Writers hate the term genre. Readers love it.
This is because genre creates expectations. Will these characters be able to fly, shapeshift, fall in love?
These 30 writing conferences across the United States offer countless opportunities to hone your craft, network with industry professionals, and have a blast with fellow writers!
Conferences can even become an integral part of the pitching process as they offer face to face time with agents. That’s just about impossible to replicate unless you live in New York and have impeccable sleuthing skills.
Whether you’re a planner or a pantser, just hear me out.
For the writer, an outline is a tool.
A good outline helps you do two things.
- See the big picture
- Organize the little details
Every writer dreams of hearing the words I love your book.
When looking for an agent to represent your fledgling novel, it’s key to find someone that shares your vision and passion.
Here is an alphabetical list of 22 literary and genre agents on the hunt for their next bestseller.
Will it be you? You’ll never know till you query.
If you want to write for kids, then you’re in luck!
Every year, children’s books produce almost two billion dollars of revenue, and the market is only getting bigger each year.
But with great size comes great competition. You’ll need an excellent agent to get your book published.
The difference between a bestselling book and a book that sells a handful of copies can be summed up in one word: publicity.
Listen, you definitely need a better strategy than standing on a street corner, yelling and waving your book.
Thankfully, the 25 publicists on this list can provide you with a wealth of ideas, giving you access to media that you can’t get on your own.
I’ve seen a lot of fantastic books fail because of bad cover design.
No matter how good your book is, people simply won’t buy it if the cover art doesn’t grab their eye.
It’s unfair, but in a crowded marketplace you have to stand out, and the best way to do that is with a beautiful, eye-catching, genre-defining book cover.
As a children’s book editor, I’ve helped hundreds of authors write, edit and publish their children’s book.
Anyone can sit down and dash out a children’s book, and with a little help and guidance, yours can be good enough to earn the attention of thousands of children.
And nothing beats the feeling of holding your printed book in your hands and reading it to a child for the first time. Follow these 12 steps and you’ll get there in no time.
As 2019 draws to a close, it’s time for writers to do some self-examination.
You probably already have a sense whether this was a banner year for you or a real stinker, but you need to think about WHY.
What made this a horrible year for writing or your most successful year ever? And how can you continue your streak or even do better next year?
Guest Post by Jody J. Sperling
Stories are only truly great when they confront the great fears.
Bernard Malamud knew this. His character of Roy Hobbs, a naturally gifted baseball player, was shot by a mysterious and seductive woman, which ruined his career in the big leagues. This was what Hobbs dreaded the most — a career-ending injury.