Books break the shackles of time.—Carl Sagan Last week I did a post on 5 Ways to Make Your Novel Unforgettable. That was basically all about the CLIMAX, which many of you astutely figured out. But before your reader gets to the part that’s unforgettable, you have to make them… Read more“5 Ways to Make Your Novel Helplessly Addictive”
Category: A Number of Things You Should Know
4 Big Reasons to be Grateful for Independent Editors
You’re living and writing right now, today, in the midst of huge change in the publishing industry. It’s so huge that by the time you’re ten years older you’ll have navigated the tectonic shift from Pangea to a modern continent. One of the major developments of that change is the… Read more“4 Big Reasons to be Grateful for Independent Editors”
5 Ways to Make Your Novel Unforgettable
Only the invisible bears us up; we speak together in the shocking darkness, each carrying the other somehow, unseen.—Derek Raymond Here’s the thing about storytelling, folks: it has to have a purpose. Why are you telling this story? I mean, what’s your point? If your point is that writing fiction… Read more“5 Ways to Make Your Novel Unforgettable”
10 Things To Do To Become a Better Writer in 10 Days
How to Find the Best Independent Editor for You Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose. —Kris Kristopherson, “Me and Bobby McGee” Spend one day being a troll Be as obnoxious as humanly possible online. Go around arguing with people on their own sites, expressing opinions they won’t… Read more“10 Things To Do To Become a Better Writer in 10 Days”
6 Personality Types Who Will Succeed as Writers
Never doubt that thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has.—Margaret Mead Monday you got the bad news. Now you get the good news. You’re very welcome! THE DILIGENT: those who sit down and write Natalie Goldberg immortalized it without words, the… Read more“6 Personality Types <i>Who Will Succeed</i> as Writers”
6 Personality Types Who Will Fail as Writers
You folks have seen them out there. You could hardly miss them. But why are they going to fail? THE WHINY: those who throw hissy fits when writing advice is hard on their tender egos These are the people who write back to agents who send them rejection letters. You… Read more“6 Personality Types Who Will Fail as Writers”
8 Ways Your Story Needs to be Tweaked
Your characters need to be more distinct from each other. We all have different personalities out here. We want to identify with one character. If you make us look less-than-unique, we will get bored and decide you don’t understand us. Your plot needs to be more solidly structured. Cause. And… Read more“8 Ways Your Story Needs to be Tweaked”
4 Ways Social Media Can Screw Up Your Writing
It can EAT YOUR LIFE. Go ahead. Spend all your time and energy blogging, texting, IM’ing, hunting down great writers’ articles and posts on Twitter, connecting with other writers on Facebook, updating your LinkedIn profile, registering with StumbleUpon, Digg, Squidoo, and all the other bazillions of blogonetworking tools out there…. Read more“4 Ways Social Media Can Screw Up Your Writing”
The 5 Reasons Your MS Keeps Getting Rejected
Ever wonder why you keep getting all those form rejections from agents and editors? When I was in college, there was a guy in my Early American Lit class who complained that he didn’t understand why the teacher even took his papers, she ought to just carry a big rubber… Read more“The 5 Reasons Your MS Keeps Getting Rejected”
21+ Things Your Characters Should Never Say
“Stand right there and break the wind.” “He was waving his arms and ejaculating at the top of his lungs.” “I have the same problem when my pants get hot.” “What a sweet kitten. So delicious!” “You’re not supposed to spread them that far apart.” “Tie it off with that… Read more“21+ Things Your Characters Should Never Say”