http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/03/why-your-self-publishing-service.html Writer Beware (a group that exposes those who are scamming innocent/ignorant writers) often hears from self-published authors who are convinced they’re being ripped off by their self-publishing services–but it’s more likely that their expectations were unrealistic. Kids, major publishers aren’t out to gleefully reject you – they WANT to publish good books. They’re justContinue reading “Self-publishing disappointment”
Category Archives: Articles by other bloggers
Contractions, Clients, and Concerts
I’m still having contractions. It’s been more than four days. I predicted that I’d ride the high of ,”Yay! Something is happening!” for three days, and that’s about right. Now I’m back in the zone familiar to all late-term pregnant women, where it seems that the pregnancy has lasted and will last forever and everContinue reading “Contractions, Clients, and Concerts”
How good are your chances?
I’m a big fan of US agent Kristin Nelson’s blog, and one of the things I love is her transparency. If you look here and here, you can get a good idea of how many queries, samples, and full manuscripts get to the next stage at her agency. She is a successful agent with aContinue reading “How good are your chances?”
The Foldaway Office
I’ve linked to Brass Bolts before. It always has the most gorgeous pictures. The most recent article is on the steampunk office. My personal favourite is this one, for reasons that I think are perfectly obvious:
Conflict
Lynn Price of the Behler Blog wrote a great article on conflict, beginning with: “Day in and day out, I reject queries because they have no discernible conflict. Conflict is what keeps readers turning the pages.” She then went on to talk about writers who think they’ve got conflict – but don’t. Read the articleContinue reading “Conflict”
National Novel Writing Month (PG mild swearing)
National Novel Writing Month (generally called NaNoWriMo – and of course it’s international, not national) happens in November each year. It is a heady and caffeinated time when thousands of writers around the world attempt to write an entire novel (or at least the first 50,000 words) in one month. That requires an average rate of overContinue reading “National Novel Writing Month (PG mild swearing)”
Show and Tell
One of the best pieces of writing advice is “Show, don’t tell”. For a tiny example, here is telling: Bob was sad. And showing: Bob swallowed hard, but the tears spilled over all the same. The second shows character (he is trying to resist crying, and failing) and is unique to Bob. That makes it moreContinue reading “Show and Tell”
Punishing Publishers
I say it over and over, but it’s worth repeating: Publishers are not mighty conglomerates run by white men getting fat off authors and laughing gleefully as they reject new work. They’re businesses that rely on an extremely unpredictable market, and sometimes even the giants fall. Also, they’re run mainly by women. So please, letContinue reading “Punishing Publishers”
Versatile Blogger Award
I am, according to General Happenings in my House, hereby awarded a Versatile Blogger award! Thank you 🙂 My duties, upon receiving this much-coveted honour, are as follows: 1) Thank the awarder by linking back to their blog; 2) Pass on this award to 15 recently discovered blogs and let them know I have done so; 3)Continue reading “Versatile Blogger Award”
Kill your darlings, and maim your friends
“Kill your darlings” is a great piece of writing advice from various people (including William Faulkner and Stephen King) recommending that you edit out all your most precious turns of phrase, and leave your work stronger. “Maim your friends” is my personal advice on causing the maximum pain (and, just as importantly, danger of more pain) forContinue reading “Kill your darlings, and maim your friends”
Why your novel won’t get published (PG+)
My notes to this article read “LOL, fairly rude/graphic, and all true”. I’m a huge believer in a dose of realism every so often, so here it is: http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/01/10/why-your-novel-wont-get-published/ Here’s a bit: Brutal honesty time: That novel of yours isn’t likely to get published. The numbers just aren’t in your favor. Last I did aContinue reading “Why your novel won’t get published (PG+)”
How not to begin your book
Here and here are two articles on book openings that are way, WAY overdone. Ooh! And here‘s another. I’m guilty of a prologue or two, and the very first book of my children’s trilogy opens with the character waking up. But none of my characters ever, ever look in a mirror and describe what theyContinue reading “How not to begin your book”
Overdone movie tropes
John Scalzi has his own blog, and also writes a film critic column. This one is so funny I had to link to it. Here’s my favourite of his five tropes: 4. The very special youngster. This is more often the domain of fantasy (hello, Harry Potter!) but it was given a science fictional run-through this yearContinue reading “Overdone movie tropes”
Death of “Traditional” publishing?
A whole lot of people point to success stories like the self-published Amanda Hocking and say, “Hah! Those cold-hearted publisher types are dying, and we laugh at them and stomp on their graves!” These people are stupid. I often wish publishers were more cold-hearted. They’d get through submissions way faster if that were the case.Continue reading “Death of “Traditional” publishing?”
Getting Published in 5 Steps (PG swearing)
At this location one writer describes his journey to publication. The home site is cracked.com, which is MA, and I think this article is PG/M. How to Become an Author, in 5 Incredibly Difficult Steps A while back, I wrote a non-fiction book about the apocalypse. Since publishing the book, the question I get asked theContinue reading “Getting Published in 5 Steps (PG swearing)”
Dialogue
Want to write good dialogue? This article at Ripping Ozzie Reads has links to so much information you can go back to it every week for a year. Dynamic Dialogue Last week Rita asked about ‘beats’ in dialogue. This was a term I had only seen used in plays or scripts when the author leavesContinue reading “Dialogue”
Ten Reasons to Rewrite that Scene
By The Intern. The article is here. Top Ten Reasons You Should Rewrite That Scene When you’re revising a novel, it’s easy to lose objectivitybecome so delusional you can’t tell if you’ve just created a stinking mountain of goat poop or written the next Grapes of Wrath. Each scene starts to read like aContinue reading “Ten Reasons to Rewrite that Scene”
“Send sleep, vodka, and bacon. . .” (PG)
Chuck Wendig did another brilliant post on his new baby, and I couldn’t resist reposting it below (remember, his blog is often MA). The original is here. *PSSSHHcracklehisss* “– you hear me? The stuff’s everywhere — black tar — came pouring out of diapers — could lay shingles with this stuff OH GOD HERE COMESContinue reading ““Send sleep, vodka, and bacon. . .” (PG)”
Ten Things Teen Writers Should Know
John Scalzi (NYT bestselling author) writes a good blog, with occasional writing advice. This is one of my favourites articles (you’ll have to click through to see the picture of young John Scalzi. Hm. It keeps crashing my computer when I try to cut and paste a section. Here’s the address again anyways: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/ AndContinue reading “Ten Things Teen Writers Should Know”
Is your writing good?
Literary agent and all-around nice lady Rachelle Gardner blogged an article today that asked the question, “How can you tell if your writing is any good?” Here is the link to that article. How do you learn to write? We talk so much about the business of publishing on this blog, but it always hasContinue reading “Is your writing good?”