blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Can you trust your agent? Coming alongside a client often puts an agent in the position of saying, “Don’t do that.” Kindly, of course. Or firmly. Depends. Much like the difference between a mother who urges her …
Poets Know It: Writing Tips from Poetry’s Lips
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
Or violet.
Whatever.
Note the violet color of these violets.
Whether you ingest poetry through song lyrics or fairytales or children’s books or the Psalms or poetry readings in …
Never-Fail Formula for Writing a Book That Won’t Become a Bestseller
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
(Updated)
Maybe it’s not discussed often enough in writers’ circles. We talk about what we can do to ready our work for a publisher’s eyes. We list ways to draw readers’ attention with our novels or nonfiction.…
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Lies Writers Believe
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
The most common lie is that which one lies to himself. –Friedrich Nietzsche
Writers–fiction or nonfiction–are billed as truth-tellers. But they often lie to themselves. The lies writers believe are so commonplace that those who have been …
Among a Writer’s Most Potent Words
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
What are among a writer’s most potent words? Which ones will have an impact beyond what a writer can imagine?
Some might guess it’s the exquisite words: THE END.
But it’s actually the words that come after…
Writing Be Like…
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Some days, writing be like…
(I know there’s a thought worth putting on paper. I know there is. An idea. One idea. That’s all I’m asking.)
And other days, it’s more like…
…
50 Ways to Afford a Writers Conference When You Can’t Afford Printer Ink
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Are there really 50 ways to afford a writers conference when you can’t afford printer ink? Let’s find out.
A writers conference isn’t for everybody. Health or family needs, timing (never works out with the day job), …
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Five Tips for Writing Zinger Dialogue
by Cynthia Ruchti
What’s “zinger dialogue” in a novel or creative nonfiction?
It’s dialogue that:
reaches its target
communicates effectively
and engages the reader to be
drawn deeper into the story
and more deeply connected to the characters.
…
Top Ten Things Good Books Are Missing
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
What are the Top Ten things that make a great book?
- Great cover
- Great title
- Intriguing beginning
- Fascinating characters
- A believable but interesting plot
- Surprising heroes
- Well-timed plot twists
- Meaningful takeaway value for the reader
- Written
Washing Your Hands Like a Writer
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
WASH YOUR HANDS
Have you been washing your hands like a writer? Like a food service worker? Like a doctor?
During our weekly agent meeting online, the Books & Such agents have been reading and discussing Originals: …