Why Editors Reject Your Story?
As many of you know, I judge stories for the Writers of the Future contest. Today I want to talk about those stories that get an Honorable Mention. On my computer, I have a story up. I’ve read the first two pages, and although I’m a little soft on the opening paragraph, the rest of […]
Building a Better Battering Ram
Last night, a new writer who is preparing his first novel asked, “When do I begin approaching agents?” I get that question at least once a week, and my answer is always the same: “When your novel is done. And by that I mean, well done!” I think that it is human nature to be […]
How to Use Dialog Tags Terribly
Dialog tags help the reader know who is speaking the dialog. Recently, I shared how you could write bad dialog in your stories. The truth is, though, if you really want to write wretched dialog, you should consider working on your dialog tags. Here are a few options that you might not have considered. I […]
How to Write Bad Dialog
Writing bad dialog is almost an art form unto itself. Recently I read a couple of stories where it felt as if the author was struggling to come up with bad dialog. So I thought I should give a few tips on how to do it properly. The easiest way to write wretched dialog is […]
Pacing a Story: What’s the Rush?
Pacing a story appropriately will keep readers engaged. Unfortunately, many mistakenly think this means the story needs to be rushed. I see a lot of trends in today’s literature. Perhaps the biggest one is that every writer seems to be in a rush. Many new writers try to keep the pacing blazing hot. They’ve heard […]
Writing the Profound
For some authors, it is enough to try to make big bucks, but most of us would like to deliver a powerful message at times, too—something that carries extra meaning in our lives, something profound. Doctors studying the neuro-science of storytelling go so far as to suggest that a story doesn’t really work unless it […]
Is Your Story Idea Worth Writing About?
Every story begins with an idea. The idea may come to you while listening to a song, driving a car, or reading a newspaper. You might be the kind of person who gets a dozen story ideas a day, or maybe they come to you rarely. The question is, how do you know if your […]
How to Get a Book Published
Are you looking to publish a book? Let me tell you how to get it done. Today, there are two paths to publishing: traditional publishing and self- (or independent) publishing. Traditional publishing generally refers to an established publishing house, employing requisition editors, editors, copyeditors, a design team, marketers/promotion specialists and sales teams. The publishing house […]
How to Build a Better Outline For Your Novel
You probably wouldn’t sink a million dollars into building a home without a blueprint. You certainly wouldn’t begin creating something as intricate as a cathedral without detailed plans. So why would you sink a year or two into composing a novel without plotting it?
4 Ways to Avoid a Dead-End Writing Career
A writing career isn’t easy, but these four things will help you avoid a dead-end one. Have you ever seen a talented new writer rise to seeming stardom, only to crash and burn within a couple of years? I recall being a new writer and studying my contemporaries with a mixture of awe and fear, […]