Before I decided to write my first novel, I never thought average people from average places doing average things could write a WHOLE BOOK. I thought that was reserved for–oh, I don’t know–people who were smarter, more interesting, older, wealthier, less female, more educated, whiter… the list goes on. So despite always writing, I spent a lot of time not sharing my work, even in my college years, because I…
I really want to write a rant to all the devastations of the day: the Kavanaugh vote in the Senate, the FBI’s incomplete investigation, the senator from Maine’s weak speech justifying her vote against women, the Senate’s dismissal and nullification of Dr. Ford’s courage. But I have to write for the Debs, it’s that time of the week where the Debs must cull their thoughts for the topic at hand….
I have long been a hoarder of quotes. I keep files and files full of them, some organized by theme, some separated by source. I genuinely miss the days when I could show them off and use them to express my current mood in AIM away messages or in LiveJournal subject lines. This week, the Debs are sharing some of our favorite quotes about writing, books, stories, all of that….
This week the Debs are talking about their second books. I feel very blessed to continue my career as an author. It’s a dream come true and a profession I highly enjoy. That, of course, doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with challenges. So I’ve cobbled together three quick-ish (they got longer than I expected…) tips for tackling a sophomore book and beyond, based on my own publishing journey. Results may…
Calling All Debut Authors! Want to be part of a lovely, tight-knit group of writers? Want to go through your debut year as a member of The Debutante Ball? We are currently accepting applications for the 2018 class! Information on who is eligible and how to apply can be found right here! Congratulations to Marilyn Grable, winner of our #DebBallGiveaway of THE THIRD NERO by Lindsey Davis. We were so excited…
I followed my agent’s blog, Adventures in Agentland, long before I knew she’d be the one! Natalie Lakosil’s awesome site, named one of the best sites for writers by Writer’s Digest, is chuck full of helpful tips on querying, manuscript revisions, character development, and marketing. One of the main sites I revisited to understand how agents “think,” improving my chances for my book to be sold. I particularly enjoy when she…
There are no shortage of inspiring quotes and lists of advice from great writers. The internet is full of them. Go ahead. Google “writing advice.” See? There’s no end to it. But the two best pieces of writing advice I’ve ever had came from unexpected places: an agent who is not longer an agent and a writer whose name I can’t remember. So here it is, the writing advice that has…
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to hear Jodi Picoult read from her latest novel LEAVING TIME, and to meet her for the briefest of moments while she signed my book. She was funny, and gracious, and quite down to earth despite her 23 books – the last 8 of which have made it on the NYT bestsellers list. And while I loved learning about the book,…
In no particular order: 1. Write every day. (Not every day is a writing day. Some days are recharge and reflect days. Others are step-away-from-the-ms-before-you-revise days. Others are go live your life days.) 2. Butt in chair. (Or couch. Or bed. Or blanket on the grass on a breezy spring day.) 3. Write what you know. (I wrote Chasing the Sun because there was so much I didn’t know about my own…
On this Veteran’s Day, let us say thank you to all the service men and women who have served our country and continue to do so. Their families, too—your sacrifices humble us. In honor of the holiday, let’s learn a few things from veterans who’ve gone ahead of us in publishing. Sure, that’s not quite as heroic, but we appreciate veteran authors, too. I asked five published writer friends to teach…
