What We Have Here is a Failure to Launch: Tips for Creating Fiction that Ignites the Imagination A professional editor will seek fundamental elements of good fiction within your manuscript—and where necessary, suggest improvements to develop it so that it will “launch” and flow in a structured storyline to better engage readers. Have you … [Read more...]
Five words that will change your entire outlook (or freshen it up, even for seasoned authors) on crafting a novel or screenplay: "Story Engineering by Larry Brooks." In his book, Story Engineering, Larry Brooks defines 6 Core Competencies that every writer needs to execute — to a high standard — to have a chance at publication. Those … [Read more...]
I’ve ghosted books on nearly every conceivable subject. The first question every new ghostwriting client asks is, “Are you an expert or do you know anything about [fill in the blank]?” My answer is usually always the same: “No.” So how do I do what I do? Furthermore, why do these people hire me nonetheless? Answer: While it is … [Read more...]
You’ve worked through several drafts of your manuscript, and you think you’re ready to have it professionally edited. You have a local friend who does editing, and you know of a local college professor who edited something for another friend recently. You’ve come across several different editing services on the Internet, and you wonder about … [Read more...]
The fact that you’re reading this article in this particular newsletter tells me two important things: you’ve written a book and you want people to read it. I don’t mean the family and friends who’ve already read it and most likely told you what they think you want to hear, but the real book-buying public. In other words, you want to be … [Read more...]
Go to the fiction section in the kids’ area of your local bookstore, and pick up any classic Picture Book or Young Reader. I don’t mean that flavor-of-the-week book, written by a Hollywood celebrity or famous musician, but a classic—something you know has been around for awhile, something your kids or grandkids love, or, best yet, something … [Read more...]
Nonfiction writers are justifiably concerned with how their voice and tone will affect the audience. They want to portray themselves as credible without coming across as a “know-it-all.” They want to seem authoritative on their topic but not “preachy.” While there are several techniques to accomplish this, some strategies may undermine your … [Read more...]
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