How fast can you read and still retain comprehension.
This is a fun video that in just over a minute illustrates the exercise. Enjoy!
Book Puns! – Fun Fridays – May 25, 2018
Book Puns! Create a combination of a book title and author that together make a great pun. Below are a few that have recently circulated on social media. I’ve included some of my own. Your assignment is to post a new one in the comments below (please keep them appropriate). Enjoy! How to Write Big Books by Warren Peace What You Should Believe by I. Noah Tall The Art of Archery by Beau N. …
Book Proposals: The Fiction Synopsis
Attention all novelists! Every fiction book proposal must include a synopsis. Everyone who teaches on the book proposal says you need one. But why? Those two to three single-spaced pages of agony will never be seen by anyone else but editors and agents, so why? Why, oh why, must a novelist create a synopsis? I understand how difficult it is to write a synopsis. And yet, you need to do the work. …
Fun Fridays – May 18, 2018
In honor of our youngest daughter’s birthday this weekend… She and I have laughed at this audio many times. To the point of being able to quote it. I was excited to find it available on YouTube (our version is a CD). Listen and then you’ll understand this story: Years ago while in a very crowded elevator after watching a big event, I looked over at her and said, …
Book Proposals: Due Date
There is an important question that needs to be answered in your book proposal in the “Manuscript Status” section. When will your manuscript be ready? This information is important whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction. When Will Your Book be Done? Fiction: If you are a first time novelist, never before published, your answer should be “The manuscript is complete and …
Fun Fridays – May 11, 2018
A little understood behind-the-scenes job in the film making industry. Would you like to have a job like this? To have your business card read “Foley Artist” as a job description? It is interesting to think that the novelist has to somehow convey the sound or the texture of a scene using only words. And to do it without overwriting (describing absolutely everything). When you read a …
Book Proposals: Word Count
There is an important question that needs to be answered in your book proposal in the “Manuscript Status” section. What is the length of your book? This information is important whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction. How Long is Your Book? Think carefully before you declare a word count in your proposal. I don’t know how often I’ve seen someone propose a 280,000 …
Fun Fridays – May 4, 2018
Something fun to watch today…featuring man’s best friend! Imagine choreographing this and then hoping that all the actors cooperate! A little like organizing a large writers conference! (?)
Your Author Photo
A number of questions were raised when I wrote about the “bio” portion of a book proposal and suggested that you include an author photo. Here are some practical considerations. Make it Look Professional Quality photographers will tell you that background, lighting, how you look at the camera, and what you are wearing have a great influence on how the photo appears. I once saw an …
Fun Fridays – April 27, 2018
To those of you with an April birthday, “Happy Birthday!” Today’s video is a fun interpretation of the song if it had been composed by some of the world’s greatest classical musicians. Enjoy!