Ready. Set. Novel! is the book for you if you are in search of your next novel idea, or have a hint of a concept but are looking to develop it further before you set fingers to keyboard. Co-authored by Chris Baty, Lindsey Grant and Tavia Stewart-Streit, three of the brains behind National Novel Writing…
Hi! I’m Lea Wait. In 1998 I left the corporate life and moved to Maine to write fiction full-time. At first I spent most of my time cleaning and arranging a family home no one had lived in full-time for twenty years, and taking care of my disabled mother. And, of course, writing. I felt…
Book Review David Morrell is the author of First Blood, the novel in which Rambo was created. In his book The Successful Novelist: A Lifetime of Lessons about Writing and Publishing, he lays down the rules of writing as he understands them. Overwhelmingly, it is a helpful array both for the new writer and the experienced ones….
Steven Pinker’s The Sense of Style is not a typical style guide. Pinker explains in the first chapter that he does not intend to replace classic guides such as Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. Rather, his book acts as a commentary both on the changes that have taken place since that classic guide…
In the beginning, the most difficult thing about writing can be what to write. Most writers tend to write what they love to read and reading exclusively in a certain genre makes them well-versed in that genre. Professional writers are usually more marketable if they stick to writing one genre, because when you are published…
Book Review As National Novel Writing Month approaches, you only have to browse on Amazon to see that the annual challenge has resulted in a host of guides for getting the most out of the month-long novel writing marathon. Many of them are valuable and interesting. For me, none will ever replace the original NaNoWriMo…
Review by Louise E. Sawyer Are your fictional characters vivid and memorable? When I read John Grisham’s novels I am amazed at how well I get to know his major characters. I either love them or hate them and I find myself smiling or anxious. The three sections of Character & Viewpoint cover Inventing Characters,…
One of my favorite books is The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman. Recently I received an email from his website letting me know about a couple of free items available there. I’d like to share them with you: How to Write a Great Query Letter is available as a free download. Ask a Literary…