Getting ready for a writers conference can be a little nerve-wracking, but it needn’t be. Conferences are important to your professional progress, but no one conference is a make-or-break experience. It’s just one link in the chain of your career. Still, you want to prepare. There’s a lot to do …
Eliminating the narrator
As we saw last week, the goal of deep point of view is to eliminate the narrator. Which means there are two primary choices for POV, each of which has some subsets: You can have a narrator, or not. In a novel with no narrator, the POV character takes on …
Where to find agents
If your goal is to be published by one of the major houses, you’ll need an agent. Writer’s Market lists agents on its website, and also publishes a Guide to Literary Agents. The Association of Authors’ Representatives, the main professional organization for agents, maintains a directory of its members. Check …
The difference between third person POV and Deep POV
Q: I keep hearing about Deep POV. What is it, and how is it different from what the writing books call third person POV? A: Point of view is one of the most complicated elements of fiction, and POV slips are among the most common errors we see in amateur …
How attending conferences helps your career
Attending writers conferences is one of the best things you can do for your writing career. There are many benefits to attending conferences: Learning in workshops and seminars Pitching to agents and editors Opportunities to get critiques Discovering new resources Befriending other writers This last item may be the most …
‘Publishing 3.0’ — what is is and why it matters
Over at TechCrunch, author James Altucher has written an excellent article about the process of self-publishing his book Choose Yourself. Every entrepreneur should self-publish a book, because self-publishing is the new business card. If you want to stand out in a world of content, you need to underline your expertise.—James …
How to choose a publisher
One good way to find the right publisher for your book is to find similar books in your topic area or genre, and submit your manuscript to the publishers of those books. When using this method, you do need to ensure that a book very similar to yours hasn’t been …
Why omniscient POV is not recommended
One of the most common errors we see in amateur manuscripts is POV slips, which occur when a writer who means to be writing in character POV includes something the POV character can’t know. For example, if you’re writing from the POV of a starship captain, you ought not put …
What the Rowling Experiment tells us about author platform
Every writer who’s ever attended a conference has cringed at being told to build platform. It seems especially difficult for novelists. A platform is simply the people who are willing to listen to you. It is, as Seth Godin says, permission. J.K. Rowling had permission from millions, and gave it …
Q&A: What website platform is best?
Q: Great blog! Do you have any suggestions for aspiring writers? I’m hoping to start my own website soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you propose starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that …