What is your reaction when you see your To Be Read pile? Anticipation? Joy? Or are you overwhelmed at the sight of too many books, too little time? My TBR pile started as a tidy stack of books on my bedside table. Then it became a pile, then a box, then a couple of boxes… You get the picture. At [...]
The query letter is an important marketing tool for every writer. It’s supposed to sell you and sell your idea to agents and editors. It conveys your enthusiasm and makes the excitement contagious. It must be business-like but it must also show your distinctive voice. When you think about it, those are daunting tasks for [...]
The idea is simple: make a plan and act on that plan each day for thirty days. Can it really be that easy? While The Publishing Game: Creating a Bestseller in 30 Days can’t guarantee hitting any bestsellers lists, author Fern Reiss does offer untraditional methods that will get your books in front of potential [...]
Brava. You’ve heard people talk about the line from Kensington Books. You know that your beloved authors write for it. But in the spectrum of sexy stories – with erotica on one end and sensual romance on the other – where does Brava fit in?
According to Hilary Sares, Consulting Editor at Kensington, Bravas are “highly [...]
A Writer’s Book of Days is based on the idea of writer’s having a practice session every day. The author, Judy Reeves, has moderated writing groups for years and firmly believes that “to become good at anything, you’ve got to do the drills. Lots of drills.”
To use this book, the writer finds the prompt given for [...]
In the introduction of Writing from the Heart: Inspiration and Exercises for Women Who Want to Write, Leslea Newman explains that every woman has something to talk about and that their life holds interesting experiences and moments that should be written down. To share these moments, the writer must have a deeper awareness of her [...]
Writers are often inspired by the world around them, and that includes their children. Not only can being a parent influence the work, but it also affects the business and promotion side of writing. How do authors balance giving the reader what they want while protecting the child’s privacy?
Ask your child for permission: If he [...]
One of the top reasons writers attend conferences is to meet an editor or agent face-to-face. Many writers travel great distances for this opportunity and will feel the entire conference is a success if a partial or full manuscript is requested.
I have been to several regional and national conferences. At each event there were agent [...]
How can I stay motivated to write? Why is it necessary to rewrite and revise? Does email correspondence count as writing?
If these questions have been bouncing around your head and you haven’t found a suitable answer, read Cathleen Rountree’s The Writer’s Mentor. The book, which boasts the same name as Rountree’s consulting service, answers the [...]
Whoever dreamed up the Book In A Week (BIAW) challenge was either serious about writing or seriously disturbed. I haven’t decided which. Why would anyone want to write a book in a week? Many people I know can’t finish reading a book in 7 days.
I participated in two BIAWs. The first time was to see [...]
