Where Do You Get Your Ideas?

That’s the question people perpetually ask writers.

“If you ask a writer who has heard that same question dozens of times,” novelist Elizabeth Peters said, “she may come back with some snappy answer like, ‘There’s a drugstore in North Dakota where I order mine.’”

“The only possible answer,” Peters said, “is ‘Everywhere.’ You don’t get ideas; you see them, recognize them, greet them … Continue reading →

Give It Away?

Should You Ever Write for Free?

You hope to write professionally, which means getting paid for what you write. So should you ever write for free?

I sure hope so.

Disclaimer: I’ve worked for a publication that paid writers well. I’ve worked for a company that paid a token amount (for one-time rights for blog material.) But now I work for an all-volunteer organization whose … Continue reading →

Essential Information

A writers conference may be just what you need.

This past week, a literary agent vented his frustrations about the submissions he’d reviewed that morning. Though the writers assumed they were ready for the Big Leagues, their responses betrayed serious shortcomings.

They lacked a basic understanding of not only the vocabulary, but also the expectations of professional publishing. Without that foundation, … Continue reading →