When looking over the verbs in your WIP, you can pose three questions that will dramatically tune-up your draft. First, I’ll launch into the first question you should ask. It might seem basic, but it can’t be overlooked. 1) Are you using passive voice? When I’m critiquing manuscripts with passive voice, it signals to me […]
A New Year’s Resolution: Learn to Take Care of Yourself First
I used to always wait until the last minute and it was wrecking my life. In order to make deadlines for my books, I’d stay up late at night and often all night. During the day, I was trying to meet everyone in my family’s needs (I have three kids so that’s a lot of […]
Dear Frustrated-Almost-Published-and-Almost-Agented Writer
Dear Frustrated-Almost-Published-and-Almost-Agented Writer, Happy New Year! I bet you are full of resolutions for 2012. That’s a very good thing. But you are still incredibly frustrated with what you feel was your lack of progress in 2011 to get an agent and get published because 2011 was going to be your year, right? Maybe you […]
The Myracle Mistake: Did the National Book Award Do the Right Thing?
Today I was reading Publisher’s Lunch when I took a HUGE gasp. Lauren Myracle had been asked to withdraw her young adult novel, Shine, as a contender for the National Book Award. I remember just last week reading that Shine was one of the finalists, and now she’s got to pull it because it was […]
I’m in Love with the Pacific Northwest
Okay, I’m now officially in love with the Pacific Northwest. Sure, I knew it was beautiful. Puget Sound. Mount Hood. The Columbia Gorge. The islands off Seattle. But it’s also great reading land. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s not always sunny, maybe it’s because everyone has beautiful skin because it’s a little moist (okay, […]
Ten Rules to Surviving Writing Conferences and Publishing Conventions
Okay, I confess that I go through these phases where I’m seeking out writing conferences. And other times, I go cold turkey. Sure in my heart-of-hearts I really do love conferences. I often come away inspired and make a lot of new resolutions. Yes, now I’m going to spend more time doing research, or now […]