Years ago I attended a lecture by a bestselling author. I hadn't published a book yet, so I took copious notes and committed his every word to memory. One of his pearls of wisdom was this scintillating thought: "Never align your character with a product you don't like." He went on to explain that he'd created a protagonist who loved a certain brand of beer. "Not my favorite brand," said the novelist. "I just randomly chose a brand. … [Read more...] about Why Kiki Lowenstein LOVES Diet Dr Pepper
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How to Get Your Book Published in Four Easy Steps
How to Get a Book Published in Four Easy Steps By Joanna Campbell Slan (Joanna is the author of twenty published books, including three mystery series. For more information, go to www.JoannaSlan.com ) 1. Write your book. (I'm assuming your work is fiction. Yes, you need an entire book, start to finish.) 2. Determine what genre your book is. (No idea? Go to Barnes & Noble, find a couple of books that are closest to what you've … [Read more...] about How to Get Your Book Published in Four Easy Steps
Charlotte You Won A Copy of Whimsey!
Would you please pop me an email at JCSlan@JoannaSlan.com with your postal address--or if you prefer an electronic copy, please tell us! Thanks! Kaye and Joanna … [Read more...] about Charlotte You Won A Copy of Whimsey!
You're Going to Love 'Beachcomber Art'
Being an author means, you constantly question yourself. "Is this the right idea? Or should I have chosen another topic?" There's no way to tell if you are working on something really cool...or if you picked a lemon. And your confidence suffers accordingly. I'd had a bad, sad couple of days where my doubts got the better of me, when the Universe decided to send me a sign. A detour on the highway took me right past Debbie Brookes' charming … [Read more...] about You're Going to Love 'Beachcomber Art'
How to Judge Whether Criticism Is Fair or Not
"Kaizen" is a wonderful Japanese word that means constant and neverending improvement. I've taken that idea to heart. I want every book I write to be better than the last. One way I can improve is by paying attention to criticism. But not all criticism is equally valuable. And some criticism should be promptly forgotten. How can you tell what's what? By considering the intent of your critic. People share … [Read more...] about How to Judge Whether Criticism Is Fair or Not
Why Writers Need to Protect Fragile Beginnings…
It happened like this... I shared three chapters of new work to someone I trust. That person finished reading my words, and said...nothing. NOTHING! Finally, I prompted my reader for a response. "I want to think about this..." was all I got. The next day the reader told me how disappointing my ideas were. The reader went on with a laundry list of "I thought you were going to...and I had envisioned." Yes, I could see a few valid criticisms, and … [Read more...] about Why Writers Need to Protect Fragile Beginnings…
