Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
An agent’s favorite words?
A joke used to make its way through the family circle whenever someone took out a checkbook (remember those?) to repay another family member for borrowed money or for his/her portion of a …
Will Your Readers Get the Point?
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Not long ago, I read a mildly interesting nonfiction book that promised more than it delivered and that derailed halfway through.
I could probably stop there. MILDLY interesting. Didn’t deliver. Derailed. Not what you want to see …
Hoops Jumping for Writers: Another Perspective
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
This was initially posted a couple of years ago, but it’s as evergreen a topic as a Christmas tree. We hear the resistance to “hoops” almost every day in the publishing world. Maybe this will strike you–as …
Are You a Patron of the Arts?
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Over the centuries, a “patron of the arts” referred to (usually) the very wealthy and/or influential who commissioned artists, supported young or budding artists until they could support themselves, advocated for art of all kinds, and served …
Publishing’s Tripping Hazards
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Last year, my husband broke three ribs. A reasonably coordinated man, he tripped on an uneven piece of pavement and fell hard. Broken ribs take an extraordinarily long time to heal. Small fall; big consequences.
It can …
Why the Agent Did Not Say Yes
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
An agent says no. A writer is left wondering why unless the agent has the time and inclination to give a brief–or even more rarely, a lengthier–explanation why the answer wasn’t “Yes! I’d love to represent you!”…
A Writer’s Blind Auditions
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Are you a fan of the reality competition TV show THE VOICE? Each season’s early episodes start with blind auditions. Four professional musicians/judges/coaches sit with their backs to the stage. They’re listening only to the …
Watch and Learn from Movies
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Comfy new she-shed-like sunroom + intentional relaxation + days off = binge-watching movies.
I didn’t anticipate it also meant school. Was I entertained? Yes. Relaxed? Oh, yes.
But after a weekend of watching one movie after …
Retailer Needs
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
I spent the past several days listening to and speaking with retailers at the CPE International Christian Products Expo in Murfreesboro, TN. My impressions are many.
One question not asked often enough in our day-to-day writing is …
Make a Pilgrimage to a Bookstore
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Why should a writer routinely make a pilgrimage to a bookstore?
I chose the word pilgrimage on purpose for two reasons.
- It’s true that far fewer bookstores exist than even ten years ago. So it may be