Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
I’m not a novelist. I never will be. But on a regular basis I get to watch fiction writers spin their magic.
Well, it seems like magic to those of us who don’t have the gift …
Fiction
Help a Good Cause and Your Author Platform
Blogger: Mary Keeley
Last week a client received a request to do an advertisement to help promote a good cause. She wondered if it would be wise because it didn’t appear to relate to the books she writes. She was …
The Power of Place
Blogger: Wendy Lawton
I just finished reading the final draft of Julie Klassen’s second book in her Ivy Hill series, The Ladies of Ivy Cottage which will be out in late fall. Part of what I wrote back to her …
Author, Check Your Online Presence
Blogger: Mary Keeley
When your book proposal interests agents and editors, the first thing they’ll do is investigate your website, blog, and social media activity. That’s why it’s so important that each area of your online presence compliments the others …
How to Get the Most from Your Beta Readers
Blogger: Mary Keeley
I highly recommend participating in a critique group. You can improve your own craft as you critique your partners’ work often as much as you can by receiving their feedback on your work. But this can’t replace …
Secondary Characters: Their Purpose for Being
Blogger: Mary Keeley
Are you using your story’s secondary characters to their full purpose? They can make your book stand out from the crowd of other books in your genre. Practically as many ways to use these characters exist as …
In Search of Inspiration and New Ideas
Blogger: Mary Keeley
It’s been a few years since I blogged about where to get inspiration for your writing. One suggestion I gave for engaging readers back then was to relate to current events and the cultural issues they illicit. …
What’s the Story on Backstory?
Blogger: Rachelle Gardner
One of the biggest challenges for novelists—new and seasoned alike—is avoiding too much backstory in the opening of the book. A lot of people ask me questions about backstory, and often argue with me about it. So …
Deadlines: Are They Set in Stone?
Blogger: Mary Keeley
Count yourself blessed if you have an editorial deadline looming. It means you have a new book contract. Your agent should have negotiated a realistic manuscript due date during the contract negotiation, based on your other writing …
4 Easy Steps to a Great Synopsis
Blogger: Mary Keeley
Creating a synopsis for your novel is one of the hardest pieces of writing there is. It is also one of the most important elements of your proposal. But if you follow these steps, you can master …