Self-Publishing Online Even if Zeros and Ones Hate You
Just don’t, if you decide to step into the world of self-publishing, don’t let yourself think for a minute you aren’t good enough. Gaining agency in your life is healthy and brave.
Reading the Right Book on Writing: Improving your Novel-Writing Skills
This summer I’m giving myself a mini self-guided MFA program on novel craft. As I perused numerous books that purport to teach me the craft of writing, I decided, what better way to absorb their material than to write reviews of each? Asking ourselves what a “good book” on craft should teach requires us to define those intangible questions we’ve been struggling with in our own writing life.
11 Strategies for Blocked Writing
I’ve always scoffed at books or blogs or workshops that addressed the dreaded WBS. But then, to my total embarrassment, I got stuck. Mired in a very real, very block-headed slump which I refuse to…
What to Do While Waiting to Secure a Literary Agent
As a writer, you’re probably like me– you’d rather do your taxes, clean the sink traps, gutters, and even your friends’ sink traps and gutters, and then do your backtaxes (not based on a real incident), than begin querying.
Ask (me to ask) a Literary Agent at My Upcoming Writers Conference
I’m heading to the PP Writers Conference next weekend and will do my level best to get your question asked if you post or email one!
How to Create a Novel Critique Group that Won’t Drive You Crazy
You’re jealous to the core. Heck, you’re even jealous of C.S. Lewis and Tolkien for having the Inklings, and they’re both dead. Meanwhile, all you have is a bunch of Meetup misfits who never remember to staple their single-spaced pages and whose go-to comments for your work are always either, “This really flows!” or “I don’t feel like this flows. Can you add more details?”
Writing Distinct Dialogue for Better Fiction
Sure, everyone has heard the basics: don’t overuse names; don’t rely on cutesy dialogue tags (“he chortled”); avoid clichés; use contractions; observe grammar and punctuation conventions, and of course—show don’t tell. If a guide to…
How to Get Your Novel Noticed: Engaging Agents at Creative Writing Conferences
If you’ve splurged on an upcoming conference, you’re probably equally excited to improve your craft and anxious about pitching your novel. Most creative writing conferences have agents present—possibly even a chance to pitch to one—so here’s some advice on getting your novel noticed.
Five Ways to Wallop Your Word Count
Okay, so you’ve glanced at the more credible websites on proposed novel lengths. Or maybe you’ve even gone so far as to research your dream agents to find they expect a novel in your genre to be shorter. If right now you’re panicking over cutting 10,000, maybe even 20,000 words, I’m here to tell that if you truly need to do it, you can.