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The Dreaded Rejection Letter
You’ve taken classes, studied the best writing books, outlined your novel, taken a year to write it, and let others read and critique it. You’ve researched the market, picked a few publishers you…
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Read to Write
When I give my school presentations to young, aspiring writers I always tell them that in order to write, they must read. In fact, I say the three most important things they need…
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Show Me, Don’t Tell Me in Writing
Who likes to be told what to do? Think? Does anyone like to have everything explained to him or her? The answer is no. An emphatic no. As humans, we like to interpret…
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Writing a Scene
A novel consists of scenes. The way that you string your scenes together determines your plot, which is simply the events that happen to your characters. All fiction must have scenes. Without scenes,…
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Writers Write
Do you really want to write? That’s a question we all need to ask ourselves. If the answer is no, then you should find something else to do with your time. If the…
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Understanding Publishing Contracts
Writing can be invigorating and satisfying, but it can be daunting at times. Writing a book is hard work. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s easy. It takes time, effort, and lots of…
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Learn How to Focus
I was once asked by an interviewer if I listened to music while I write. The answer is: not on purpose. Does that mean I write only when there’s silence? Ha. Far from…
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How to Write a Novel Logline
Hollywood can teach novelists something very valuable: how to create a novel logline. Ads for movies use loglines all the time. It is the heart of the story boiled down to its very…
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The Manuscript Revision
For some writers, the word revision makes them squirm. Many novice writers go into the writing process fantasizing that they will only have to write one draft of their novel and it will…
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Character Story Goal
Every novel must have a story goal and that goal should be clearly stated for the reader. Let me say that again: every novel must have a story goal. In my novel, Heaven…
