Your Novel Needs a Second Story
One of the keys of a successful novel is often the presence of two (sometimes more) major storylines. Unfortunately, as a book doctor/novel editor, I often see manuscripts-in-progress that are just too...
View ArticleProper Persistence for Writers – Or How Long Should I Keep Trying To Get...
In emerging-writer discussions, I often hear versions of this question: How long do I keep trying if I’m not seeing any results in my pitches to agents or publishing houses? There are many ways to...
View ArticleDiscover Your Author’s Brand
Branding is a simple concept. For an author, in a nutshell, it’s what people expect when they hear your name attached to a book (or story). If you think of the name Mark Twain, or Stephen King, or Toni...
View ArticleSEO for Writers – Magic Bullet or Hokum?
If you’ve been looking for ways to get noticed on the web, you’ve probably run into the term SEO. It stands for Search Engine Optimization. So . . . how important is it to understand and use? Is it a...
View ArticleTime and The Writer
“There is time for everything.” – Amish saying. 1. Ask the right question: What is possible? I’m starting a new writing project and want to make good progress this month. A motivational phrase that...
View ArticleOctober Hodgepodge 2013
Here are a few thoughts (about creativity and the writing process) to savor: ”Inspiration usually comes during work rather than before it.” – Madeleine L’Engle “You climb a long ladder until you can...
View ArticleJust Say No to NaNo (WriMo)
If you really want to try to write novel in a month, I am not going to stand in your way. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. The goal is to commit, sitting side by side (virtually) with...
View ArticleNovember Hodgepodge 2013 – Keep Writing!
[Are your fingers flying feverishly on a NaNoWriMo project? Or are you you working on something else? Here are a few quotes to encourage you to keep writing!] I don’t impose any word count or...
View ArticleTwitter Tips for Book Authors – Getting Started
“Without leaving the house I know the whole universe.” – Lao-Tzu This could also be the motto of the social-media platform known as Twitter. For book authors and other writers who wish to use Twitter,...
View ArticlePerfection in Writing?
Get over yourself. You’re a writer. So write. Need some help getting over a desire for perfection? Self-doubt, seen in an obsession to perfect your prose in fears of being exposed as an unworthy...
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