The Debutante Ball

Seven debut authors. Seven books. One big dance toward publication.

Menu
Skip to content
  • Melissa Chadburn
  • Jennifer Fawcett
  • Flora Collins
  • Sonya Singh
  • Cleyvis Natera
  • Sarah Grunder Ruiz
  • Carolyn Huynh

Category: craft

  • Posted on Thursday, May 6, 2021Wednesday, May 5, 2021
  • by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

The Purge! (or, Getting that first draft out of your system)

Ernest Hemingway famously said all first drafts are garbage, except he used a way more *effluent* term instead of garbage.…

Read More
  • Posted on Thursday, February 11, 2021Wednesday, February 10, 2021
  • by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

The autodidact’s reading list

I’ve written previously about how I have an MBA, not an MFA. And how that didn’t work out so great…

Read More
  • Posted on Thursday, January 14, 2021Thursday, January 14, 2021
  • by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

I left my heart in Corpus Christi

My fellow Debs and I are blogging this week about our favorite types of scenes to write, and it made…

Read More
  • Posted on Thursday, October 29, 2020Wednesday, October 28, 2020
  • by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

The Jackhammer in the Basement: On writing (or not writing) through distractions

“It’s a black fly in your chardonnay. It’s a death row pardon two minutes too late.” Alanis Morissette was kind…

Read More
  • Posted on Thursday, October 8, 2020Wednesday, October 7, 2020
  • by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

World Building in the Real World

When writers talk about “world building” they mean more than just setting. Setting is where a story takes place. But…

Read More
  • Posted on Wednesday, December 11, 2019
  • by Karen Osborne

Abandon your darlings

Imagine, if you will, the author in her very early twenties. She’s two months out from her college graduation, completing…

Read More
  • Posted on Friday, November 29, 2019Monday, November 25, 2019
  • by Amy Klein

So Much to Be Grateful For (And Yet…)

“You have a book coming out. Aren’t you excited!” “Excited” is not the word that I or anyone around me…

Read More
  • Posted on Friday, November 15, 2019Tuesday, November 12, 2019
  • by Amy Klein

My Book Pitch Letter

We can discuss pitching and pitch letters till the sky turns green, but what would probably be more helpful is…

Read More
  • Posted on Friday, November 1, 2019Monday, October 28, 2019
  • by Amy Klein

What is Scarier than Empty Space?

Well, I’m glad Halloween is over. Now it’s time for more prosaic fears. Myself. Yup, it’s that time of year…

Read More
  • Posted on Friday, October 25, 2019Thursday, October 24, 2019
  • by Amy Klein

Funny Thing About Working with an Editor

Maybe you don’t know this about me yet, but I’m a big procrastinator. I mean BIG. So when I ship…

Read More

Posts navigation

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Next Page

About Us

Since 2007, the Debutante Ball has been celebrating first-time authors and their books. Learn more.

Blog Schedule

Current Topic: Welcoming the New Class

Mon. 8/30: 

Tues. 8/31: Lyn says good-bye from the 2021 Debs

Wed. 9/1: New Class Takes Over

Thurs. 9/2:

Fri. 9/3:  

 Sat. 9/4:

Sun. 9/5: Debutante News

Past & Present Debs

Deb Class of 2021

Deb Class of 2020

Deb Class of 2019

Deb Class of 2018

Deb Class of 2017

Deb Class of 2016

Deb Class of 2015

Deb Class of 2014

Deb Class of 2013

Deb Class of 2012

Deb Class of 2011

Deb Class of 2010

Deb Class of 2009

Deb Class of 2008

Deb Class of 2007

Tags

2018 Debs advice agents amwriting anxiety Author Interview authors Authors on the Web book launch books Cass Morris childhood Craft creativity debut author Debut Novel editing family fear food Friends gratitude Guest Author historical fiction inspiration Julie Clark Kaitlyn Patterson Sage Kimmery Martin Lara Lillibridge Life literary agents memoir News Flash nostalgia publishing rejection THE ONES WE CHOOSE the writing life travel what we're reading writers Writers' Resources writing writing process YA
© Copyright 2023 – The Debutante Ball
Radical Theme by WPFlask ⋅ Powered by WordPress
close
Facebook IconTwitter IconSubscribe
show