When I was a kid, shopping for books was exciting. I loved to browse the shelves (mostly in Science Fiction and Fantasy, but sometimes in Mystery and sometimes in the confusing tangle that was Fiction and rarely, very rarely, in … Continue reading
Mindy Klasky
Once upon a time (because that’s the way all the best stories begin…) I published my first novels, six traditional fantasy stories. When it came time to write my next book, my agent suggested that I write the entire thing (rather than a mere synopsis), so that I could “level up” — obtain a contract for substantially more money.
Continue readingOnce upon a time (as the story goes), I had an idea for a novel. I sketched out the concept, and I sent an email to my agent with a two paragraph summary that began, “Jane Madison has a problem. … Continue reading
Z is for Zephyr. Zephyr is the west wind, a light wind, one that has traditionally been considered the most mild and favorable. Your writing career is beset with winds of change. … Continue reading
Y is for You. You’ve now had a chance to read twenty-four essays about writing. You’ve had the opportunity to answer questions about every topic, organizing your personal thoughts. … Continue reading
X is for (E)xposure. (Yeah, so sue me. Or give me an idea of another “X” word to write about.) Before an author publishes a book, they revise it, edit it, copyedit it, proofread it, and format it. Through each … Continue reading
W is for Workspace. Every author has a preferred workspace. Lucky authors get to work under those conditions on a regular basis. Everyone else figure out ways to make do. … Continue reading
V is for vanity publishing. Once upon a time, it was easy to spot the vanity publishers (also known as vanity presses or subsidized publishers.) They were the ones who advertised in magazines, promising to turn an author’s brilliant prose … Continue reading
U is for Ugly. There are some ugly truths about writing, things no one wants to talk about, no one wants to admit. I’m talking about the emotions we all try to hide away. What emotions? How about: Anxiety (or … Continue reading
T is for traditional publishing. Prior to around the year 2000, the adjective “traditional” wouldn’t have been necessary—publishing was publishing. There were large presses, sure, and small presses, and various publishers were known for their work in specific genres. But … Continue reading