Writing

Minding The Gap: Stay Organized To Stay Focused As An Author

Most likely, you’ve heard the famous line “Mind the gap!” in relation to the warning given to railway passengers. It’s a warning for people to watch that short distance between the railcar and the platform. It’s such a small thing, but potentially disastrous if someone isn’t minding the gap. In the same way, many novelists […]

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How Many Drafts Must a Writer Draft?

How Many Drafts Must a Writer Draft?

How many drafts must a writer draft Before you call it a book? How many times must you read the text Before your editor looks? Yes, how many times should it be revised To get a reader hooked? The answer my friend is seven. by D. Brady (retired) Last week I was invited to speak […]

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How To Introduce Secondary Characters

Many authors struggle with introducing secondary characters into their novels, and while there are no set “rules” these guidelines may help make sure that players new to the book are introduced well and that they read as distinctive and memorable.

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So You Want To Hire An Illustrator — 5 More Things To Know

So You Want To Hire An Illustrator — 5 More Things To Know

I’m sure the vast majority of illustrators will agree that we prefer to be presented with a full final text prior to starting the illustration process. That’s how we get a proper sense of the story and its characters. I once worked with an art director who was confined to giving me a list of […]

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Setting The Scene In Science Fiction, Fantasy, And Horror

Science fiction or fantasy stories often start with paragraphs of description that start to explain how the world works, and who the characters are. The problem is that there is no problem. a reader doesn’t have to understand that much about the world in order to sympathize with the character. All we need to do is get hooked on an interesting person with an interesting problem. This is the go-juice that keeps readers interested — we want to know what happens next.

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Living a Healthy, Happy Freelance Life, Part 3: Work-Life Balance

Living a Healthy, Happy Freelance Life, Part 3: Work-Life Balance

Dividing your workday into Prime Time and Distraction Time will create a much less stressful workday. Distraction Time: Since my child is home by 2 PM, the energy changes in the afternoon, so I segue to activities I can tackle successfully in short bursts, those that don’t suffer from interruptions. I get a lot of […]

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Living a Healthy, Happy Freelance Life, Part 3: Work-Life Balance

He Said, She Asked, It Replied: Rein In Your Dialog Tags!

As a writer, you probably find it awfully boring and repetitive to keep using the words “said,” “asked,” and “replied” in your dialog. But the fact is, these dialog tags are so widely accepted that readers barely notice them, especially the first two. In a sense, they’re transparent, which allows the reader to get into […]

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What’s an Idea Worth?

Don’t Lose Great Story Ideas in the Depths of Your Imagination By Editor John David Kudrick Novelists seem to be able to come up with great story ideas at any given time and in any given situation: morning walks, feeding the baby, staff meetings, sitting in traffic, discussing politics with a friend, etc. So you […]

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Top 4 Pitfalls In Writing Young Adult Fiction

Top 4 Pitfalls In Writing Young Adult Fiction

It’s no secret that Young Adult literature — particularly series fiction that appeals to both adult and teen readers — is successful. Literary agents’ and editors’ inboxes are flooded with the next best thing in YA.

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