5 Ways to Make Your Novel Inescapable

Never doubt that thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has.—Margaret Mead We’ve backed up through your novel ala E.L. Doctorow’s taillights in the past few weeks, starting with the key to the best possible CLIMAX, followed by the key to the… Read more“5 Ways to Make Your Novel Inescapable”

8 Lessons To Learn from Screwing Up Your Manuscript

How many times have you screwed up your writing? Once? Twice? A hundred times? A thousand times? Counting all the times you’re screwing up this very instant and the times you intend to screw up in the future. . .infinity? EVERYONE SCREWS UP. This should be printed in big, bold… Read more“8 Lessons To Learn from Screwing Up Your Manuscript”

5 Ways to Make Your Novel Helplessly Addictive

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”

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”

Interviewing Chuck Sambuchino of Writer’s Digest

Chuck Sambuchino, editor of the Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents and Children’s Writers & Illustrators Market, is known to aspiring writers and agents across the blogosphere for his series of new agent interviews on his Writers Digest Guide for Literary Agents blog. In addition to editing and interviewing, Chuck… Read more“Interviewing Chuck Sambuchino of Writer’s Digest”

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”

Getting back in the saddle, with a peek at copyright law

The pen is mightier than the sword. —Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy Hey, guys, it’s been two mighty quick weeks of vacation, and I’m back from the Pacific Northwest. It was summer there. It might even have been summer here, too, but it was not when we left, and… Read more“Getting back in the saddle, with a peek at copyright law”

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”