I never would’ve had the guts to write this if I hadn’t just sold a book. I would’ve kept my shame and embarrassment to myself, figuring if I kept quiet maybe nobody would notice me and I wouldn’t have to feel like an utter failure. But telling this to a friend who said “Gee, this […]
If it were up to me personally, I’d say external conflict isn’t at ALL important, because what I enjoy are the characters’ emotions. Their thoughts, their feelings, their inner turmoil. Who CARES about what they do in the physical world? But it’s not up to me, and millions of readers DO care what they do. […]
“I loved your book.” “I really enjoyed your book.” “Your book was wonderful.” It’s always a treat to hear comments like that. And whenever I read a wonderful book, I usually tell the author those same things. But now that I’ve heard some more specific comments, I realize what a difference the exact words make. […]
The book has to end happy. The last chapter has to end happy. The others? They don’t. In fact, they shouldn’t. Because a chapter that ends with everything happy is a great reason to put down the book with a sigh of contentment, turn out the light and go to sleep. So how should a […]
Whether or not you’ve hit that point yet, you know all about the expectations. We’re not talking about the practicalities here – the questions of how (or whether) to deal with your publisher, agent, deadline and contract terms. What we’re talking about here is the other part of what happens after the first sale. The […]
If you’re having a hard time getting to know your characters, you might want to try putting on your Oprah Winfrey hat and interviewing them. Sitting down at the typewriter for a chat with your hero or heroine is a great way to get to know them. Just pretend you’re the hero and type, “Hi, […]