There are so many posts circulating from bloggers and agents concerning the opening chapter of a manuscript — cut the first twenty-five pages, start with conflict, no prologues, no tropes, no cliches… If you’re ready to tear your hair out, then read on, because I’m about to cut the noise, and break the opening chapter …
The phrase is everywhere. A simple Google search of ‘How To Write A Book’ will result in thousands of pages popping up in reference to it. What is it? The all cryptic, all powerful, Showing vs. Telling. If you happen to be a budding author, then you’ve most certainly heard the term. Hell, you’ve probably …
Resolution. A decision, mental state, or determination to resolve. Resolve. To convert or transform by any process, through firmness of intent. Where is your book going? How does your protagonist develop? How will the conflict be righted? These are the questions you should ask yourself as you begin to write the third and final part …
Books are all about conflict. Think about that. In this sense, conflict can be anything that causes a problem for your protagonist – not just wars, or serial killers, or world ending asteroids about to hit the planet (I always tear up when Tea Leone squeezes her father as that gargantuan tsunami roars toward land. …
I wanted to put fingers to keyboard in order to lay out a few thoughts on something that can’t, and shouldn’t, be ignored. The Author Ego. Humans are selfish by nature. We tend to rationalize the world around us in terms of our own existence. How are we affected? How did this happen? Nine times …
I thought we had ten seconds. We don’t. In an interview with the ‘Writer’s Digest‘, Literary Agent Barbara Poelle stated: “Sometimes it really is only, say, four seconds; a first line can close it down for me…” Four. Seconds. Think about that. It has taken you months, if not years to write, craft, revise, re-craft, …
Right about now (the funk show brother…sorry. Couldn’t resist!) creepy music ala ‘Axe Murderer Horror Flick’ sounds. Why? Because you’re done. Finished. You. Are. Incredible. You’ve developed your voice, you have shown versus told, and you’ve gone through the rigorous revision process. Your book is ready! The world is welcome! But if that celestial choir …
