by Kate Paulk Not that I'm in the least opinionated, but I think that putting pieces together into the whole is one of the writer's tools that needs a lot more focus. Why? Well, even though a book can stand, and even succeed, with a major weakness somewhere, unless the author does something about that... Continue Reading →
Cover Her Face, Mine Eyes Dazzle* — by Sarah
Recently, through a series of unconnected incidents, including discussing the cover for my upcoming Sword And Blood (as Sarah Marques, from Prime Books) I became aware that not only are covers still important, but what’s a "good cover" has changed dramatically over the last few years. Or perhaps it isn’t a good cover that has... Continue Reading →
A Grab Bag of Writing Craft Ideas
Today is a bit of a grab bag of writing craft ideas. I came across this post by Nathan Bransford on First Person VP Vs Third Person VP. He says this: 'One of the great tensions in a first person narrative, then, is between what the narrator is saying and what the reader senses is... Continue Reading →
Happily ever after
"And they all lived happily ever after except for Freddy, who was miserable and stuck pins into the effigy of his mother-in-law. It didn't seem to help." It's a question every young (and even those of us who are quite doddery and senile, like moi) asks themselves. "Does a book need a happy ending? It's... Continue Reading →
Win-Win Scheme — Riiiiiiight
A lot of things have been happening of late in the publishing realm and yet I'm having a hard time deciding what to blog about. Sure, I could talk about the continuing debacle that is the Borders trip through bankruptcy. Then there's the news about Barnes & Noble's earnings not rising to expectations. Or I... Continue Reading →
Writing and Physiology
I was sitting at the desk the other day, staring at the blinking cursor when I remembered something from a long way back about meditation. It was from a 'how-to' book, so don't sue me, I've never actually studied meditation properly. But the book was talking about how the body position and even facial expression... Continue Reading →
The Writer’s Toolbox: Plots and plants
Contrary to a rather popular belief, plots are not simply what happens in a story. Confused? Think of reality TV. That has no plot - stuff happens for the set time period, then the show finishes. So while stuff happening is necessary to plot, it's not sufficient. I'm not claiming any guru-ness here, so if anyone can... Continue Reading →
The Story Is The Thing
- by Sarah Hoyt Recently I’ve been reading a series of romances by Lisa Kleypas. It is hard to overstate how BADLY I disagree with her every opinion. This woman goes out of her way to include at least one favored minority in every book; she’s convinced that if every civilized person refused to fight there... Continue Reading →
Writing, oh my!
Here's a post of disparaging quotes from writers on other writers. The one below made me smile, because I thought it was admiring rather than disparaging. 15. William Faulkner on Ernest Hemingway “He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary.” I believe if the reader has... Continue Reading →
A rich ol’ man and she won’t have to worry…
By Dave Freer Well now, they say love is a gibbon thing, but love of books, ah, now that's different. I do however want ask just what it is about books we love? The content, the paper, the cover, the bookiness? I've come back from Continuum with two second-hand books that I am absolutely certain... Continue Reading →
Mad Genius Club 