“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 magazine. Honored twice by the New Jersey State Council of the Arts with its prestigious fiction fellowship, Audrey has published seven children’s books […]
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 given a different perspective. I am a big fan of Dramatica‘s approach, but at the same […]
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 yes, but the truth of the matter is that (way back in 200…3?) I queried a few agents with a book idea I […]
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, certain publications stir your inner creative force and cry out to be shared. (If you would like to tell us […]
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 Barrett, Jamie Weiss Chilton, Jill Marr and Sally van Haitsma who have agreed to review a single page of selected […]
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 Artist’s Way, and Vein of Gold. Superb, helpful, heart-opening, fear-rending, spirit-growing and motivational stuff! While they seem a bit outdated now, I enjoyed The Sell […]
5 Tips for Writing More, Writing Better. Cultivating a laser-beam focus
Last week, we lost our Internet connection for more than two full days. The initial shock rendered me temporarily immobile. What could I possibly do? I couldn’t work without connection to the outside world…. could I? No, the pain and discomfort was too much to face. I decided instead to get my car keys and […]
Chapter Three, I know you’re in there!
I’m really struggling to flesh out Chapter Three for several reasons; to begin, I’m introducing Liam Hayden, brother of my protagonist, Treva. The structure of my narrative rotates between the perspective of three family members: Treva, Liam and father Mike Hayden. The narrative reads distinctly as the thoughts of each, and therefore, in order to […]
Is a novel’s outline ever really finished? Time to overhaul…
I have finally finished my rewrite of Chapter Two, after some constructive criticism from my husband. The rewrite helped me envision a more dramatic and challenging path for my character Aaron Langley, which required the introduction of a new character, Bernie Staithe. But doesn’t this compromise my (agonizingly time-consuming) outline? Certainly it does. And therefore […]
