I FIND myself zoning in on a thought, turning it over and over in my mind until all else fades and my consciousness is reduced to a machine that serves only to deconstruct and reconstruct and toss and tumble and prod and observe this singular obsession. In this state I am a predatory animal, driven … Continue reading My Writing Process
Category: Writing/Publishing
Update Regarding Free Query Critiques
I'VE COME to a decision. I'm not going to suspend free query critiques. Instead, I'm going to limit how many I accept. Here's how: I'll critique a couple queries a day, maybe more on days when I have down time, and when they start to pile up, I'll just stop accepting them until I've cleared … Continue reading Update Regarding Free Query Critiques
When Am I Going to Wake Up?
I'M AMAZED at the quality of the manuscripts I've been hired to critique thus far. There's an absurd aspect to it that keeps occurring to me: I'm getting paid to read books I would buy if I picked them up off a shelf. I feel so lucky that this venture is taking off. All my … Continue reading When Am I Going to Wake Up?
Improve Your Craft
No, I'm not talking about the movie, The Craft, I’m talking about your writing, and I promise today isn’t a ramble. There's real advice in here, so saddle up and hang on. One thing you can do to improve your writing is lots of reading. Read inside of your genre, read outside of your genre … Continue reading Improve Your Craft
How Do I Write Like a Writer?
This, of course, is the million dollar question. How do I write? How do I write well? How do I write like a real writer? I am going to do my best to explain how to become a real writer over these next few paragraphs, though I am afraid it won't be exactly as you … Continue reading How Do I Write Like a Writer?
Reasons Not to Hire Me to Read Your Book
WELL THIS is odd, isn't it? I'm supposed to tell you why you should hire me, not why you shouldn't. If you've been around long, though, you know I don't always do things the traditional way. This is the last time I'll be promoting this venture for a while because I'm shifting focus to reading … Continue reading Reasons Not to Hire Me to Read Your Book
The Heart of the Matter
Why do we write? That is a very open ended question with answers that are unique to each individual. Some write to tell the story, some to evoke a response, some to pass the time, and of course, there is always the lingering thought, “One day I could be rich and famous.” But really, why … Continue reading The Heart of the Matter
