This week I received an email from one of my clients, Chase Replogle, whose first book, The 5 Masculine Instincts: A Guide to Becoming a Better Man, released on March 1. I’ve asked his permission to share our email thread …
Authors
Slice and Dice
When your work in progress is too long, as in WAY too long, how does a writer slice and dice words that are just shy of precious?
A client who gave me permission to share this but will remain anonymous …
Looking Back to Help Others Move Forward
I still remember the day a California Bay Area newspaper featured an article titled “Accidental Author Shares God’s Word.” I smile remembering that it was in the front section of the paper as if this was news. It was true, …
Finding Inspiration
What causes an author to write about a subject from a different perspective? Where does that idea come from? Knowing what inspired an author in turn can help you in finding inspiration–and cause you to listen to your own internal …
Day Hikers
Cynthia Ruchti
In his book Letters from the Mountain (Rabbit Room Press), author Ben Palpant writes to his writer-daughter about this ascent up the mountain called writing. Page after page of this intimate encouragement of a well-traveled author-dad for his …
What a Nathaniel Hawthorne Story Teaches us About our Art
Recently, I remembered a piece I dissected in college, a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne entitled, “The Celestial Railroad.” It’s a parody, of serious sorts, about Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress, where in enlightened modern times, folks have taken to bypass such …
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7 Traits of Great Speakers
When I first started publishing, I asked a seasoned professional what the very best way to sell books was. Her answer? Speaking. For those of you who are building your platform, and part of that platform involves speaking, here are …
End Your Book Well
Last week I read an articulate article on how to end a book well. I distill the essence of the article below, but if you want to read if for yourself, it’s located here.
To End Your Book Well:
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Small Changes
Don’t small changes sound like they should naturally connect to small impact? Listed here are ten small changes with surprisingly potent impact on both nonfiction and fiction.
AND
And is a useful word. It can, however, become as unsightly …
The Role of Disappointment
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
It may seem counterintuitive to consider the priceless role of disappointment, or that disappointment could bear any positive role, much less priceless. But many veteran authors–none of whom (NONE) have escaped disappointment–attest that lessons learned at the …