Does the start of your novel offer close-ups?
When I saw at the library the latest novel in an alternative-history series, I snapped it up.
Why wouldn’t I? The previous dozen volumes had not only explored an intriguing premise, but they’d show it to me through the perspectives of an well-developed cast.
Not the latest novel. The prologue, after briefly introducing one character, immediately brought another on … Continue reading
Better messages come in smaller packages.
Many contributors to the “chapter news” section of the magazine I edit have not yet caught on that I’m enforcing the maximum word count of 75 words. It’s my only way to include everything in a point size big enough to read.
This past week, on deadline, I had no choice but to condense the 89-, 101-, and 129-word entries. As … Continue reading
Do your social media posts sabotage your brand?
The author’s latest post made me cringe.
I’m sure that wasn’t her intent. Considering its brevity, I expect her post reflected little forethought. She never suspected she was contributing to her author branding
Nevertheless, that badly written sentence shaped my impression of Jane Doe, who identifies herself online as “Author Jane Doe.”
“Author” implies not only having something … Continue reading