“I was almost persuaded.”
Sad words, aren’t they? Especially if you’re the author who wrote the words that almost persuaded.
What keeps a reader from being persuaded by our writing–by the premise we propose, or the answers we provide, or …
Authors
When Words Won’t Come
Has the world ever seen a writer who never wrestled with the question:
What do I do when the words won’t come?
Others have written about the horrors of writer’s block. If you have time, presumably because the words are …
What Is Over-Editing and What to Do About It
Author Dies While Reading Edited Manuscript
Such a headline might well echo the feelings an author experiences when, much to his horror, he discovers his editor has–ahem–done some pretty creative work on the manuscript sent into the publishing house. (An …
The Writer’s Understudy
What’s the writer’s equivalent of a theater understudy? It’s the project waiting in the wings in case the lead project is unable to perform or is temporarily sidelined.
Understudy Wonder
One of my clients had a former life on Broadway. …
We Hold These Truths
We hold these truths…but they’re not always as self-evident as you’d think.
Professional writing holds a number of truths that sometimes receive a mere nod rather than being adopted as habit, developed as practice, and sustained until the Chicago Manual …
Twelve Words of Christmas
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
For a writer, the idea of having only twelve words of Christmas may seem like an impossible word count limit, doesn’t it? With minimal commentary, let’s ponder twelve important words for writers inspired by the one word–…
Give Thanks
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Whether your table is small and spare or large and abundant…
Whether your dreams were thwarted or realized this year…
Whether you have found, are still looking, or have said goodbye to the love of your …
How Current Should Your Book Be?
As we move through 2020 and the global pandemic continues, questions arise for writers:
- Do I need to include the pandemic in my book?
- Should my characters be social distancing and locking down and wearing masks?
- Should my nonfiction book
Breathing Room
People’s tastes in homes are as widely varied as their tastes in hairstyles. Both change with trends, seasons, and waves of creativity.
I’ve been watching home improvement and renovation shows from England, Scotland, Ireland, and France recently. Research? What …
Marketing and Madness
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Marketing or madness? They don’t have to be synonymous.
Did I ever tell you about the high-pressure fudge salesman who accosted my daughter and me with marketing gone mad? One would not think high-pressure and fudge would …