I was at a writing event a while ago, and the keynote speaker, a published author, said that the way he gets blurbs is he writes out what he wants the other author to say, and then the other author signs it. He said that’s how everybody gets blurbs. I waved away the flies formingContinue reading “Writing Wednesday: Getting Blurbs”
Category Archives: writing
Book Tour
I had the absolute pleasure this week of going on my very first BOOK TOUR. This was a huge milestone for me, something I have daydreamed about since I was a child. Monday started out very early, when the car picked me up at 6 am. I kissed the kiddos good-bye (Little Girl didn’t evenContinue reading “Book Tour”
I Had a Very Good Week, Thank You
Last year, I went around to various bookstores and signed stock (and left boxes of chocolate wherever I went, like an Easter Bunny in August.) I went into one and couldn’t find my book, though it had only been out a couple of days. I asked if they had it. “Let me see,” said theContinue reading “I Had a Very Good Week, Thank You”
Stranger than Fiction?
“Nobody would believe you if you wrote this in a book,” my mother-in-law said by way of greeting. We had come to visit her daughter, Deb, who was recovering from surgery in the hospital. I sat down to hear the story. I fully believed that the story would be an interesting, albeit frustrating, one. WhileContinue reading “Stranger than Fiction?”
Writing Wednesday: 10 Ways to Socialize
Yes, I know it’s Friday, not Writing Wednesday. But bear with me– I’ve been writing guest blog posts for the release of my paperback next week, so that has consumed most of my time. For me, working alone is one of the hardest things about writing (aside from, you know, the practical aspects, like unpredictableContinue reading “Writing Wednesday: 10 Ways to Socialize”
Writing Wednesdays: Creating Sympathetic Characters
A friend wrote to me with this question: How do you make the character jump off the page? You know, make him someone memorable, someone you want to root for? You make a character someone you want to root for by making them sympathetic. I used to have some trouble with this. I’d give myContinue reading “Writing Wednesdays: Creating Sympathetic Characters”
Writing Wednesday: Book Trailer Filming Recap
The video production went really well! David and Kathryn Seay showed up at the stroke of one on Friday and got right to work rearranging the furniture and plugging in enormous lights. Luckily, the gardeners had just gone, but of course the house next door, which is getting overhauled, had lots of saws going. EveryContinue reading “Writing Wednesday: Book Trailer Filming Recap”
Writing Wednesdays: Process: Final Edits
I got edits back for my new book last Tuesday morning. On Monday, my editor told me they were coming and made this suggestion, among others: “I think just a small notice about Gal’s own solitude/her solitary ways even when surrounded by ‘company’ could give us an emotional boost. Does that make sense?” Nope, itContinue reading “Writing Wednesdays: Process: Final Edits”
Is the Last Line as Important as the First?
This doesn’t mean that authors shouldn’t pay attention to last lines. There’s a lot of stuff we have to pay attention to as authors that readers don’t, or shouldn’t notice, right? It’s like a well-made garment, with even stitches and reinforced buttonholes that no one except the seamstress sees, unless you look for it.
MARGARET DILLOWAY 