During this revision, I’m working on giving a few of my characters more depth. I need to make them come alive, and let the reader get to know them. Like story arc and dialogue, character development is difficult for me because I don’t have much experience with it. I don’t develop characters in journalism. I […]
One of my new favorite blogs is Chris Guillebeau’s The Art of Non-Conformity. Partly because I loved his book. Chris writes a lot about travel, but his main theme is living an unconventional life. Chris had a post a week or two ago that really resonated with me — so I’m figuring it will resonate […]
I know I said would write on weekends, but this week, I’ve gotten into a comfortable groove. I’m so eager to work on these revisions that I’ve been fitting in an hour each night, usually between 9 – 10 p.m. Little by little! Some great links this week: Writer Hope Clark reminds us of all […]
I love getting books as gifts. I love giving books as gifts, too. But sometimes it’s difficult to weed through the thousands of titles in a bookstores to choose one for a friend. Here are six titles I recommend, books you can be sure your brother or mother-in-law or best friend will be happy to […]
Want more tips like these? Check out my free newsletter. The difference between a mediocre writer and an excellent writer often comes down to whether you can tighten your own copy. Eliminating unnecessary words makes every story cleaner, easier to follow and all-around professional. I’ve long enjoyed editing, which is why I’ve edited friends’ chapters, […]
Helpful slash awesome links from this week: Reuters photographers tell the stories behind their best photos of the year. Don’t miss this one — it will make you think. Rachelle Gardner had two great posts this week: one on how it’s normal to hate your book (yay!), another on platform-building and marketing. Problogger offers 9 […]
I’m super excited about revising my manuscript again, and incorporating suggestions from my agent. But unlike my first 86 revisions, this time it’s not the changes that are daunting. This time, it’s finding the time to make those changes. Between my full-time journalism job and my part-time social media business, I no longer have entire […]
For every newbie author, there are firsts on the road to publication. There are the Big Firsts, like landing your first book deal and seeing your published book on a store shelf for the first time. But there are also lots of Little Firsts, firsts we each need to experience before hitting the big ones. […]
My first big project at the new job launches Monday! So it’s been a busy week around here. Yet I still make time for Google Reader and Twitter links (barely). My favorites from this week: If you need help creating a Facebook page for your author brand or book, The Creative Penn offers a basic […]
When friends ask how traveling in Africa changed me, I offer a lot of different answers. It made me more patient. More frugal. Helped me think through what I want out of life. But mostly, it made me thankful. After spending time with people who can’t afford to go to school or visit the doctor […]