March 2009

Tips on Naming the Characters in Your Novels

The first question you should ask yourself when naming a character in one of your novels is whether a name you have in mind fits the character’s personality as you’ve defined it so far. This is a “gut” thing—we all have preconceived ideas of how people with certain names look and act. When writing my [...]

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Tips for Promoting Your Novel

Writers receive so much conflicting advice when it comes to promoting their novels. Get out there and flog that book, some advise, while others say nothing works unless the publisher is solidly behind you. For some time I have conducted an informal survey, asking promotion experts at various publishing houses where I sell my authors’ [...]

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Ten Inside Secrets for Novel Writing Success

Agents and editors must be able to categorize your novel, so make sure you know what genre it fits into: romance, literary, mainstream, horror . . . ? Today’s novels are more like movies than ever: your story must have a compelling “high-concept” hook. Work hard to make sure your story idea is dramatic and [...]

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18 Free or Low-Cost Ways to Improve Your Writing

You don’t have to spend money—or very much of it—to be a better writer. Have a look at these free or low-cost ideas. Read writing how-to books from your library. Read magazines on writing and publishing at your library; for instance, Writer’s Digest, The Writer, Publishers Weekly, and Romantic Times BOOKreviews. Read free writing how-to [...]

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