The essence of a mystery is the absence of information. If we just knew one crucial piece of information a series of events would make sense to us. As a result: We crave this information. We want things to make sense. We want to fill in the gaps in our knowledge. And yet some mysteries […]
6 ways to build intimacy between characters
Some relationships sizzle right off the page. Some strain belief and feel like duds. What separates the Darcy/Bennets of the literary world from all the countless unmemorable pairings? Here are some ways to build a sense of intimacy between your characters when you’re writing a novel. Validation One of the most primal human needs is […]
Have superfans gotten out of hand? (This week in books)
This week in books! First off, thank you so much to everyone who chimed in with feedback on our community. One thing I learned: people didn’t really know about the discussion forums! Oops. I’m going to endeavor to make those more visible going forward. But seriously, thank you to everyone who chimed in. (And I’d […]
Don’t overdo it (Page critique)
If you’d like to nominate your own page or query for a public critique, kindly post them here in the discussion forums: Nominate Your First Page for a Critique on the Blog Nominate Your Query for a Critique on the Blog And, of course, if you need help more urgently or privately, I’m available for edits […]
What kind of community should we have?
One of the great privileges of running this blog has been my interactions with the amazing community that has developed around it. Yes! You! I’ve learned so much from you all and really treasure everyone who comments, replies, and shares. That said, it’s been a while since we had a refresh. The discussion forums have […]
What is hybrid publishing?
In the last twenty years there has been an explosion of new publishing models that take advantage of new opportunities afforded by the internet and advances in printing on demand. There’s also been a corresponding rise in scams. So what is “hybrid publishing” and how does it fit into all of this? Hybrid publishing isn’t […]