Twice in the last week, I’ve been called a show-off. This is nothing new for me, but it really ticks me off. Especially now, with all that’s happening. Let me tell you why. Even before I started school, I loved to read. Books were my only friends, for a long time. I was a weird […]
Following a post from my favorite literary fledgling last week, I found myself inspired to write about a rarely lauded struggle which I believe all literary folk in general–including the “successful” ones–ultimately face: I call it The Eternal Shame of Relatively Obscure ROI. (ROR) < Pronounce this like a dinosaur, for optimal fun. (ESoROR works […]
I violently agree with this statement. However, I will add a caveat, because clarity is–above all–my jam. *”There is no such thing as a stupid question, provided you’re asking a question with a genuine desire to learn.” It’s not stupid to ask for clarification, ever, if you’re not 100% sure. It is stupid to ask […]
We’ve all heard the stories. Legends, more like. About how J.K. Rowling wrote the entire first draft of Harry Potter on a napkin at her local Starbucks (or whatever place that sells what passes for coffee in the UK.) Or how E.L. James was just writing Twilight fan fiction one day…until bow-chick-a-bow-ow…international lust storm, followed […]
Dear Literary/Agency Interns, I feel it is my divine duty, as the self-appointed patron saint of interns (I’ve done twelve internships and counting, holla!) to pass on some of the things I’ve learned in my recent transition to the agent world: Don’t believe the hype. Whenever I attend a conference, I always have this moment where I feel […]
I always love when people quote some variation of the above statistic, because it never ceases to amuse me that anyone could EVER be more terrified of public speaking than they are of zombies, clowns, or the dark. But it’s a truth universally recognized—at least in America—that people are more afraid of giving a presentation in public than […]
I know I’ve talked about this before, but this past year it’s kind of become a major theme in my life, so I’m going to write about it again. Here it is, children. What I’ve learned in 2015: You have to do what you have to do, when you have to do it–and not when […]
Everyone thinks they have a story in them. Sometimes lots of stories. But writing a book isn’t something everyone does. Lots of books, even less so. To make a career out of writing, you can’t just operate on a whim. You need to tether your creativity, kill your darlings, and listen to the wisdom of […]
What do they always say, when you’re climbing high? “Don’t look down.” Why do they say it? Does it really matter? Does it make a difference where you’re looking, as long as you keep moving, keep climbing in the right direction? And what will happen if you ignore the warning, and look down? Will you […]
If you google the phrase “what to wear to a job interview,” you’ll get pages and pages of helpful links. If you click on the images tab, you’ll see that some helpful folks over on Pinterest have even put together entire boards (usually for women, since let’s be honest: guys don’t have quite as many […]
When I was in high school, I was one of the few lucky students to take part in an experimental “school within a school” program. Not unlike different major programs in college, my school district decided it might be a good idea to give 11-12th graders career-centric, college curriculum inspired experience in the field of […]
In my last article, titled “Be the Batman,” I talked about how important it is to bring swagger—and a little bit of superhero branding—to your prospective employee / career “persona.” Now, I’m going to tell you something you really, really don’t want to hear. Are you ready? There’s no way Clark Kent would have gotten […]
What is a “Career Persona,” and why do you need one? Why can’t you just be yourself, your whole self, and nothing but yourself? Because, to quote Sweet Brown from the popular YouTube video, “ain’t nobody got time for that!” As I’ve mentioned in previous posts (such as my most recent tribute to resume attractiveness, […]
For my next installment of the Meet the Bombshells Series (where I show off my fantabulous mentees for this year’s Pitch Wars), I’d like to introduce Melissa Flandreau, author of the NA title, WHAT CARRIES THE DAY. V: Thanks for joining me Melissa! Why don’t you tell the fine folks of the interwebs a little […]
Dear Writers, I realize that being a writer is hard. Coming up with concepts, characters, dialogue–all of those things which take an idea and flesh them out into a living, breathing story–can be extremely challenging, even torturous, no matter how talented you are. Then, when you take those challenges and add the strain of watching […]
Functionality. Most people think this is the golden rule of resumes. But guess what, ladies and gentlemen? This may or may not come as a shock—judging by the current state of our government, waka waka—but we don’t actually live in a world where functionality is king. No, we live in a world of skinny mocha lattes. And plastic […]
Pretty much everyone is familiar with the saying “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” But guess what? According to a little involuntary neurological condition called Synesthesia, that saying is basically untrue. (If you’re curious about the details of this condition, see this article for more details.) Feel free to ignore that, […]
I feel like I’ve had this conversation with my PR/marketing clients (and myself) at least a million times: Me: “You need a new author photo.” Author: “Why? The one I’ve been using is a perfectly good photo of me.” Me: “Yes, it’s a great photo of you. But it’s a posed shot taken at a conference.” Or, “But […]
Author’s note: this post is based on serious opinions, but intended to be read/viewed in the spirit of satire. It also really helps if you read it to yourself in the voice of Lewis Black. *Begin Rant* PEOPLE OF THE INTERNET. YOUR PERSONAL SPACES ARE OFFENDING ME. No, this isn’t a commentary on man, […]
Will Work for [Practically] Nothing By Veronica Park In his iconic role as The Joker, Heath Ledger famously said, “If you’re good at something, never do it for free.” However, if you think you can live by this phrase, you’re either a.) already gainfully employed, b.) a stripper, or c.) kidding yourself. The sad but factual […]
Dear friends, fellow writers, and future readers, Rhett and Link are a PRIME example of why I prefer to write about the unsung sexy nerds and geeks of the Love Interest pool, instead of the typical rugged mountain man types. LOTR? ROFL. HTML? OMH.
Dear fellow writers, fellow career seekers, and actually… hell, just fellow human beings in general, Today’s snippet centers around a universal truth I have learned. As great as it is to have a supportive network of friends, or a wonderful spouse, or a great agent/editor/lawyer, government representative…whatever, Self-Advocacy is THE MOST IMPORTANT skill you should cultivate if […]
VP Anderson 
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