This is a video of a new writer who cannot follow our agency’s guidelines.
But is having a blast nonetheless.
The exasperated agent is trying to be nice, but in the end, the writer must be sent packing.
This is a video of a new writer who cannot follow our agency’s guidelines.
But is having a blast nonetheless.
The exasperated agent is trying to be nice, but in the end, the writer must be sent packing.
Do you ever find yourself staring at a blank screen, your mind as barren as the Sahara Desert, while deadlines loom ominously overhead? Yeah, been there, done that. Writer’s block can feel like an insurmountable hurdle, but fear not! I’ve got a plan—a trusty arsenal of “top ten” hacks to kick that pesky writer’s block to the curb and get those creative juices flowing …
When I am with people who share my interests, I often say that one of the reasons I like sports is that they provide a metaphor for just about everything in life. Dealing with adversity, losing, winning, preparation, and teamwork have direct-line comparisons in much of life, including every aspect of publishing. This also includes one’s personal life. The term “Gameday” is a not-so-subtle codeword …
If you’ve ever transcribed a conversation between two people, you know the resulting text is a bunch of incomprehensible, run-on sentences and fragments. If you don’t believe me, just ask our blogifier. Shauna Letellier has to turn these episodes into actual blog posts. Natural conversation does not translate well onto the written page. When we write novels, we must realize that …
I love books, especially old or rare ones. Back in college I spent a couple months working in the back room of the university library repairing their rare book collection. I’ll never forget the awe of holding a copy of a book by Theodore Beza, a student of John Calvin, dated in the 1600s. I also recall one summer in Washington D.C. around the now-defunct CBA booksellers convention when a …
A word can have a completely different meaning when placed in a different context. Take the word patience in the two examples below:
Many of us aspire to write books that change lives. There’s no better reason to write. And if you ask a writer to name a book that changed his or her life, you’re likely to get a quick—and informative—answer. So, I asked some writer friends to name the book (in addition to the Bible) that changed their lives. Here are some of their responses: My mindset changed once I read Joyce Meyer’s …
Too often, I see great submissions that aren’t complete. Why not include everything when you first submit? Here are a few tips: What will happen in the novel? We need a book summary, even when you’re submitting a complete manuscript. Yes, I know seeing the ending ahead of time may be a spoiler for a reader; but as an agent, I’m accustomed to reading spoilers. I even enjoy …
James Michener, the bestselling novelist, once said, “I’m not a very good writer, but I’m an excellent rewriter.” And today is your day to follow suit. No one knows your work or what you are trying to accomplish better than you. In that sense, you can be your own best editor. In a 1958 interview with The Paris Review, Ernest Hemingway was asked, “How much rewriting do you do?” Hemingway replied, …
Photo fun for today. Can you come up with your own caption? Here is mine: “The Journey to Publication”