Enjoy today’s “ruff” draft of a short story.
(It wasn’t my pun so don’t blame me for your groan of despair.)
Blog
Blessed Thanksgiving!
A blessed Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating it. “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” (Psalm 107:8-9, ESV)
A Writer’s Thanks
A Writer’s Thanks Gracious Lord, thank you for the joy of writing. For the honor of being published. For the blessing of being used. The miracle of being paid. The wonder of being read. The blessing of my words being translated and traveling around the world. Amen.
The Anatomy of the Publishing Cycle
If you ask an editor or an agent, “What’s hot right now?” you are too late with the question. The nature of the publishing business is that what you see selling today are books that were conceived, written, published, and marketed over the past couple of years or more. That is why we, on this side of the table, avoid making pronouncements on current trends. In some ways, the agent and the …
Fun Fridays – November 22, 2024
I want to know where I can buy a case of this product! It can change the world. Might even change your Thanksgiving meal time next week (for those in the U.S.). And honey, if you are watching this, I am not “Harold Weathers.” I’m just a little hard of hearing.
Teamwork Makes the Publishing Work
One hundred years ago today, Christopher Tolkien was born to Edith and John Ronald Reuel (JRR) Tolkien. He was the third of four children and the youngest son. Christopher was deeply involved in his father’s work, editing it and drawing the maps used in the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) books. At one point, his dad invited him to join the famous writer’s group The Inklings. Here’s an interesting …
Judging a Book by Its Cover
We’ve heard the cliche “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” True. But you do “buy a book by its cover.” We all do. That colorful billboard attracts the eye, disseminates information, and sells the content. Even when the billboard is the size of a postage stamp on Amazon.com, BN.com, or iTunes, you make a judgment on the quality of the book based on its cover. It …
Fun Fridays – November 15, 2024
Palette cleanser with today’s video. Sheer Joy! Conquering the get-it-done pile!
We’re Engaged!
No, we’re not engaged in anticipation of a wedding. We’re engaged in your work as literary agents. When we respond to you with suggestions, we’ve read enough of your work to discern that we like your writing style and story and may eventually pursue representation. If we offer recommendations, please consider them. As a writer, you have a right not to take any of our suggestions. …
Point of View #4
Last time I talked about Deep Point of View. Now, let’s jump into some practical tips for application. Eliminate “Distance” Words Eliminate “distance” words like “saw,” “heard,” “felt,” “thought,” “wondered,” “noticed,” and so on. Is there ever a time you’d use those? Of course, but for now, let’s try not to use them. I call them “distance” words because they distance the reader from …