It is one of the ironies of the writing life; most writers are introverts who must morph into extroverts when it comes time to promote their wares. This isn’t just about changing hats, it’s more like changing skin. Keep in mind though…(and in no particular order) 1. There’s a slim (very slim) line between effective self-promotion and annoying pushiness. Tweeting ‘Buy My Book’ every two hours is the latter. 2. Building a writing platform takes time - in every sense of the word. Do you need a writing platform? Yes.  However, before you strap on that tool belt, remember that the time you need to write that blog post, compose that tumblr presentation, tweet and retweet, snap that photo for sharing on Instagram, and update your Facebook and Goodreads page, can devour a great deal of the day. This can prove somewhat problematic if you also have a word count to produce and you’re not one for working into the wee hours of the morning. There's also the very real danger of falling...

Much is said about the necessity of developing a daily routine for writing. We signal our readiness to work by bringing a big cup of coffee to our computer, logging off the Internet, and placing our hands on the keyboard. Every day. Without fail. But writing is not always a serious business. Our newest contributor to The Blood-Red Pencil is Elspeth Antonelli, who will show us the lighter side of this creative adventure. Here's how Elspeth views the pre-writing routine: BEFORE YOU WRITE... 20. Mentally pat yourself on the back for blocking out time to write. 19. Wonder how difficult it would be to literally pat yourself on the back. 18. Try it. 17. Try it with the other arm. 16. Try it with both arms at the same time. 15. Catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and realize you look like a demented bat. 14. Write a sentence. Caveat: "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" does not count. 13. Take a sip of coffee, remembering to keep the liquid...