Recommended books for novelists The craft books I most enjoy reading are tough tomes with new techniques of breaking down and analyzing recalcitrant manuscripts. But the best books on writing […]
Best Books on Writing Fiction: Recommended books for novelists Read More »
How to format your manuscript for agents and editors Formatting your manuscript to industry standards is a must-do if you’re submitting your novel to an agent. If you’re a self-publisher,
Formatting your manuscript for editors and agents Read More »
Is your novel manuscript sellable? Most first-time authors begin writing in response to some vague creative itch. They’ve no idea how many books like theirs already exist; most assume that
Is this book commercially viable? Read More »
File management for your manuscript When your whole story lies ahead of you, it’s easy to naively assume you’ll name your manuscript file TheGirlWiththeFuzzyManuscript_Orig, then go to FuzzyGirl_Revised, and maybe
File names that show your manuscript revision status Read More »
Build your own learning plan for writing fiction What if everything in the world went right for your book, and now you may actually have a writing career? The thing
Kick-start your own career development program for new novelists Read More »
12 ways a synopsis helps your book You can quit holding your nose now—this whole synopsis thing is going to take longer than a single breath of air. Writing your
12 reasons to learn how to write a brilliant synopsis Read More »
Why your first manuscript should stand alone Writing a series is standard operating procedure for self-published authors seeking to grow their catalogs. The formula is simple: stretch a story concept
Why your first book should not be part of a series Read More »
10 hidden benefits of hiring a book editor An editor can give you a hand out of all sorts of tight spots in your book’s development, not just writing and
10 ways a book editor can help besides editing Read More »
Querying too soon kills your shot Quick, what’s the fastest way to sabotage your efforts to get an agent for your book? Answer: query your novel before it’s ready. If
Should you query an incomplete novel? Read More »
Between production steps: The real craft work Whoa, just look at that flowchart! That’s way too many steps! Why, yes. Yes, it very likely is. Few self-published authors can afford
The editing and revision flowchart for self-publishers Read More »
