Category Archives: Writing

Blogs for Writers

  Last week I published my last YOUR Novel post  and  promised you a list of blogs that will help you sell and market your novel.  You’ll find lots of great information about finding an agent, writing queries, book proposals and getting … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Writing, YOUR Novel | Tagged , | Leave a comment

40. The Last Roundup

YOUR Novel! After all these weeks and months and maybe years of writing, it’s done. Except… For one last rewrite. Really? Yep. Here we go. 1. Print a hard copy of your manuscript. You will catch errors on a hard … Continue reading

Posted in Writing, YOUR Novel | Tagged , | Leave a comment

39. Sound Check

It’s very tempting to send YOUR Novel out into the world without a last rewrite for word use and phrasing, but please, after all your hard work, don’t succumb to the temptation to let that baby face the query gauntlet … Continue reading

Posted in Words, Writing, YOUR Novel | Tagged , | Leave a comment

38. Research redux

As you edit YOUR Novel, you may want to schedule a rewrite with your research in mind. This is pretty much a given for authors of historicals or techno-thrillers. Not so much for those who write contemporary fiction. An intensive research … Continue reading

Posted in Writing, YOUR Novel | Tagged , | Leave a comment

37. Lazy

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get lazy. That’s not always bad. We all need a lazy day (night or evening) to regenerate after hectic times. But when it comes to novels, nothing pops a reader out of … Continue reading

Posted in Writers, Writing, YOUR Novel | Tagged , | Leave a comment

36. Plot Redux

YOUR Novel! My dad has always been one of my alpha readers. He’s a speed reader. For him it’s all about story. My third draft is all about plot, and as I rewrite, I try to see what I’ve written “through my … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Writing, YOUR Novel | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

32. The Last Stretch

We’re in the midst of horse racing season. We’ve watched those incredible animals compete in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness. All those “big” runs, and usually the last few lengths are the most exciting of each … Continue reading

Posted in Writers, Writing, YOUR Novel | Tagged | Leave a comment

31. The Wall

Maybe you’ve heard marathon runners talk about hitting THE WALL. It’s that moment in a race or a long practice run when you think you just can’t take one more step. The same thing often happens to novelists. You’re writing … Continue reading

Posted in Writers, Writing, YOUR Novel | Tagged , | Leave a comment

30. Writer as Actor

In my Alaska novels, my characters do not sit on chairs or cross-legged on the ground, they squat on their haunches. This is a very typical pose for people who live without furniture, but I had to “act” out many of … Continue reading

Posted in Writers, Writing, YOUR Novel | Tagged | Leave a comment

29. Bog

I didn’t misspell the title. I meant BOG not BLOG. We’ve been working together on YOUR Novel for 29 weeks now, so let’s take a “time out” to talk about a very real but insidious roadblock that afflicts many writers. The … Continue reading

Posted in Writers, Writing, YOUR Novel | Tagged , | Leave a comment