Open Book | TIPS FOR THE ASPIRING WRITER
Open Book: How to Create An Elevator Pitch for Your Novel
My long time friend asked me what my novel was about. I stammered and blurted out some incoherent description. (Don’t laugh! At least I remembered to mention the protagonist.) This brain freeze, unlike Governer Rick Perry, was not a matter of forgetting, but a matter of not having a succinct pitch scripted. What if that had been a [...]
Open Book: Blog Content Basics
No two brands of ketchup taste the same. The basic ingredients may be similar — tomatoes (or tomato concentrate), sugar, vinegar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, etc. — but the taste differences lie in the ingredient quality and proportion. And so it is with your blog. Your blog site is uniquely yours even though there may [...]
Open Book: How to Put a Writer’s Press Kit Together
What do you want your image to be? One way to craft your image as a writer is creating a press kit. Simply, a press kit is a collection of one-page documents that highlights your newest publication, a little bit about yourself, and other related accomplishments. The book market is fierce. You are your own [...]
Open Book: Grammar Rules You Can Break
Did you ever write a sentence and wonder if it was acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition? Or begin a sentence with a conjunction? Or write the way we talk? Me too. Even though I have seen magazines, printed articles, and newspapers write in an informal style, bucking up against Strunk and White’s Elements [...]
Open Book: Airplane Mode for the Nook Made Easy
My mom had a hard time with the concept of Airplane Mode on her new NOOK. She is not the only one. Below is an easy explanation of airplane mode. If the airplane in the upper right hand corner of the screen shows, it means that the NOOK is in airplane mode. It is ON. [...]
How to Plot by Example
Are you a writer who can sit down and have dialogues and scenes stream onto the computer screen with little regard to structure? If you are, and are happy with your results, you are one of the lucky writers with a gift. Most writers need to craft the plot through scene summaries and outlines. I am not [...]
10 Ways to Build Your Writer’s Platform
1. Create your website. This is your calling card, your business card. It is evidence to the world that you are committed to writing. Obviously, you do not have to wait until your published to start a website. You should begin NOW. It will take time, especially if you haven’t created one before. A website [...]
Thumbs up for Noah Lukeman’s New e-Newsletter
I like Lukeman’s writing style. It is succinct, content rich, and conversational in tone. When his e-newsletter showed up in my email box, I was excited to see what he had written. If you are trying to break into publishing, Lukeman’s contributions are a must read. He gives insight into why some books bubble up to [...]
Writing Tip Site Worth Viewing
I love it when I stumble upon a great writing site. If you are a writer, especially one that is trying to break in the field, this site might get you on track. Well written, clear and to the point, this site gives you strategies that you can implement immediately. 17 Reasons Book Manuscripts Are [...]
Meetup.com: A Networkers’ Goldmine
Are you a writer that seeks the company of other writers? Can’t find a group nearby? I came across a great site for people who want to connect with others with similar interests. Try www.meetup.com. Although I have not joined it yet (my cup runneth over), I did surf through the site and read comments. [...]
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