Professional — and aspiring — writers often hear the advice, “Write what you know.” After all, an avid mystery reader is more likely to write a believable mystery novel than someone who reads only science-fiction, the resident of a small town in a Southern state will probably describe the lifestyle of Small Town, Southern US … Read more
There is a lot of controversy about the Search Inside the Book programs by Amazon.com and Google.com. Some publishers and authors are concerned that too much of the book’s content will be revealed to the public and cut into sales. I realize there are some kinds of books that probably aren’t well-suited to the book … Read more
When I mentioned Lary Crews in a recent post, I decided to see if he was still around. It has been several years since I took the online novel writing class from him. So I did an Internet search and found his Web site and blog. I posted a comment on his blog and we’ve exchanged … Read more
In an earlier post, I talked about writing the first draft … and expecting it to be “pure green dreck.” No two writers will write exactly the same way. But many writers find it most effective to write the first draft from beginning to end without spending time editing. Changing from creation to polishing can interfere with the … Read more
I received an e-mail from a writer who found my Web site in her search for a publisher. She wrote, “I am seeking a Publisher for my {genre} manuscript. Can you tell me approximately how much it would cost, or do the Publishers pay you?” Well, the answer is, “It depends …” Whether you pay … Read more
Several years ago, I took an online novel writing course from Lary Crews. One of the things that has really stuck with me is Lary’s description of the first draft: pure green dreck. So often writers – whether employees writing reports for work, novelists, or citizens writing to politicians or newspapers – want to sit down … Read more
Today was my birthday, and my husband Jack took me out for dinner. I had fried chicken livers – yummy! Jack and I just celebrated our 39th anniversary a few weeks ago. We’re very blessed to share our lives … and lots of love and laughter. The first thing I noticed about him was his sense … Read more
Ellen Hogan of Reader Views recently reviewed Spring House: Book 1 in the Westward Sagas, the book I edited for David Bowles. “This was a very interesting book, I didn’t want it to end. Although I am not a huge fan of historical writing, I enjoyed this book. The writer made the meshing of story … Read more
The Internet is filled with information, but the challenges are finding what you need among the millions of Web sites, then determining if the information you find is reliable. And researching in the library can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to begin. Your Information Center offers a free report on how to do research, both … Read more
Some writers hesitate to admit they need the help of an editor because they think it reflects negatively on their writing ability. “A good writer shouldn’t need an editor,” they think. Aspiring writers hoping to have their stories or articles published may think editing is the job of the publisher’s editorial staff. Businesspeople preparing proposals, manuals, … Read more