Like a fine wine or a busty microbrew, a good novel should ferment. That’s what On The Sly is doing right now. I’ve finished the fourth draft (it takes as many drafts as it takes, sorry), and now it’s just sitting there, waiting for me to forget all my little thoughts about it. All my hopes and despairs. It ferments so I can look … Read More Fermentation
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There’s a difference between writers and authors. Do you know the difference? Most people think of living alternate lives. They watch a movie or have an exciting thought, and that old ‘what if?’ comes out. More often than not, so does a writing device, just because who wants to lose the thought? That makes you a writer. Are you published or not? If so, … Read More Of Writers and Authors
I stand by the window this morning, coffee in hand, watching the clouds scud over the mountains. I can barely see them because it’s still mostly dark, but there’s a pale light on the horizon to the east. That sliver of brilliant color turns the clouds from invisible dark-on-dark to charcoal on near black burgandy. The morning go-to-work crowd rushes past the house in … Read More Losing Perspective
The key to turning out good stuff is rewriting. The key to grinding it out is consistency. – Forrest McDonald Let’s just assume you have a killer idea for a story or article. You have great, multi-faceted characters against a dramatic backdrop. You KNOW it’s going to sell. What now? How do you get the manuscript ready for publication? These are the steps I … Read More Preparing for Publication
