From the monthly archives:

September 2008

The Ominous Press Release

Have you ever wondered how to write and distribute your own press release? I always stressed over the business of writing. I love writing stories but when it comes to queries, a good synopsis, or a press release it feels like my creative juices turn sluggish. If you self publish or have a hand in [...]

Read the full article →

The Missouri Review Contest is Underway

Selling Your Work

It looks like it’s that time of year again. The Missouri Review is once again offering up to $9000 in prizes for the following categories.

Fiction
Poetry
Essay

Official rules can be found here. All entries can also be submitted online. Talk about convenient, huh?
For those of you who even feel a slight tug of excitement when I say [...]

Read the full article →

Your Greatest Character Has Already Been Created

Characters

Did you know that the greatest character you could ever write about has already been created? I can assure you, with 100% confidence that he or she hasn’t been given birth by another author. Not at all. You’re the author and the character is… (drum roll please)
You
While you ponder that let me tell you a little [...]

Read the full article →

Good Agents Gone Bad

Selling Your Work

I usually look for the good in everyone. Innocent until proven guilty. So I assume most literary agents enter into the business of writer representation with good intentions.
Or do they?
While I would wager that 95% of the agents out there are doing what they do best with the writer’s best interests in mind, there are some things [...]

Read the full article →

Find Your Niche and They Will Come

Blogging

You’ll hear about it often from the blogging gurus out there like Darren Rowse or Chris Garrett - You have to find your niche in order to build a successful blog. This doesn’t only apply to blogging. It applies to writing in general. Blogging, article writing, etc. Content is king but you need to find where [...]

Read the full article →

Setting As A Character

Characters

I was on a business trip once that took me to a very nice city. A beautiful city in fact. It was warm, sunny, and the ocean was only a mile away. Perfect walking distance. Every morning however I woke up in a funk. Why? Because of the hotel I was staying in. It was loud, [...]

Read the full article →

Shine a Spotlight on Your Novel

Selling Your Work

A while back I wrote about the power of self promotion and having your own website to spotlight your work and a place to showcase your novels. I’ve also provided a couple of stellar examples. International best-selling author Joe Nasisse’s site is one I like to point to for illustrating how this is done. I’ve [...]

Read the full article →

What Are Exclusive Rights?

Selling Your Work

You’ve been notified that a publisher would like to feature your work in their next issue. They are offering to purchase exclusive First North American Serial Rights. You jump for joy. Then you pause. What’s exclusive? You know what the actual word means but not how it applies to the rights you are being asked to [...]

Read the full article →

Electronic Rights and Skynet

Selling Your Work

Last week we began our introduction to writer’s rights. We’ll finish up this week with electronic rights and exclusive rights.
Let’s start with electronic rights.
Electronic rights is defined as the right of all robots to be afforded the same rights and privileges as humans. Skynet would take this a step further and eradicate humans from the [...]

Read the full article →

Test the Waters Before Writing Your Book

Selling Your Work

So you want to be Batman. You’ve researched all that it would take in order to beat up bad guys, create neat gadgets, and to even assemble a batmobile. It then occurs to you that you can sell your research and make a million. You decide to write a book on the subject. Will it [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries