There's an underlying confusion about "voice" and point of view in story, which I want to address first.
Friday, October 27, 2017
Which Point of View Should I Use? A Tour of First, Second, Third, and More
I often get
this question in my classes: what point of view is best for my book?
Who is best to tell this story? What are the differences between first,
second, third, and omniscient points of view?
Friday, October 20, 2017
How to Build a Chapter--A Cool New Template to Try for Any Genre
This week I'm
teaching on Madeline Island, a beautiful spot on Lake Superior off the
shore of northern Wisconsin. Yesterday my class of ten writers explored
a new template I've been working with for building chapters. As a
review for them and a gift for you, I thought I'd share it.
Many of my
book-writing students, as well as private clients, even those already
published, struggle with how to build strong chapters. Over the past
year, I've been studying different templates for chapter building.
Asking myself some hard questions:
Friday, October 13, 2017
How Powerful Is the "Container" of Your Story?
Book
writers must create writing that pulls a reader in, that engages us so
well, we can't stop reading. A favorite nonfiction writer, Malcolm
Gladwell, spoke about this task--and its challenge to most writers--in
the preface to his book What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures.
Gladwell's topics are potentially dry. I love his ability to present his material in an amazingly engaging way.
Friday, October 6, 2017
Publishing Alternatives to the Big Five--What Is Best for Your Book?
Quite a
few of my clients have released their books this past year, always a
happy moment for me. My bookshelves are crammed with gift copies, which
they often send as thank-you's, and I love seeing the finished
product. And how far the book has come since we began working together,
in class or privately.
Some
have decided to go with agents, some on their own. But many, agented or
not, have explored beyond the Big Five NYC publishers and found
alternative homes for their books.
One author I spoke with recently said she's so happy with how her book came out, via a partner press, and she's grateful she was open to other options besides the Big Five. Her agent even counseled her against them, and I've heard this from other authors this past year.
One author I spoke with recently said she's so happy with how her book came out, via a partner press, and she's grateful she was open to other options besides the Big Five. Her agent even counseled her against them, and I've heard this from other authors this past year.
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