Evan Swensen
- Author, Book Publisher, and Developer of Author Masterminds
- Author Masterminds Charter Member
- Host of Alaska Outdoors Magazine Podcast
Articles
The First Draft is Just the Start: How to Revise Like a Pro
Let’s be honest — self-editing is tough. Staring at your own words, trying to find what needs fixing, is like trying to proofread a love …
The Burning Question Behind Fahrenheit 451
Ever wondered how Ray Bradbury, the mastermind behind Fahrenheit 451, came up with the book’s iconic title? Here’s a fun trivia tidbit that might surprise you …
Why We Act Too Late: Thomas Hardy and the Power of Writing
“A resolution to avoid an evil is seldom framed till the evil is so far advanced as to make avoidance impossible.” —Thomas Hardy Writing is …
Writing on the Edge: The Craft of Tension and Momentum
How Do I Effectively Build Tension and Suspense? The moment before something happens is often more gripping than the event itself. Think of a storm …
How Peter Rabbit Outsmarted Publishers
Every reader knows The Tale of Peter Rabbit. That mischievous little bunny in his iconic blue jacket has been sneaking into Mr. McGregor’s garden for …
Write Like Your Life Depends on It
“Life can’t defeat a writer who is in love with writing,” Edna Ferber once declared. These words, spoken by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who built …
The Dame of Dictation
Agatha Christie, the queen of mystery, never actually wrote most of her books—at least not by hand. While many imagine her scribbling away in a …
The 120-Foot First Draft
Jack Kerouac’s 120-Foot First Draft: The Wildest Writing Method Ever Some authors draft their books in leather-bound journals. Others hammer away at keyboards in dimly …
Writing Books That Never Fade
“A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.” Italo Calvino understood something fundamental about storytelling. Great books don’t …
Steal This Strategy
A reader picks up a book with the same anticipation as opening a wrapped gift. The cover’s weight, the pages’ texture, and, most importantly, the …
Gin and Genius
Great authors are known for their remarkable storytelling, but sometimes, their quirks and habits are just as intriguing as their literary masterpieces. F. Scott Fitzgerald, …
What Does Your Toilet Paper Say About You
The Three Kinds of People: A Lighthearted Reflection on Success, Faith, and Toilet Paper Success gurus, religious leaders, and even ancient scriptures agree that humanity …
Podcasts
Evan, who lives in Anchorage, has 9 children, 25 grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren. As a pilot, he has logged more than 4,000 hours of flight time in Alaska, in both wheel and float planes. He is a serious recreation hunter and fisherman, equally comfortable casting a flyrod or using bait, or lures. He has been published in many national magazines and is the author of four books.