Let’s talk a little about the self-marketing tsunami. Because it is huge. It is compelling. And it is omnipresent. Can you turn your novel into a career, if you’re just willing to do the necessary legwork? Well, first I’d suggest you look deep in your heart and ask yourself whether… Read more“Examining the assumptions behind the push to self-market your fiction”
Author: Victoria
The Art & Craft of Fiction: Defining a story
I’ve been watching a conversation this past week over on the Literary Lab about stories. As in: what’s the definition? I happened to be working on the section of my book on writing that deals with that very subject at the time. There are a couple of well-known angles on… Read more“<em>The Art & Craft of Fiction:</em> Defining a story”
Blogging to promote your book
So, my sys admin just got back from Community Leadership Summit West, a conference for online community managers. That’s what he does. He manages an online community. That’s actually what I do, too, except he gets paid. This is important to writers because of the way the publishing industry is… Read more“Blogging to promote your book”
Writing in your space
So, the author Chris Ryan and I have been talking about writing spaces. All the photos on my new website are of my office in the house my husband and I built, not including the subfloor and stacked lumber and unfinished drywall and shims and foam insulation where the trim… Read more“Writing in your space”
Catching up on 2009 in 2010
Happy New Year 2010 to you all! I hope you had as peaceful a New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day as we did here at our house, ensconced by the fire by a lovely (dying) tree all lit up, towers of new books next to everyone’s chair, sleeping cats… Read more“Catching up on 2009 in 2010”
Linking to Glimmer Train
I’m going on vacation for a couple of weeks. Every year my family celebrates with great hope the extreme low point of the year at the Winter Solstice—like everyone else, I guess—and then takes the ten days between that and New Year’s Eve as time out of time, that gap… Read more“Linking to Glimmer Train”
Pulp Rag: Following the details to inspiration
Now, I don’t mind chopping wood. And I don’t care if the money’s no good. You take what you need, and you leave the rest. —Robbie Robertson, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” Let’s talk about inspiration. My husband and I are selling a house right now. (And on… Read more“<em>Pulp Rag:</em> Following the details to inspiration”
Linking to the Writers’ Emergency Assistance Fund
December’s mania is the Season of Giving. Thank you to Susan Johnston of The Urban Muse for promoting the Writers’ Emergency Assistance Fund. This fund is a 501(c)(3) charitable trust made up of donations from writers like you to help freelance nonfiction writers in times of acute financial distress. As… Read more“Linking to the Writers’ Emergency Assistance Fund”
Linking to Moby Dick
I’ve mentioned before my addiction to the Hugh Laurie characterization of P.G. Wodehouse‘s quintessential dingaling, Bertie Wooster. Bertie is everything hopelessly one-sided about the British upper classes: white, male, rich, privileged, and a complete brainless gorm. He’s melodramatic, narcissistic, and self-glamorizing to the point of insanity. He’s also, fortunately, good-hearted,… Read more“Linking to <em>Moby Dick</em>”
Pulp Rag: Getting the ghost tiger by the tail
A friend and I decided this morning that I should write a ghost story for the holiday season, a sort of Christmas Carol where Scrooge turns out to be right. Let’s talk today about premise. We were going on and on about how much we just love converting our living… Read more“<em>Pulp Rag:</em> Getting the ghost tiger by the tail”