A. Keyes📚Book Coach & Editor
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abigailrkeyes.bsky.social
A. Keyes📚Book Coach & Editor
@abigailrkeyes.bsky.social
200 followers 160 following 280 posts
Writer, editor, book coach, teacher, dancer, scholar. Former CIA intelligence analyst. Dance is a radical act. Wear a mask. Care about other people. (she/her) akeyeswriting.com
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I'm throwing all of that and more into my Daughter of Sekhmet historical fantasy series. And now I'm looking for beta readers! Application form linked in my bio. I would love to have you part of my team!
You've heard it before: Write what you know.

Well, as a girl who never grew out of her ancient Egyptian phase, has strong justice sensitivity, and who worked at the CIA as a political analyst on Iraq right after the US invasion...
If you love stories about righteous feminine rage, ancient Egyptian mythology, and coming of age struggles, you'll LOVE my Daughter of Sekhmet series.

I'm looking for *volunteer* beta readers for Book 2. Head to the link in my bio to apply!
If you're not working on your book because you're just trying to survive...

I've been there. And you're not alone.

Your book will be there when you're ready to return. I promise.

💖
If you're ready to get out of your own way and start writing the book that's been bouncing around in your Notes app and voice notes for way too long... this course is for you!

Doors close May 12th! 🙌
We're not only going to be writing a book, but examining our blocks, visualizing success, and embodying our process.
Every time I craft a new course, I'm always a little nervous. Do I have enough material? Will it be valuable for participants?

Well, I'm working on the material for CIA Secrets to Kickstart Your Book, and y'all: I'm so excited!
Super weird! You may have found someone to help already, but feel free to email me: [email protected]
Possibly! (Sorry, not on BSky that much these days.)

Feel free to DM me :D
If you're tired of comparing your word counts to other writers online or feeling defeated when you see another author publish, I got you.

I help my writing clients create realistic and attainable plans for finishing their drafts, so they can feel excited and confident about their books.
There is no "correct" timeline for writing and finishing your novel.

But having experienced support like a book coach can help you finish your draft faster.

And the sooner you finish, the sooner you can hold your book in your hands and share it with your readers.
Want in? Registration is in my bio. Plus, it's FREE, and the replay will be available.
This weekend is all about working on my slides for my "CIA nonfiction writing secrets" class. There's going to be some real talk, and a lot of my pet peeves, all so you can get to the point and keep your reader's needs at the forefront.
Editing while writing is a problem when we never generate new words because we're stuck in the edit loop, perfecting the sentences and words we've already put on the page.

Set a word count or time goal for writing new material if you're prone to editing-while-writing.
Hey writer! It's perfectly fine to edit while you write. Personally, I like to read what I've written previously, and sometimes I'll *gasp quelle horreur!* edit that writing before continuing on.👇
Want the inside scoop? You know where to look.
We're already at 11 people for my upcoming FREE class where you'll learn the CIA's secrets to writing for some of the busiest and toughest readers. You'll serve your target readers with clarity, accuracy, and precision—two qualities we definitely want in our nonfiction books!
🕵🏻 (Almost) everything I needed to know about writing nonfiction I learned at the CIA.

So I'm giving a FREE class to share the most invaluable writing skills I developed as an analyst so YOU can write more effective nonfiction.

👉April 15th @ 2pm Pacific Time. Replay available.

Link in bio.
Avoid these 6 nonfiction writing mistakes and write your book faster!

And, TBH, some of these mistakes are good problems to have... like having too much to say for one book.

Read more at my Substack, Inside the Inkhorn. You know where the link is. 😉
But I will be sharing some of my top tips for improving your nonfiction writing so you can get your message across to your target readers.

Registration coming soon! Save the date: April 15 @ 2pm Pacific Time
2/2
I spent most of yesterday afternoon mapping out my upcoming free class: CIA secrets for writing effective nonfiction.

Unlike some our top policy makers today, however, I won't be divulging *actual* classified secrets. 1/2
Nonfiction authors! Save lots of time and avoid unnecessary frustration in your writing process by addressing a common mistake I see again and again.

Check it out on my Substack, Inside the Inkhorn. Subscribe and share!

http://inkhorn.substack.com
Nonfiction authors! Are you writing your first chapters before you've really determined who your book is for?

Make sure to define your target reader before you start drafting. Why?

Read my article on Inside the Inkhorn.

inkhorn.substack.com/p/your-ideal-nonfiction-reader
I can see that. I also think there's a "If I just explain, he'll stop being an asshole," vibe from the Dems, which is exactly how I ended up in my own abusive situation for 10 years.

No explanation is going to change him, folks.