by mike | May 9, 2022 | Books, Editing, Publishing, Uncategorized, Writers' Conferences, Writing |
I had a “gimmick”—for want of a better word—that I used when facilitating novel-writing workshops and classes at writers’ conferences and other venues. While discussing the fear of having their work rejected by publishers—something many wannabe authors deal with—I...
by mike | Nov 8, 2021 | Aging, Books, Editing, Publishing, Read & Critique, Uncategorized, Writers' Conferences, Writers' Retreat, Writing |
To be honest, I had planned on working into my seventies—where I am now. As a writing coach, editor, and teacher I totally enjoyed what I did, especially when I saw so many of my students and clients find success as published authors. So what changed? I’ll get to...
by mike | Sep 28, 2020 | Books, Editing, Research, Uncategorized, Writers' Conferences, Writers' Retreat, Writing |
Yes, I mean that literally…but not in a nasty way. Quite the opposite. I’ve written over two dozen novels and countless stories, articles, blog posts, etc., and there has been one consistency over the decades that I’ve been engaged in this: I do my best preliminary...
by mike | Feb 27, 2017 | Books, Editing, Life, Read & Critique, Uncategorized, Writers' Conferences, Writers' Retreat, Writing |
What does former National Basketball Association great Bill Russell have to do with leading classes and workshops about writing novels? I’ll tell you…shortly. But, first things first. MY STUDENTS NEVER KNEW I began facilitating novel-writing workshops in the early...
by mike | Nov 3, 2014 | Books, Editing, Publishing, Uncategorized, Writers' Conferences, Writing |
Okay, this week I’m going to be a curmudgeon—something that I do quite well, actually. There are organizations, conferences, workshops—whatever—that stress sitting down with your laptops on fire and writing novels just as fast as you can. Write 5,000 words over a...
by mike | Feb 10, 2013 | Books, Editing, Publishing, Writers' Conferences, Writing |
A novel is made up of quite a few elements, among them characterization, dialogue, point of view, setting, and so on. But in my mind, the most important element—without question—is the story’s opening, what we call the HOOK, or more specifically, the narrative hook....