On Publishing – Page 6

Archive by category "On Publishing" (Page 6)

What are you working on?

I realized I haven’t done a Catch Up! post in a while and there are people starting to email me about when the next book is out. So, so you can budget out your book buying plans for 2017, here’s what I’m up to. BODIES IN MOTION The first book…

The Ultimate NaNo Prep Post (good for the rest of the year too)

This is the master post for everything I recommend to get you prepped for NaNoWriMo or a Fast Draft. Remember, each author is unique and so is each book, so be sure to play with this and make it work for you. The way I think and the steps I…

The Best Time To Query

There are very few secrets to publishing. There really isn’t a secret handshake or a way to dodge rejection. Every author starts with an idea, writes the book, and has to jump the hurdles to find the right place to publish their book. For those who think the big presses…

The Gift of Failure

Originally published on Savvy Authors in 2015. Back when I had just started writing with the intent to publish, around 2006, I printed out a copy of my very first novel and shared it with a friend who had a good taste for books. She was the kind of friend…

My Readers Really Are The Best

Back in June I released the first chapter of EVEN VILLAINS FALL IN LOVE in an intro anthology from the SFR Brigade titled PORTALS:Volume 4 (we’re up to 7 now I think). I didn’t really think much of it until this week while I was in a post-book shambles. I…

Take a Nap!

You know me, any excuse for a few minutes of peace and quiet is a good one. Sleep researchers have been working for years to explain the benefits of napping. Does this scenario sound familiar… You’ve been at the computer for three hours straight. Between checking e-mail, balancing the checkbook,…

How Long Does It Take To Write A Book?

*Originally published February, 2014, I have updated the Novel section to reflect what I’ve learned in the past few years.* How long does it take to write and publish a book? Answer: It depends on the book and the form of publication. Here are my averages: Short Stories – like…

NaNoWriMo Boot Camp Day 2: Plotting

Got a plot? If you’ve completed the exercises from Day 1 of NaNo boot camp (and you may not have because some of them are multi-day projects – don’t stress it) then you know how you write. Step two for planning a successful NaNoWriMo is finding a plot. NaNoWriMo attracts…

The Secret Handshake Of Publishing (a reprint)

Originally Posted On 10/15/14 Since the invention of the printing press there’s been a rumor that you need to know some secret to get your book published. There’s always this idea that it’s who you know, or that some magical phrase in your query letter will get your book a…

Editing

“Editing can’t be that hard,” said a well-meaning friend as I politely declined an invite to a weekend camping trip. I couldn’t go, I needed to finish the edits for DECOHERENCE. And editing isn’t easy. See all that red? That’s the opening chapters of DECOHERENCE during the first round of…