Here are 65 examples of long sentences ranging from the relatively brief 96 words to one of the longest sentences at 2,156 words. Almost all of the really long sentences are under 1,000 words. The six longest sentences (1,000+ words) are mostly a curiosity, just to see what is possible. I hope students of writing can study these sentences to […]
Articles about sex scenes in books usually fail in one of 3 ways. They often: Give such a short love scene that you’re begging for more Feature novels with busty men or bodice-rippers on the cover Offer sex passages from the classics (D.H. Lawrence, anyone?) that everyone knows and has already read. The sex scenes […]
I often find action movies boring because I have the same criticism every time: More backstory. I want heroes and heroines and villainesses with complicated motives that are tied to experiences from their pasts. Without backstory, characters become puppets, their actions serving only the advancement of the plot and not their own growth and […]
In preparation for this post, I read query letters until my brain went numb. I looked for the letters marked “successful” — those that garnered agent’s attention. After days of reading, certain constants emerged. A successful query often includes a combo of: A strong voice Suspense Delightful characters References (to known authors or one’s own […]
Revision is painful. When I sit down to revise, I find I would rather be doing anything else: scrubbing the toilet, doing taxes, scooping my own eyeballs out with a spoon — whatever. Anything to avoid the act of revisiting the first draft. I dread revision because it’s an overwhelming process. There’s so much to […]
From Lord of the Rings to Star Wars, across sci-fi and fantasy, good worldbuilding is what makes genre fiction stand out. Well-constructed worlds are legendary—they capture audience’s imaginations, and they make readers want to live in the story forever. What would Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series be without the Discworld itself? What would The Wizard of […]
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? Whether you choose to follow these expectations or not is up to you! But it is nice to be able to explain your story to agents, publishers, and readers using […]
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 […]
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. Right now, agents from New York to […]
