Blog

Character Quirks

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 25, 2018

This blog is part two of six in a series designed to hone character development of protagonists in your fiction.

When on its own and free to be itself, my hair curves into waves that the Atlantic Ocean would envy. Prodigious effort must be made to tame it. That prodigious effort originates in the form of a professional blowout.

When trying to preserve a blowout, I have found that the perfect room temperature in which to slumber is 66 degrees. If I can sleep in this brisk temperature, all is well; and my hair stays presentable. Because my husband prefers my hair tamed, rather than wild, he’s willing to snuggle under a blanket or two to help me maintain a sleek style.

Not everyone is willing to sleep in a room this cold. But it works for me. Could I be a character in your book? Maybe.

Your turn

Does your main character have a quirk?

What is the reason for the quirk?

How does the quirk help the character live a better life or accomplish a goal?

Does the quirk keep the character from living a better life or accomplishing a goal?

Character Development Series:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six

The Worst Parts of Being an Agent

By Bob Hostetleron October 24, 2018

I’m not one to complain. Although I didn’t sleep too well last night, and my coffee was a little weak this morning. And I spilled some on my shirt. But I mean, otherwise, I’m not one to complain. After all, there are many great things happening in my life right now, some of which pertain to me being a literary agent—which I posted about last week (“The Best Parts of Being an Agent“). …

Category: Agency, Agents, Book Proposals

Lessons Learned As a Literary Agent

By Dan Balowon October 23, 2018

Dan is leaving the agency at the end of this month to focus his attention on the work of Gilead Publishing, the company he started in 2016. Here are some parting thoughts. _____ I’ve been a literary agent for about 2,000 of the 13,000 total days spent working with and for book publishers over the last thirty-five years. It’s been a great experience, for sure; but as I look back at the thousands of …

Category: Agents, Book Business, Branding, Career, Conferences, Craft, Creativity, Encouragement, Inspiration, Marketing, Personal, Pitch, Platform, Self-Publishing, Social Media, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life, Writing Craft

Changes in the Agency

By Steve Laubeon October 22, 2018

The Greek philosopher Plato, in quoting Heraclitus, wrote, “Everything changes and nothing stands still.” Some say it another way, “The only constant is change.” In 2016 Dan Balow started a small publishing company called Gilead Publishing, which he has been overseeing in his “spare time” while simultaneously being a great literary agent. After many long conversations, it became apparent, as …

Category: Agency

Fun Fridays – October 19, 2018

By Steve Laubeon October 19, 2018

Tim Hawkins is a favorite comedian. This new video is no exception! HT: Dan Balow (blame this one on Dan) For more video fun by Tim Hawkins, visit his site: https://timhawkins.net/blogs/video

Category: Fun Fridays

Prized Possessions

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 18, 2018

This blog is part one of six in a series designed to hone character development of protagonists in your fiction. I own a few possessions that I prize though they aren’t worth much moneywise. These possessions represent the love someone has for me. That love is far more valuable to me than the few dollars I could earn from selling my memories on eBay. Take the small trinket box my grandmother …

Category: Writing Craft

The Best Parts of Being an Agent

By Bob Hostetleron October 17, 2018

I’ve been a literary agent now for just over fifteen months. I pretty much know it all at this point. As Foghorn Leghorn would say, “That’s a joke, son.” If you don’t know who Foghorn Leghorn is, you’re too young for us to be friends. But seriously, folks, I’ve learned a lot since becoming an agent; and number one on the list is how much I have yet to learn. Insanely much. As I’m often asked by …

Category: Agency, Agents

The Biggest Question About Your Book

By Dan Balowon October 16, 2018

Authors are like small businesses. They have a finance department, a marketing department and an editorial wing. Then there’s the travel, human resources, IT and facilities management departments, all managed by one person, the author. While writing quality and author platforms are discussed at every writer’s conference, those aren’t the only factors contributing to the success or …

Category: Book Proposals, Creativity, Marketing, Platform

Of Making Many Books There Is No End

By Steve Laubeon October 15, 2018

This past week Bowker, the company that issues ISBN numbers for published books, released their annual statistics. They broke out the numbers for self-published books and revealed a stunning statistic. (If you want the history and explanation of the ISBN, read my scintillating post on the topic here. Each country issues their own ISBNs; Bowker is the one for the U.S.) The total number of ISBNs …

Category: Book Proposals, Marketing, Platform, Self-Publishing, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life

Fun Fridays – October 12, 2018

By Steve Laubeon October 12, 2018

Stefan Xidas has Down Syndrome and a dream of singing the National Anthem before a Chicago Cubs baseball game. His wish came true a month ago. And, as promised, he now has raised over $20,000 for Special Olympics at this GoFundMe page. This one simply gave me a joy-filled smile. Hope it does the same for you. The full song is below in a second video. Dreams can come true.

Category: Fun Fridays