Over at WriteYourAssOff.com I posted about the “thou shalt nots” for Facebook specifically for authors. Feel free to stop by, check the lists out, and add your own suggestions if you have some. http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.com/2014/01/thou-shalt-nots-for-facebook.html
Can I use song lyrics in a book?
I thought I’d blogged about this before, but apparently I had not. Rectified. LOL http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.com/2014/01/can-i-use-song-lyrics-in-book.html
Pop Quiz: Contracts
Pop Quiz: Which of these are HUGE red flags in a publishing contract? a) Charging for editing. b) “Life of copyright” contract length terms. c) Asking for rights other than ebook and print formats. d) “Net” not clearly specified. e) Taking ownership of copyright for length of contract. f) Nebulous “editing” clauses that allow the … Read More
WARNING: Authors, blurbs can kill…your sales!
I offer this blog post up as a cautionary tale to authors. Especially to self-published authors who don’t have a publisher to tell them, “Um, NO, this is NOT a good idea.” I had to unfriend a fellow author on Facebook tonight. The reason? They were posting in multiple groups a blurb for their book. … Read More
Write Your Ass Off: Tuesday Topics
New post up at Write Your Ass Off, a list of various writing topics from amping up suspense to handling criticism, to dealing with backstory issues: http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.com/2013/06/tuesday-topics.html
Writing Tip: Editors – They’re not your maid, or your mommy.
The one where I rant blog about an editor’s role: Write Your Ass Off – Editors: They’re not your maid, or your mommy.
Trainwreck in the making — an author arguing with reviewers.
What NOT to do as a writer… http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.com/2013/06/one-more-timedo-not-argue-with-reviewers.html Seriously, do NOT argue with reviewers. I learned this hard lesson early in my career. Believe me, it NEVER ends well, and the author in this case is not only arguing with reviewers, but is doing so ARROGANTLY. *smh* If you can’t handle getting negative reviews, DO … Read More
Writer Beware: "Review" apps?
Okay, a couple of odd emails I’ve received over the past few days now make sense. I received nearly identically worded emails from different people with requests for reviews based on reviews they’ve seen of mine on Amazon. Um, I rarely review on Amazon. The outlandish difference between the genres of their books was odd … Read More
Of Hobbits and habits and sharks, why sometimes less is more in writing and movies.
Source I stumbled across a series of separate but related articles today that sort of helped me gel something I’ve known for a long time about similarities in writing and in movies: Sometimes, less is more. Far more. Apparently this is never as true as Peter Jackson’s recent experiment with using a high frame rate … Read More
Writing How-To: The dreaded blurb.
I’ve got a post about writing loglines and blurbs for writers over on the Write Your Ass Off blog. http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-dreaded-blurb.html
Writing How-To: What NOT to do for promotions.
Today’s post is prompted by the fact that on one of the email loops I’m on, a writer has apparently gone on vacation to the South Pacific with her handsome hubby to do book research. How do I know this? Because before Clueless Writer left on vacation, she set up an auto-responder to her email … Read More
Writing How-To: Using trademarked brands in fiction.
Quick writing primer today on trademarks in fiction. While using song lyrics in your fiction without first obtaining written permission is verbotten, trademarks frequently confuse writers. What do I mean? For example, when you refer to the drink, it’s Coke, not coke. (Lowercase coke is if you’re referring to cocaine.) It’s a Dumpster, not a … Read More
Friday frappe.
Time for another mash-up of things I’ve gleaned from the interwebs (other than pictures of cats). Great article at the Writer Beware blog about when to refuse a contract (complete with reference links): http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2012/11/guest-blog-post-mustering-courage-to.html A couple of great articles from LiveScience about dreaming here http://www.livescience.com/24707-dreams-sleep-science.html and here http://www.livescience.com/17290-facts-dreams-nightmares.html. Don’t be drinking anything (you have been warned) when you read … Read More
Brrraaaiinnzzzz…writing menage and the zombie apocalyps.
What does the zombie apocalypse of “The Walking Dead” have to do with writing menage? Nothing…and everything. Click here to read my guest blog over at the “When One is Not Enough” blog to find out what I’m talking about: http://menageromance.blogspot.com/2012/11/zombie-apocalypses-and-writing-menage.html
Monday miscellany.
Hmm, yeah, sometimes Mondays are just about like that. LOL Fortunately for me today, not the case. It’s the first day of October, meaning Samhain is right around the corner. Last night I submitted the manuscript for DSMC-4 (“Out of Bight, Out of Mind”) to Siren, so keep your fingers crossed! There is always a … Read More