Q : Everyone says I need to wrap up my manuscript and stop writing already. But I'm really stuck. Any advice? A : This isn't unusual. You may have taken a wrong turn early in the story as a result of poor planning. Or you may have painted yourself into a corner. Or you could be suffering from … [Read more...]
The blog for writers
The Book Deal
Proposal critiques: 3 novels, a biography, a children’s book and an academic treatise
Welcome to the final round in our series of book proposal critiques. It’s an audiocast, so to get started, just click the play button below. The six book proposals •The first proposal we’ll be looking at today is for a sci-fi/fantasy novel that takes place in a South American jungle. The hero is … [Read more...]
Choosing a freelance editor: What you need to know
In the increasingly difficult competition to get published, writers know they must put their best foot forward by sending out only a professional, polished, and persuasive new proposal or manuscript to any prospective literary agent or publisher. Many authors have come to understand the value of … [Read more...]
Ask the editor: Do publishers have rules about POV?
Q: I’ve heard that New York publishers will only accept books written from a third-person limited POV and no head hopping allowed. Does this mean I have to rewrite my manuscript to conform to these rules? A: No! Stop. Don’t succumb to this kind of advice. These rumors can start as the result of … [Read more...]
Ask the editor: 8 tips for finding your voice
Q : I know that agents and editors look for writers who have strong voices, but I'm having trouble finding mine. Any advice? A : It’s true. Editors, agents, publishers and, above all, readers do respond most to a writer with a great voice. Voice is what gives writing energy, authenticity, it … [Read more...]
Falling in love with your characters
Are you an author who'd rather spend time with your fictional creations than with a real significant somebody who's waiting in the next room? Are you in love with your characters? An intimate relationship As an editor, I know how emotionally involved authors become with the people in their books. … [Read more...]
How successful writers keep up their confidence
Self-confidence is the single most essential ingredient an author needs to succeed, since good writing is never that quick or easy. To keep at it requires energy, discipline, and a sense of humor. The most accomplished and productive writers I work with are able to sustain a level of assurance … [Read more...]
Ask the editor: 7 techniques for a dynamite plot
Q : I submitted my manuscript to an agent and she said the plot was confusing and needed a lot of work. I was crushed! What should I do? A : Telling a good story is the writer's most important task. But constructing a great plot with so many ideas, characters and actions careening through your … [Read more...]
Ask the Editor: The power of the opening sentence – 6 tips
Q : Why is the first line so important? A : Agents and acquiring editors will quit reading if your opening sentence doesn’t zing. Any writer seeking publication or the devoted attention of a reader browsing in a bookstore needs to craft that first sentence, revising, revising, revising, until … [Read more...]
Tom Robbins: “My advice to writers”
Stop worrying about getting published and concentrate on getting better. That was some of the sage advice the celebrated novelist offered writers at a literary seminar last week in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. “Focus on the work itself and not on what may or may not eventually happen to it," … [Read more...]
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