Hey guys, just your friendly Jack of All Trades author/journalist/editor/intern/wine and cheese enthusiast here, letting you know about REUTS Publications’ totally bitchin #NaNoWriMo “offshoot” contest: Project REUTSway. The rules are simple. Sign up to be kept in the loop, but you won’t have any obligation to do the challenges, unless you want to. (Win, that is.) Each […]
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, […]
Ever wonder if there are any RULES you should be following when marketing yourself / your book on Twitter? REUTS Blog Post by Veronica Park – Self Marketing in the Time of Twitter
Hey guys, I know I’ve been posting a lot of short stuff lately, but STAY TUNED for a more comprehensive look at what I’ve been up to lately in the world of publishing. (Spoiler alert: it’s a LOT.) Also keep an eye out for my upcoming “Marketing Monday” series, which will be published on the […]
Today’s snippet comes in the form of advice from the fabulous K.A. Tucker, author of TEN TINY BREATHS, among other great books. Here is a link to the full/original article, which is a guest post on Literary Agent Marisa A. Corvisiero’s blog.
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 […]
First of all, if you’re unaware of what I’m talking about, MSWL is publishing code for MS (or manuscript) Wish List. Created by literary agent Jessica Sinsheimer, this social media / multimedia phenomenon essentially turns publishing upside down, in a good way. Here’s how I would describe it: Instead of a bunch of writers sitting […]
Today’s snippet concerns stalking. Specifically, editors. But I also think this pertains to agents. On behalf of aspiring authors everywhere, I’d like to thank Jennifer Crusie for this refreshingly cold splash of sanity. Here’s a link to the original post.
This killed me. I’m not trying to encourage disparaging aspiring writers or anything…but if you’re having a bad day? Sometimes it does help to realize someone else’s is much, much worse. Brought to you by the anonymously hilarious agent behind SlushPile Hell.
When I was a teenager, I had some really unrealistic expectations of what a “real man” should be like. Maybe it was because I was a stereotypical “good girl,” and I believed people when they said that “opposites attract.” Maybe it was because all I knew about romance, I learned from fantasy books, John Hughes movies and […]
***Disclaimer: I feel like I should start off by confessing that I rarely schedule my blog posts. I realize that this makes me very naughty, as I’m about to chastise the world for doing the same. But nobody’s perfect, so…please consider this post my requisite self-flagellation for today. (Flagellation? Flogging? Is that right? Whichever one […]
How it HELPS 1. You probably don’t subscribe to the ‘no words without inspiration’ school of thought. Or, better yet, you’ve trained yourself to become inspired on command. This is great, because so many others out there will spend countless hours sitting in front of their antique typewriters, sipping scotch and staring out of windows […]
Today’s TC post comes a day late. But in my defense, I didn’t realize yesterday was Thursday…so. Anyway, I recently stumbled across this photographer’s website, while I was searching for cool photos to create a “future cover” mockup for one of my books. (Oh, don’t act like you’ve never done it, fellow writers!) Her name […]
I had a friend in high school who used to live by the phrase, “Nothing good ever happens in August.” I really do mean that, literally. For one month during the summer, every single year, if you called her up and asked her to hang out…go to the movies…go camping, whatever, she would simply respond […]
There’s really no one absolute, ultimate formula for writing a query. But there are certain…guidelines, if you will, that if followed will NEVER steer you wrong. 1. ALWAYS Start With The 3-4 Paragraph Query letter format: (Then tweak it, slightly. As needed. But only if you MUST.) Paragraph #1 – This is 1-3 sentences of absolute […]
Today’s snippet concerns planning your career as an author, from literary agent Rachelle Gardner: Here’s the LINK to the original post.
I just bought a book from one of my favorite authors. I paid more than $5 for it, which is more than I can say for 9/10 of the books I’ve read in the past year. And yet, unlike the other 20+ eBooks that currently sit neglected on my eShelf (which is mostly due to […]
Today’s snippet comes from the fabulous Brenda Drake, who talks about revisions after getting her first editorial letter. Here’s a link to the original article.
In baseball, everything begins with a pitch. Based on the outcome of that pitch, you can usually begin to see the direction the game will take. Will the batter score a home run? Will he strike out? Will the first baseman catch the ball on a pop fly? After the pitch, anything can happen. From what I’ve […]
Today’s snippet concerns beta readers. Specifically, how to / how not to offer feedback, from the glorious Dahlia Adler: And here’s the link to the original post.
Is it just me, or does the ‘know’ in “Getting to Know You” seem to carry a slightly biblical connotation in this context? …It’s probably just me. Anyway *coughs awkwardly* WELCOME friends, to my version of the official LIKE A VIRGIN blog hop! Hopefully, it will only be the first of many more to come, […]
Today’s snippet partially explains why J.K. Rowling is richer than F. Scott Fitzgerald. “I don’t care how pretty the car looks. If the engine doesn’t work — or is completely missing – your readers aren’t going for a ride. At all.” – Courtesy of Guy Bergstrom of The Red Pen of Doom, “The Secret Truth […]
Today’s TC post is written in the cherished style of “rant,” and inspired by the obnoxious–and yes, occasionally hilarious–spam I find in my comments inbox. (By the way, thank you, Askimet, for keeping these off my homepage. I really don’t say that enough.) Here are a few of my favorites: (along with my response) “Some viewers […]
VP Anderson 
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