My favorite links from this week: Guest post at Chuck Sambuchino’s Guide to Literary Agents: 4 ways to overcome writer’s block and write from anywhere. One author’s journey on Twitter, at The Huffington Post. Penelope Trunk presents a new way to write a book review. This goes well with the blogging series I’ve run during […]
You’ve thought about whether you should start blogging, and decided the answer is yes. You’ve seriously considered your content, pondering what makes a blog successful. Now you ask: How do I get started? 1. Pick a platform. If you’re a newbie, you’ll probably want a hosted platform, one that’s easy to use. They’re also free. […]
Welcome back! We’ve already talked about why you should have a blog and whether you’re ready to start one. Up today: What makes an awesome blog? There are as many ways to produce a good blog as there are bloggers. But when you’re new to the blogosphere, you need concrete goals, right? So here are […]
My favorite links from this week: Journalist David Farley tells MediaBistro’s GalleyCat how he turned his travel reporting into a book deal. Travel memoir folks, listen to this one. Eleven important elements of a novel or memoir, from literary agent Michael Larsen. When backstory helps your writing — and when it hinders it. Solid advice […]
Whenever I don’t know how to do something, I ask Google. Usually I ask little things. Like how to add a signature with live links to my Gmail. Or whether it’s possible to give my YouTube channel a cool background. Or what a baobab tree looks like (to help me describe it in my book). […]
A handful of writers have approached me recently asking for help with their blogs. Some are trying to decide whether they should start a blog and how to go about it. Others want to improve an existing blog. So this week I’m running a series that will address three questions: Should I start a blog? […]
It was nearly a year ago that I was first approached by a literary agent. I hadn’t sent out any queries. I hadn’t attended a conference and pitched agents in person. I hadn’t even tried to get in touch with agents, because I wanted to write my manuscript first. So how, you ask, did this […]
Wow, lots less time to go through my Google Reader this week now that I have clients! But it’s a good trade. Here’s what I’ve got for you: At The Huffington Post, a publicist asks, Does Twitter sell books? Why, yes. Yes it does. Punky Brewster is coming out with a memoir! Well, the woman […]
I don’t want to give away all my social media hints — I want people to pay me for this, remember? — but here’s a common mistake I’m seeing clients (and small businesses who should become my clients) make: creating a Facebook group or profile for a business, product or public figure when they should […]
Writing an awesome memoir requires being honest with the reader. This is pretty basic, Memoir Writing 101. You’ve got to reveal your true self through your story, because if you don’t, readers will know it. They might not be able to put their finger on it, but they’ll know something’s off. If you’re not completely […]