Thoughts on Writing, Publishing, and Author Life
I remember a moment of time before I signed my first publication contract when I would hear published authors say - All of you newer writers, enjoy this time of no deadlines, where you are writing purely for the joy of writing. Where you can shut out the world, deadlines, editors, and critics and just … Continue reading Things We Forget
I'm going to start this post with a short personal note. Over the past week I put a house on the market that I designed and built. I had my first surgery outside of wisdom teeth removal and have been stuck in bed. And while bed-ridden, moved from the house I built into a basement … Continue reading Hone Story-Telling Skills Without Writing
The thing I hear most often at writing conferences is the following : I’ve edited and edited. Worked and worked. And I still can’t get an agent or publisher interested in my Manuscript. So, I paired up with MAKEREADY DESIGNS/QUIRKS & COMMAS to offer the following: A free read of chapter one (no more than 4k) – at … Continue reading Manuscript Isn’t Selling?
I'd like to begin this post by contradicting myself - YOU NEED BETA READERS WHO ARE NOT YOURSELF. But really, there are a few things you can do to be a more effective self-editor in early editing rounds - big picture stuff. You have to be willing to set the MS aside for long enough … Continue reading How to be Your own Beta-Reader
Yeah, it's a little late for an intro, but I've rarely been good at following rules. I grew up with the kind of dad who used a lighter to detect possible gas leaks in gas lines. A dad who said things like, “They let electricians do it! Of course you can wire your house!” Because … Continue reading A Little Late for an Intro.
You wanna write books that'll sell? Sell them to yourself first. The more years I spend writing, the more I see the benefits of having a workable pitch before I start writing, and the more I beg others to do the same. This helps keep the focus of the project as narrow as it … Continue reading what the BL*RB to write next
When I first began writing, I had no notions of writing YA. I was going to be the next Nora Roberts or Sophie Kinsella. I hadn't decided quite yet. And then I read Sarah Addison Allen, and I was terrified I'd never be able to write like that (I won't, and that's ok. We're different). … Continue reading Identity Crisis
