Building a website may not exactly feel like it’s something that feels like it belongs in the ole “writer skills toolkit,” but I’m of the belief that it’s extremely important. Opportunity can’t knock if it can’t find your door. Your website doesn’t have to be complicated, it doesn’t have to be wildly inventive, and if […]
How to access the archives
There are now well over 1,000 posts on this blog, and I want to make sure it’s as easy as possible for you to find what you need. I recently completed a bit of a behind-the-scenes overhaul and want to point you to a few places where you can easily access the best of the […]
You tell me: How many manuscripts do you have in the drawer?
Giving up on finding publication for a book project is a difficult but nearly universal experience in the writing life. It’s often referred to as putting a manuscript “in the drawer.” The first novel I wrote crashed and burned before I eventually found publication with Jacob Wonderbar. Some now-published writers I know have about as many […]
How to write a nonfiction book proposal
If you’re seeking traditional publication for a nonfiction book, you’re most likely going to need to write a nonfiction book proposal. The art of writing a nonfiction book proposal is sort of like cooking lasagna. There are a thousand ways of making it, everyone has their own recipe, but most every lasagna will have a […]
Everything writers need to know about pitching their book
Like it or not, pitching your book is one of the most important things you’ll do as an author. If you’re trying to find a literary agent, you’ll need to write a query letter. If you’re self-publishing, you’ll need to write good jacket copy (or at least know what good jacket copy looks like). When […]
You tell me: Do you outline your novel?
Some writers architect and outline their novels like they’re building the Sistine Chapel. Some fly by the seat of their pants like they’re riding a bucking bronco. And some, of course, do both like they’re… um… riding a bucking bronco within the Sistine Chapel? Do you outline? And more importantly for those of you who […]