How do you know when to give up on a project?

This question was posed in a post over at the fabulous Nathan Bransford blog. Bransford was asking readers when they decide it’s time to lay a current project to rest. It’s an interesting question for writers. After all the effort- and blood, sweat, and tears-writers put into their work, is there a moment when you…

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The Seven Deadly Sins of Writing

As a Europhile and an admirer of medieval churches, I’m always drawn to the fire and brimstone depictions of the seven deadly sins. I’ve been dragging my kids around with me since they were old enough to toddle across ancient floors, pointing out these fascinating frescoes that would explain to the poor parishioners of old…

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The word count conundrum

At some point before submitting, a writer must confront the big question out there : What kind of word count is acceptable to literary agents and publishers? Fortunately, there’s a VERY helpful post for writers from Writer’s Digest on word count, broken down by genre. This is something you may not have considered until the…

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Important lessons from first-time novelists

The excellent Writers’ Digest web site posted this interesting article on lessons learned by first-time novelists. Five novelists share their experiences along the pathway to publication – discussing their writing lives before their first novel, their submission processes, their experiences with writers conferences, balancing writing and work/family commitments, and what they’d wished they’d known before…

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First person narrative isn’t serious?

Nathan Bransford, of the fabulous Nathan Bransford blog – a treasure trove for writers – weighs in on the first person narrative in the post Wait. A first person narrative isn’t serious? Bransford received numerous comments for an earlier post weighing in on types of narrators, and was surprised by readers’ comments that writing professors,…

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Listen to your subconscious when writing

“Things will come to you and you’re not going to know exactly how they fit in. You have to trust in the way they all fit together, that your subconscious knows what you’re doing.” I came across this fantastic quote about writing by acclaimed American author Donna Tartt. A New York Times Book Review article…

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How to tighten your manuscript

This was very good timing. Literary agent Rachelle Gardner just ran an interesting post entitled ‘How to tighten your manuscript‘. I, um … blush, shuffle feet … always seem to be facing this dilemma. After pitching sessions with agents at the recent Matera Women’s Fiction festival, I need to start cutting word count for my…

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Wrap-up of Matera Women’s Fiction Festival 2013

I am just back from my fabulous annual pilgrimage to the Matera Women’s Fiction Festival. This is my third year participating in this inspiring event. Once again, I’ve learned a tremendous amount about publishing from the experts, had a great time at live pitching sessions to agents and publishers, met a wonderful group of interesting…

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Sarah Waters’ ten rules for writing fiction

I enjoyed British author Sarah Waters’ World War II novel The Night Watch, and I absolutely adored her wonderfully atmospheric, Gothic novel The Little Stranger. So when I saw this Aerogramme Writers’ Studio post with the author’s useful writing advice – Sarah Waters’ ten rules for writing fiction – I had to see what this…

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Your story architecture

Going through a complete apartment renovation means I probably have architecture on the mind. But I know I should probably take my story architecture as seriously as I do my home architecture. That’s why I was so happy to see this post on the wonderful Writers in the Storm blog : Figuring out your story’s turning…

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