Writing and Publishing News

I can’t tell you how many manuscripts I see that just don’t seem very interesting or promising when I read the first few pages. If I continue on, however, I will often get into the story and actually enjoy it.
I always wonder, why did this seem like it would be a dull book? Why didn’t [...]

What will cause/entice reader (or a publisher) to read your book? For a novel or memoir, for example, your intriguing title might cause someone to pick up your book. But what’s going to keep him or her reading? Your opening line. The trick is to grab the reader within the first line or paragraph. Wait [...]

December could be the best month for book sales all year. After all, books make great gifts for every reader on your list. If Uncle George or Aunt Flossie are not what you’d consider avid readers, they might still enjoy a book in their area of interest—wood carving, for example, stream fishing, bulldogs, quilting or [...]

I’m back, but not completely. The flu bug still has a hold on me. So much for this year’s flu shot. Have any of you contracted the flu this year after having the shot? I should have known the shot was no good—my arm didn’t even hurt afterward. Usually I go around with a pretty [...]

What do you do when some sort of flu bug finds you despite the fact that you got your shot, take your vitamins, eat right, get plenty of rest and sunshine and exercise regularly? Well, I’m going to hunker down with a friend’s book, in between welcome periods of sleep.
I have one editing project [...]

It used to be that, when I was presented with what I considered a challenge (a task or activity that made me feel the least bit uneasy), I would say, “No!” I would decline the opportunity on the spot without giving the invitation or request a second chance.
And then one day it occurred to [...]

When you write a story—whether fiction or nonfiction—do you always connect the dots? In other words, do you make sure to carry your readers along with the story or do you drop them somewhere and make them have to work to catch up?
Do you sometimes get so tired of writing that you leave things out? [...]

Do you participate in forums and discussion groups to learn more about writing and publishing? Or, perhaps you belong to online groups related to the theme of your book—gardening, New Age thought, motorcycles, bird watching, hiking or finances, for example.
Before I ask you what you’re getting out of it, let me ask what are [...]

Have your favorite writing-related newsletters and magazines changed over time? Are you less inclined to read them from cover to cover? What has happened? You used to study every article, read every case history and profile, view every recommended link. And now you either simply scan them or delete them without reading. Why?
I can answer [...]

My article, “You’re the Expert,” appears in the Book Promotion Newsletter this morning (October 21, 2009). This piece focuses on how to position yourself as an expert in your field and sell more copies of your book on this topic. When you read it, you may say, “Wow! This is the same stuff Patricia tells [...]