Critiques – Nullius in Verba

Creating Book Buzz

One of the tenets of selling books is the need for word of mouth. Thomas Nelson publishing has come up with one way to create that buzz about a book–give books away. Bloggers can receive free copies of select Thomas Nelson products. Their stipulation is that, in exchange, you must agree to read the bookContinue reading “Creating Book Buzz”

(Jumping the) Query Shark

Jumping the shark nowadays meaning doing something so outside of what a character/TV series what do that the storyline moves in a bizarre direction. However writing to the Query Shark is a good thing. She’s an agent who receives query letters and critiques the letter. Here’s a perfect one in her opinion.

The First Sixteen Lines

Sixteen. That’s the number of lines of text appearing on the first page of a book. After the book jacket blurbs, it’s that first page that must compel the reader onward or the book is put back on the shelf. There is a site that critiques those first lines; it’s called Flogging the Quill andContinue reading “The First Sixteen Lines”

Somewhat Self-Indulgent

One of last month’s reviews on YouWriteOn.com accused my story of being a “somewhat self-indulgent piece…” I let a month go by to see if this review still rankled. It does. My feelings have festered. It seems that it’s time that I lanced this sucker and cleaned out the wound. As I understand “somewhat self-indulgent”Continue reading “Somewhat Self-Indulgent”