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The art of pitching your novel; advice from Ken Levine
As I mentioned in yesterday's post about writing and self-doubt, my husband doesn't want to hear about my writing process. He has, however, made it abundantly clear that my "pitching technique"...
Self-doubt and writing: amicable partners?
It's Monday morning, and I am dragging myself through the mud. Am I making any progress? Is what I'm writing any good, any good whatsoever? Over the weekend, my husband and I had the rare...
“How I Evaluate Full Manuscripts” (Porn for aspiring authors)
But high as my standards are and tough as my editorial vision is, I do love the whole process of reading a potential client’s manuscript — from the exciting request to the potential treasure trove of the full to the rare manuscripts that sparks my imagination.
7 tips for aspiring children’s writers from author Audrey Vernick
For many years, New Jersey children's author Audrey Vernick wrote literary short fiction, where a big success is “selling” your story to a literary magazine that pays you with free copies of the...
Aspiring children’s book authors! Submit your manuscript to MeeGenius
To commemorate National Literacy Month this September, MeeGenius!, a new reading, bookstore and publishing app for kids that features word highlighting, audio playback and story personalization, is...
Talk About Your Book: 7 Tips For Successful Public Speaking
Authors are a little like rockstars, setting up tour dates when a new album is released. Readers are hungry to know the writer behind inspiring words, (Check out: Before they buy your book, buyers...
Television as Teacher: 5 things we can learn from TV writers and their characters
A few weeks ago I attended the Writers Faire at UCLA. There were over 45 seminars on the craft of writing, presented by a humbling variety of the nation's finest authors, poets and...
Before they buy your book, buyers need to know, like and trust you: How to reach them
There are millions of books available to read, so why do people buy a particular one? The primary reason is word of mouth, whether that is a verbal recommendation or something you read online or in...
How authors make money. No, really.
Writing your first book (or second, third...) is no small undertaking. In the best of times, getting an agent and finding your book one day in a book store was a long, arduous journey. The task...
Better your writing with a little help from your friends – 5 ways
All writers have at least one friend who can be trusted with their babies--both their actual child AND a writing-in-progress. Perhaps you are blessed with an arsenal of buddies, pals, and mentors...
Crafting the Perfect Outline Identifying 5 Major Plotpoints
We can all agree on one thing: there is no one perfect recipe for cooking up a good story. The same goes for crafting an outline. Trust me, I'm elbows deep in it, and everywhere I seek advice, I'm...
Top Ten Ways Authors Can Use Twitter to Promote Books
140 characters: part treasure map, part scavenger hunt. I'll admit, I prefer Twitter over Facebook. My friends (the real ones, not merely FB "friends") faithfully post to Facebook, which to a...
What Took You So Long? (I’ve been too scared to try)
It's difficult to say "how long" I've been writing Radio Head. What's that, now? Aren't I writing a fiction novel about a "hopelessly dysfunctional Orange County family unraveling at the seams"? Why...
Free Your Pen — Eric Maisel’s advice for “Wishing”
Have you ever read a book on the writing process that could not simply be read, savored and applied to your practice? Unable to sit quietly on your bookshelf amid other volumes of writing advice,...
8 points to consider when writing your synopsis
As I regrettably procrastinate over writing my novel synopsis, cherished writing time slips through fingers that ought to be on the keyboard. There simply isn't time for procrastination, either....
Act 1, Scene 1, Page 1. Need your critique!
OK, my writer and reader friends, I need your help. I'm attending an exciting event in July, the Pen on Fire Speaker Series at Laguna Beach Books. On hand will be literary agents Barbara DeMarco...
5 secrets of writing winning book proposals
Five Secrets of Winning Book Proposals http://www.anthologiesonline.com/Articles/book_proposal.htm Event I’m attending: http://www.barbarademarcobarrett.com/speakerseries/ Pen On Fire By: Melissa...
What are your favorite books for writers?
There are countless high-quality publications available on the subject of writing. Some of my all-time faves? I can't remember how many times I've joyfully referred back to Julia Cameron's The...
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