In her February 22 blogpost, Bookends agent Jessica Faust said one of her top reasons for rejecting a (nonfiction) book is that it “would work better as a magazine article.”This hit home because I’d just read a book by a friend of a friend who’s seeking advice on marketing. It’s a fun how-to about shopping for bargains—well written and informative—but the lovely color photos make the book too expensive for the average bargain shopper.(Note to self-publishers: if your paper book retails for more than $15, you’re about to have a major problem stacked...
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Sunday, 21 February 2010
TEN TIPS FOR WRITERS
Posted on 17:01 by Unknown
On February 20th, the UK’s Guardian ran the results of a survey of famous authors, requesting their tips for aspiring writers.The article was inspired by Elmore Leonard’s how-to book for writers, 10 Rules of Writing, which is about to come out in paper in the UK from Weidenfeld & Nicolson. (It doesn’t seem to be available in the US except as a grandly overpriced $50 hardcover or Kindle ebook.)But the Guardian article is free and has some wonderful advice from an assortment of contemporary literary heavyweights from Joyce Carol Oates to Neil...
Sunday, 14 February 2010
TIME TO DISPENSE WITH OUR BOOK ILLUSIONS?
Posted on 15:17 by Unknown
Should we forget our book dreams and just blog instead?On January 21, agent Jessica Papin posted a must-read piece about rejection on the Dystel and Goderich blogShe gives a sobering reality check, reminding us how much the book business has changed in the past couple of decadesShe suggests we “dispense with the illusion that books represent the optimal way to ‘share a story with the world.’” And adds “A writer’s conviction that his is a book that ‘people need to read’ is better served in the blogosphere.”She also says the general public needs...
GENRE WARS ANTHOLOGY AVAILABLE
Posted on 10:52 by Unknown
Literary Lab's Genre Wars Anthology is now available! All profits will benefit WriteGirl--a great program for empowering girls and young women through creative writing and mentoring programs.The anthology contains my post-apocalyptic YA story The Big Ones, as well as great short fiction in a whole bunch of genres. Widen your reading horizons! Support a great cause! Buy it here: https://www.lulu.com/commerce/index.php?fBuyContent=8298552 More info at Literary Lab's blog http://literarylab.blogspot.com/2010/02/genre-wars-anthology-is-available.htmlOn...
Sunday, 7 February 2010
YOU’RE NOT A FAILING AS A WRITER; YOU’RE BUILDING INVENTORY
Posted on 14:56 by Unknown
Why an Aspiring Novelist Needs a Bunch of Books that are Good to GoMost writers I meet are desperately trying to get a first novel published. Most will fail. Here’s the bleak truth: almost no writer gets a book deal on the basis of a first novel alone.“Yeah, but…” sez you, “how come I see first novels published all the time?”Because, gentle writer-friends, the “debut” book is NOT the writer’s first novel. It’s probably her third. Or fifth. Or tenth. It’s simply her first novel that got published--the one that finally got an agent’s attention AND...
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Great Advice on Plotting
Posted on 09:44 by Unknown
I just read a fantastic post on story structure by Jodi Meadows at (W)ords and(W)ardances. Challenge your character! Each new episode must complicate the one before, adding a new layer to the tension. Build tension vertically as well as horizontally. A must read http://jmeadows.livejournal.com/743005.html?view=7779421#t7779...
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