Every year unpublished writers attend conferences to meet with the editors of their choice and to pitch mini summaries of the books they’ve completed. Below are 10 crucial tips to help make your pitch a successful one. In other words, tips to have the editor sit up, listen with a keen ear, and think ‘this […]
There are only three steps to this: Write a great novel Research literary agents Write a great query letter Make your novel the best you can make it. Make it original, with an exciting plot, great writing style, and interesting characters and settings. Don’t send it up if “it just needs a little work,” or […]
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 […]
I keep reading about romance authors who wake up one morning with nothing to read and write their first novel. I hear about folks who, not finding a book that has all the elements they like best, sit down one afternoon and pen a tome with perfect internal and external plot. I, on the other […]
Okay, I’ve sold my books (yay!), and now it’s month two. What’s the worry du jour? Promotion. How much is enough? How much is too much? You can spend TON$ of money on promotion and it may not be worth it. The great fear of mine (and probably others) is, if I do nothing, will […]
Starbucks. Nike. Microsoft. On the surface, they are words that mean little or nothing. But when you see the name on billboards or TV or on a product, you know exactly what they represent. Starbucks calls to mind not just a cup of coffee, but a certain level of SUV-driving Yuppie affluence. Nike suggests sports […]
Article posted by Nina Davies with the permission of Cheryl Kaye Tardif. So you’ve written a book, had it published and you are now facing the dreaded book signing or book launch. Your palms sweat at the thought of facing droves of people and actually having to talk to them. You are a writer, not […]
For writers, the grass can often seem greener on the other side of the genre fence. Maybe you’ve been toiling away at your Regencies’ but you hear that Paranormal Romance is hot, and you think, ‘Hey, I’ve got a great idea for a paranormal!’ Or, perhaps you’ve been making good sales on your contemporaries, but […]
This series of articles will cover the necessary steps for creating a career plan. While the focus will be on career planning for the unpublished or newly published author, these concepts taken from the corporate environment lend themselves to those further along in their publishing careers as well. Career planning takes two tangible forms: goal […]
Not someone else’s process, but yours. This is not another article on how to plot your book or get into your character’s heads. Those are both important and necessary goals, but how YOU get there may have nothing to do with GMC, extensive character interviews, or breaking down your ideas into scenes and sequels. During […]