Starting a Second Novel: the Benefit of Hindsight
This morning I started thinking about which book to write next, which means I’m closing in on the end of my current one, at last. Will I approach the next one …
Read More →Randomness
The First Five Pages
There’s nothing more stressful than taking a cold, hard look at the first five pages of your manuscript only to realize they’re unlikely to compete favorably against the other submissions out there.
You’ve learned so …
Read More →The Best Class Available on Writing The Short Synopsis
Mary Buckham
Mary Buckham is the woman who single-handedly ended my inability to write a one-page synopsis. During a 2-week intensive online class she showed me how to reduce my …
Read More →I Love My Agent!
[Photo: from left to right—Debby Garfinkle, agent Laura Rennert, Jay Asher]
Today’s post is a short update on the Writer Beware Blogs! mention of me by Alyx Dellamonica, one of my …
Read More →Social Media: Time Suck or Valuable Asset?
There’s a guest post by Alyx Dellamonica at the Writer Beware blog today mentioning me as an example of a writer responding to the current market pressure to …
Read More →LIST: Agents Who Blog
Still in the dark about how to submit to agents? Looking for enlightenment? One of the best ways to stay informed about the state of the industry, improve your craft, clear …
Read More →Favorite Fantasy Pets, Familiars and Animal Companions
In a genre that is as much about wish-fulfillment as it is a reaction to the Scientific Revolution that denied us mystique and magic in favor of equations and mechanics, it …
Read More →What’s In Your To-Be-Read Pile?
I’m always shocked by how few writers actually read these days. I meet writers all the time who are eager to talk about what they’re writing, and keen to spend hard-earned dollars on writing classes, …
Read More →In Which I Drive 350 Miles To Get A Good Night’s Sleep
Gosh, where did the week go? I was going to post an update on the goings on at the Big Sur Writers Workshop as soon as I got back, …
Read More →This Place Is Real! So Why Does It Look Like A Dream?
If I could design my own reading room what would it look like?
I’ve often thought about this. Would it be a long gallery with mullioned windows like the library in Winston …
Read More →