Archive - Writing for Life RSS Feed

Why a Manuscript Critique Is a Critical Step for Writers

Critique. Does this word make you cringe? Perhaps it sounds too much like another word that has a negative connotation: criticism.

Yet, as authors we understand the need to have another pair of eyes look closely at our manuscript and give us constructive advice and direction so we can make our book the absolute best it can be.

But an unprofessional, misguided, or inconsiderately toned critique can cause great heartache and discouragement, so should we really risk our already fragile writer’s ego and let someone tear our precious work apart? Will a good critique be worth not just the money but the emotional cost?

Some copyeditors claim you should critiques are a waste of time. They say all you need is to get your book edited by a copyeditor and fix all the grammatical mistakes. And it’s true that getting a thorough copyedit is essential.

But few writers think about getting their book critiqued first. However, in my thirty+ years of experience with writing novels,  becoming a multipublished author, and working professionally as a copyeditor and writing coach in the publishing industry, I have come to conclude that most authors—whether a new writer or seasoned published author—need a professional critique and preferably in the early draft of their manuscript. Continue Reading…

5 “Success” Tips for Fiction Writers

Have you ever asked: “What on earth possessed me to want to be a novelist?” Are you starting to realize this journey of being an author is not a short sprint but a marathon—and often a grueling one at that?

When you hear of the numbers of novels submitted to agents and publishers each year (in the six figures), you sometimes think winning the lottery offers better odds than getting traditionally published. But then . . . you finally break through and get a contract, and months later are holding your brand-new brilliant release in your hand, feeling like you’ve finally arrived.

Not Even Fifteen Minutes of Fame . . .

Yet . . . if you’re like me, the flashbulb moment of that exhilaration lasts a very short time, only to turn into something akin to another stark, depressing realization—that the odds your book will become a huge hit or best seller is . . . well, about the same odds as winning the lottery, and you’re back to the same place (or almost the same place emotionally) as you were when you first starting sending out your first queries to agents. Continue Reading…

How Writers Can Deal with Unsupportive Family and Friends

Today’s guest post is by Lisa Fellinger. 

I often hear writers frustrated with the lack of support some receive from their family and/or friends about their writing. “Lack of support” runs the gamut from not respecting a writer’s need for time to work on their writing to teasing or harassing them for their dream to be a published author.

I’ve seen too many writers hide their writing from friends and family or stop writing altogether due to not feeling respected by those close to them for their writing dreams.

While it’s difficult to give advice without the specifics of each writer’s situation, here are some tips for how to deal with unsupportive family and friends and keep writing. Continue Reading…

Page 1 of 15012345»102030...Last »