Recently I heard someone say, “I tried to write a novel, but when my wife read it, she said…” Usually a negative comment from a loved one or a friend, will squelch our creativity in an instant #amwriting #creativity Click To Tweet Quicker than my foot will squelch a bug. As artists, whether literary artists […]
Tips Josephine Tey Teaches #Mystery Writers
Josephine Tey was a brilliant mystery writer #amwriting #writingtips #mystery Click To Tweet She wrote in the 1930’s and 1950’s. Her books followed no set formula, and I’d say she might have been one of the first pantser writers. Those outliners who put us pantsers down might take a long look at a writer like […]
Conversations with Alice Walker
Recently I had the pleasure of seeing Alice Walker in person #amreadig @alicewalker1944 Click To Tweet The great Pulitzer Prize winning author talked about herself, her writing and her passion. As the author of The Color Purple, she attracted people of all colors, sizes, shapes and backgrounds to hear her. In fact, the tickets sold […]
Why Writers Keep Writing
I’ve often wondered what keeps writers writing. As a reader, I’m grateful that people out there in the world persist in this rather unrewarding activity. I say unrewarding only in the sense of traditional rewards, e.g., money, fame. Most of what writers get instead is criticism or armchair hindsight. So why do writer’s write? I […]
How Much Are You Willing to Change to Publish Your Book?
Recently I heard one of my favorite writers, Ron Rash, speak at the Decatur Book Festival #writingtips Click To Tweet During the talk he shared an example of something that happened to him early in his career. A big publisher offered to pick up his book but asked him to rewrite the story from the […]
Head Hopping in Fiction
I just read a very good police procedural at the request of the author. He asked me to review his book. The book was quite well done except for the occasional head-hopping. The author wrote the book in the third person point of view from the standpoint of the lead policeman. That is the usual […]
Let’s Talk Book Festivals and Book Signings
Readers love to meet the authors who write the books they love. Even though so much of what we do is online, there is still a draw for going to book festivals and book signings. I head Michael Connelly talk at the Decatur Book Festival a couple of years ago. What a delight to hear […]
The Skinny on Book Trailers. Should you or shouldn’t you?
As a reader, I don’t know that I’ve ever looked at a book trailer before purchasing a book. Usually I read about the book on online site, like Amazon or Barnes and Noble. I will often get a sample first if I know nothing about the author. If I do know the author, I’ll risk […]
Seven Tips to Writers to Effectively Self-Promote
Okay, this is a topic most writers do not want to hear anything about. The majority of people writing books shun self-promotion the way they shunned leafy green veggies as a kid. Yuck! But, guess what, we have to do it. Like it or not, if you don’t enter the self-promotion fray, your books may […]
Harper Lee–Go Set a Watchman, My Opinion
The hype before Harper Lee’s new old book was released surprised most people in the literary world. When was there so much anticipation before the release of a book. Probably not since the releases of the in the Girl With the Dragoon Tattoo series. What brought all the talk? First, a best-selling, brilliant author who […]
