Selling a book to a publisher is no easy task. Just ask the multitudes with that book they wrote once, gathering dust on a hard drive somewhere. Book publishing is facing tougher times than ever before with the e-book, the kindle, the ever dwindling independent bookstores, the fall of the mega-bookstores, etc., etc. For a …
The Rules for a Scintillating Short Mystery
A short mystery story is a difficult form to master, but the authors who do, like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Allan Poe, create enduring bite-sized mysteries that continue to delight readers many generations after their deaths. In a short story you don’t have the luxury of hundreds of pages to develop the plot …
Journal Writing for Developing Style and Conquering Self-Doubt
Think of journal writing as doodling with words. Before any creative writing project gets moving, there is a period of experimentation. This is the time when the writer brainstorms, jotting down thoughts or snippets of ideas that begin to explore the topic of the creative piece. The journaling process is different for each writer, but …
Writing American Crime Fiction in the Wake of Stieg Larsson
I love a good American reading craze, especially since they seem to be so few and far between. I remember dressing up as Neville Longbottom and standing outside Barnes and Nobel in the freezing cold. As the clock struck midnight the doors opened and hundreds of kids and adults poured inside; ready to devour the …
The Unexpected Lives of English Majors
Stereotypes come in a variety of flavors in modern society. Many enduring stereotypes apply to those individuals who have achieved – or are working towards – a degree in English. The common types of derisive questions asked of these people are, “What are you going to do with your degree? Write a bunch of poetry?” …
10 Things to do with an English Degree
1. Author or Writer A degree in English is, of course, suitable for those looking to produce literary works. English degrees teach students the mechanics of the language and introduce them to stylistic techniques through the study of major works. This job tends to be highly competitive and most authors are self-employed. Those writers who …
A Day in the Life of a Writer
As the designated go-to guy for the past 6 years at his church, Marc Conyers sort of fell into his position as a writer. His first request came from the pastor himself who initially needed programs made up for a funeral the following Saturday. Marc could not understand why he had selected him for the …