Please welcome my friend, Neil Plakcy--1. Tell us about yourself. I know you teach, Neil. What do you teach and where? How does that work with your career as an author? What sort of impact has this had on your writing schedule? What have you learned through teaching that you apply to your work?Though back in 1988 I signed up for the new Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing at Florida International University just to learn to write … [Read more...] about Guest Blogger Neil Plakcy
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Writing Scenes that Create an Emotional Body Blow
Note: I was so impressed with this that I asked Christine if I could share it with all of you. Okay, even if you are writing mysteries, you still need to move your readers. Is your pencil ready to take notes? Should be, because this, my friends, is a master class in the art of writing well. joanna by Christine Wells I think all of us writing romance have heard of emotional punch, haven't we? One of the most important tasks of any romance … [Read more...] about Writing Scenes that Create an Emotional Body Blow
About Rejection…
I've had two people within the past week ask me how I handle rejection. One said, "Joanna, have you ever had anything rejected by your publisher?"Well, yeah.And I'll tell you how I've come to think about this...See you can't get to the east coast or the west coast without crossing mountains. You can fly over them, or you can drive over them, but one way or the other, you've got to pass through them.Rejection in this business is like mountains. … [Read more...] about About Rejection…
Upcoming and Incoming–Stuff I'm Doing and Thinking
* Listen in, please! I'll be Sylvia Dicky Smith's featured guest on Murder She Writes today at 5 p.m. CDT. You can listen in at http://www.blogtalkradio.com I hope to talk some about promotions as well as my new book.* Welcome new subscribers! My Constant Contact list grew by 62 names this month. Why? I think that reminding people they can sign up for my newsletter as I sell my book has helped. Now the challenge will continue to be providing … [Read more...] about Upcoming and Incoming–Stuff I'm Doing and Thinking
The Rising Tide of Cozies, Part 1
I just completed a four-part article about 'craft cozies," mysteries that center around a craft or a person involved in crafts. The first installment is now up at ForeWord Magazine, and you can read it here: http://tinyurl.com/puxwykWhy should you care? Well, maybe you'll come up with a couple new marketing ideas or an idea for a mystery series of your own! … [Read more...] about The Rising Tide of Cozies, Part 1
Tools for Overcoming Writer's Block
Last night I posted 15 essays on writing at www.youpublish.com/joannaslanThese were originally monthly columns for an online magazine called "Graceful Bee," but I'm now making them available for a short time for anyone who needs a gentle boost to get writing. Although written for scrapbookers, the ideas and concepts could inspire any writer. Often, when I'm working on a book, I dig through my personal bag of experiences to find raw materials. I … [Read more...] about Tools for Overcoming Writer's Block
