting your story out, from beginning to end) before you write a single word.

The internet offers information on dozens of writing “methods”, from Randy Ingermanson’s Snowflake method (old as the hills, but tried-and true) to the newest one I have just discovered, called Novelty. It’s 100 lessons are overseen by a team of seasoned authors.

Many authors find that a hybrid approach, combining elements of both plotting and pantsing, works best for them. (The approach I use, personally).

Don’t know which you’d like to use?

Try both!

Who Wrote the Most Books?

Posted on by Brenda Poulos
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“My goodness, that’s a lot of books!” A guy I recently met said to me. Twelve in ten years may sound like a lot (it does to me, actually) but in reality, there are many authors who have published more books in a shorter amount of time.

I did some research. That, in itself was difficult because every article I read, credited different authors. 

However, here are some that everyone agreed on: Stephen King (65 full-length novels and 200 short stories; Isaac Asimov, 500; Kathleen Mary Lindsay, 904; Barbara Cartland, 723; Enid Blyton (800) —at her peak writing, she wrote 50 books per year; L. Ron Hubbard, over 1,000; Ursula Bloom, 500; and, drum roll, please, Corin Tellado, more than 4,000.

Unbelievable!!! Kudos and much admiration from this lowly author. The only thing I like equally well is reading!

Only Time Will Tell

Posted on by Brenda Poulos
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Is there anything new ahead for us, as readers and writers, in 2026? 

Well, you can bet there will be even more books published in the coming year. That’s more than the four million titles that hit the bookshelves in 2025.

Last year we saw, on the average, 11,000 new books published every day!

That’s one every 8 seconds!

In 2025, dragons, sex, and the Bible drove book sales. Non-fiction sales, in general, slowed down last year. Time will only tell what new trends will take place in the current year. 

We are told that about half of new book sales will be self-published, just about the same as in 2025. And, from past performance, we will see that the vast majority of books won’t sell over 1,000 copies over their lifetime.

So it’s safe to say that some will be hits, some won’t. Some authors will make money. Some won’t.

But is that why authors write? To make money?

What is the motivating factor?

Research by Daniel Pink, U.S. Times bestselling author has found that lasting motivation for authors is intrinsic.

Authors keep writing when they choose subjects that resonate within them, when they see that their skills improving over time, when the craft of writing remains challenging, and as they continue to find joy in the process.

Are You “On the Fence” Too?

Posted on by Brenda Poulos
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When I am writing, I sometimes get a prompt to write with Co-pilot. I assume it is some form of AI assistance, but so far I have not used it.

This week I went online to get more information on this writing “tool.”

Here’s what I found:

The goal of Micro-soft is to aid writers in setting up their pages and drafts, simplifying their work processes, and saving them time. It can improve the PowerPoint experience for readers, create lists and pages in OneNote, organizes content, gives suggestions, and so on.

So why do I resist this kind of time-saving help? 

Like a lot of you, I’m wary of any kind of AI “help.” It just feels like “cheating” to me. After all, how will I know where I “end” and Co-pilot begins?

What if Co-pilot takes all of the fun and creativity out of my writing?

I’ll probably remain on the fence on this one for some time. Please share your experiences with AI and the writing process.

I Remember

Posted on by Brenda Poulos
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I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t have a friend or relative with some forms of dementia. 

You may be searching for an appropriate gift for someone you know, other than a blanket or sweater.

Why not consider tapping into memories from “days gone by”?

When my mother was diagnosed, I wrote three interactive picture books: I Remember The Seasons, I Remember The Holidays, and I Remember Bible Stories. Each one has beautiful artwork, original poems, stories, and discussion questions–all of which help family and caregivers reconnect with their loved ones.

Writing them was truly a labor of love. Join me this season in giving the gift of memories to a special person in your life.

The Perfect Mix of Romance, Mystery, and Fantasy!

Image posted on by Brenda Poulos