Category: Dubious Writing Advice
Hook Shot: Still More Fun With First Lines
One of my absolute favorite blog topics is analyzing the first lines of my short stories and trying to divine whether a good one helps you get published. This all stems from a fantastic essay written by Stephen King called “Great Hookers I Have… Continue Reading “Hook Shot: Still More Fun With First Lines”
Good as New: Evaluating Fledgling Publishers
I covered this topic back in 2016, and I think it’s due for an update. In the last four years, I’ve seen a lot of genre markets come and go (one that showed up and disappeared almost overnight), and there are some things I… Continue Reading “Good as New: Evaluating Fledgling Publishers”
Tropes That Suck or How to Sell a Vampire Story
I have a problem, a writerly weakness if you will. I can’t stop writing vampire stories. Of the thirteen stories I’ve sold in 2020, five of them feature the befanged bloodsuckers. Why do I bring this up? Well, because vampires are tough to sell.… Continue Reading “Tropes That Suck or How to Sell a Vampire Story”
Novel Work: Round One Revisions
A little over a month ago, I finished the first draft of a new novel tentatively titled Hell to Play. I let it sit for a while to rest, refocus, and work on other projects, but now I’ve started doing the initial read-through and… Continue Reading “Novel Work: Round One Revisions”
Rejection Reflection: Is This Market for Me?
One of the toughest questions writers sometimes ask themselves is if a particular publisher is a good market for their work. When the form rejections pile up, you begin to wonder if maybe they just aren’t into your style, voice, tone, etc. That’s entirely… Continue Reading “Rejection Reflection: Is This Market for Me?”
Submission Journal: The Bad Year
I’ve been submitting short stories pretty regularly for the last seven years, and my acceptance percentage is usually between fifteen and twenty percent, except for one strange, terrible year. In 2017 I managed only a measly 7% acceptance rate. But why? Well, first some… Continue Reading “Submission Journal: The Bad Year”
Evolution of a Short Author Bio II
An author’s bio can change quite a bit over an author’s career. Mine sure has. The more writerly accomplishments I accumulate, the more my bio changes, and over the past couple years I’ve added some important things to my resume. Before I get into… Continue Reading “Evolution of a Short Author Bio II”
Writing Prompts: Stirring or Stifling?
These days it’s not uncommon for writers to use a prompt of some kind to get the ol’ creative juices flowing. It’s often part of a writing exercise, but sometimes it’s an element of a writing contest or even a short story submission. But… Continue Reading “Writing Prompts: Stirring or Stifling?”
Micromanagement II: 4 MORE Benefits of Writing Tiny
Almost exactly one year ago I published an article called Micromanagement: 4 Benefits of Writing Tiny. I had just started writing microfiction, and I found a number of tangible benefits from doing so. To quickly recap, those benefits are: better self-editing, a chance to… Continue Reading “Micromanagement II: 4 MORE Benefits of Writing Tiny”
First Draft Drive: 2000 Words Per Day
This week I’m starting the first draft of a new novel. I’ve got my outline, and I’m (more or less) ready to go. But what’s my plan of attack? What are my goals? How quickly do I aim to finish. Let me answer those… Continue Reading “First Draft Drive: 2000 Words Per Day”
Acts of War: Flashpoint
Acts of War: Aftershock
Acts of War: Stormbreak
A Point of Honor
