First, it might help to make some sort of distinction between fact-checking and story-checking. The reason, I think, that aforementioned ignorant essays have proliferated is, in part, is that the people writing them are used to the culture of magazines and newspapers, in which (especially in newspapers) no such distinction is made. In a news article, if you’ve got your facts straight, you’ve pretty much got your story straight.

(more…)

Back to business with an interesting question from Darlene:

How do you handle sentences that could apply to either gender when you’re writing for both? Do you use he or she (or him or her), or they (or their)?

For example: If you meet a stranger in a coffee shop, do you notice their (or his or her) smile?

There’s no one right answer, Darlene. But a little guidance and good sense will help you handle a tricky issue.

(more…)

As for myself, I am officially designating January “National Chapter-Writing Month,” and I plan to complete the first chapter of my own novel by month’s end. I wrote several chapters during the “Finish a Draft of Your Novel in Three Months” class I took last summer, but, well, they sucked and need to be completely rewritten. Wish me luck! I’ll need it, especially since my Christmas stocking was filled with Barnes & Noble gift cards, so it’ll be hard not to spend the whole month reading.

By the way, sorry I’ve been lax in answering reader questions recently… I’ll get caught up soon, I promise!

(more…)

The project is gaining popularity and notoriety every year, and since my friend W. is participating this year (the month in question, by the way, is November), I thought I’d take a closer look and think about how such exercises can help the struggling novelist.

(more…)

Hello, I am currently attempting to sell my first completed novel. Is it a bad
idea to send out queries to numerous agents, or is that an acceptable procedure? If I do, should I really mention it in my query letter? Thanks!

Excellent question, Christine, and one too few writers think to ask.

(more…)

If you’re good enough and lucky enough to land a publishing contract, you’ll interact with a number of people at your publishing house during the process of transformation from manuscript to book. None will be more important to you than your editor’s assistant. They might on any given day play the role of go-between, personal assistant, editor, nag, or therapist. No matter the nature of your relationship, it’s in your best interest to understand what they do.

(more…)

(more…)

No matter what your lifestyle and responsibilities, it’s hard to be energized and productive when you’re not lucky enough to be a full-time writer. The most common piece of advice I hear from successful authors is “Write every day” or “Keep your butt in the chair” or something along those lines—but that’s easy for successful authors to say. Here are a few ideas that might help make it easier for you:

(more…)

When I first began submitting my short stories for publication, I had no idea that query letters existed until I chose to submit my story to a publisher whose submission guidelines required that a query letter accompany every manuscript. Once aware of query letters, I found myself confused. So I conducted a bit of research in an attempt to discover what type of information should be included in such a letter. If you are just embarking on the writerĂ¢â‚¬â„¢s journey and seeking to submit your first short-story manuscript, I hope this article will assist you as some guides on cover letters have helped me in the past.

(more…)