Where Normal Need Not Apply
Every story begins with an idea. Sometimes this idea comes to authors out of the blue. Sometimes a dream provides the spark. Sometimes “people watching” or an overheard conversation will trigger the thought. But no matter where it comes from, the idea kicks off everything else, like a seed from which […]
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Yesterday, the inimitable Tawna Fenske had a blog post about how reading outside our comfort zone can make us better writers. Her post got me thinking about a book I recently finished, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Unlike my usual genres of paranormal or historical, Anna and […]
Anyone who has had me read their work can attest to the fact that I can be a tad, um … detail-oriented. *ahem* All right, I’ll admit it. I’m a nit-picky perfectionist, even on beta-reads. I know, I know. I’m trying to control this tendency. Beta-reading shouldn’t involve line-editing. And I owe […]
Disclaimer: I love Maureen Johnson’s “I am not a brand” manifesto down to the last punctuation mark. That’s not the approach to branding I’m talking about. An author’s brand isn’t about selling. It’s about recognizing that what we say and how we act affects what others think of us. It’s about then […]
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I’m being interviewed over at Rachel Firasek’s blog today. Me! I’m marking this day on the calendar for sure. However, before sending you over there, I wanted to share with you some thoughts about this “branding” thing authors have to keep in mind now. Yesterday, Roni Loren (my friend from […]
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*gush alert* I got a Kindle for Christmas and it’s, like, totally the most awesome-est thing ever. *end gush alert before I gag* And judging by the comments on Twitter, I wasn’t the only person to receive one. So now I’ve been doing my best to fill it without breaking […]
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How were your holidays? Was Santa good to you? I got a Kindle and quality time with my family, so short of getting an agent and book contract, my Christmas couldn’t have been any better. As I mentioned last time, whether or not we’re disappointed often depends on what we’re […]
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We’ve all been disappointed at some point during our lives. As a child, I once discovered my Christmas presents early, hidden in my parents’ closet (it was by accident, I swear!). My fingers ached to play with all those toys and I couldn’t wait for the big day. But when […]
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Today’s post is the unofficial “part three” of the results from my poll. I hadn’t planned this post, but the comments from last time inspired a new thought. In part one, we talked about how to help your blog readers find you. And in part two, we discussed the things […]
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My last post highlighted ways a blog can serve its readership. This post focuses on what not to do when designing a blog. Some of the answers might surprise you. Once again, I want to thank all of you who voted in the polls, commented, and tweeted me with feedback. […]
