Writing a bestselling book
independent.co.uk – Friday November 24, 2017
Every author hopes their novel will earn that elusive but much-desired tag of bestseller – can there possibly be any better branding to have on your paperback, one that will open more doors, attract more readers, and set the writer on the path to fame, riches and a warm glow every time they check Amazon?
But is it possible to actually set out to write a bestseller? We could all write a novel, given enough time, inspiration, and ink and paper. It might not necessarily be a very good novel, but we can be taught the mechanics. Indeed, hundreds of thousands of would-be novelists have been trying their hand at doing just that this past month as part of National Novel Writing Month.
Romance and the bloke — Aussie male romance writers tap into billion-dollar industry
abc.net.au – Thursday November 23, 2017
The romance novel is mainly written by and for women, but there are a few men like Jeff Kenneally willing to tackle the billion-dollar industry.
The Craft of Writing: How Crucial It Is to Maintain a Daily Practice
skyword.com – Wednesday November 15, 2017
Long before I was a freelance writer, I wrote fiction. One of the key things I learned from my writing mentor, the late novelist Les Plesko, was the importance of writing daily. “Write every day, even on your birthday,” he would say with a toothless grin. Maintaining such a practice is crucial in your success as a writer.
Trick Yourself Into Writing Well by Telling Yourself to Write Badly
lifehacker.com – Sunday November 5, 2017
One of the best things about NaNoWriMo, or any terrifying deadline, is that it forces you to write quickly. (Hello, procrastinators.) If you’re writing quickly—if writing quickly is your stated goal—then you don’t have time to do the number one thing that interrupt your writing flow: think about whether what you’re writing is good.
The secret of how to write a bestseller
independent.co.uk – Saturday November 4, 2017
The one thing that stops people being good writers is the myth that there is such a thing as good writing, says Andy Martin. The point of the creative writing course is to get you over the delusion.
Words You Can Use Instead of "Very" to Punch Up Your Writing
lifehacker.com – Tuesday October 31, 2017
Learning how to write is like learning how to play a musical instrument: Once you learn the basic rules—grammar, spelling and punctuation—and are writing technically correct sentences, there’s a still the whole world of syntax, diction, and style to conquer. And this is where writers, like musicians, have opinions: Is it better to write straightforward, no-frills prose, or to weave verbal flights of fancy that illustrate complex, poetic sentiments? Or something in between? For me, diction is a big deal—the writers I admire are precise in their word choice—and I appreciate tidy sentences that get to the point.
5 things I wish I’d known before writing my first novel, Five Parks
metro.co.uk – Sunday October 22, 2017
I have written a novel.
Five words that every writer, aspiring or otherwise, longs to pen, or, as is more likely these days, type.
And I am lucky enough to have joined the club.
My first novel, Five Parks, a psychological thriller, was published by Endeavour Press in August.
It’s about a female freelance journalist who is kidnapped after going on five different blind dates with five different men in five different parks in London.
When she wakes up after the fifth date handcuffed in a dark room, she has to figure out – by continuing her dating blog, Five Parks – where she is and who took her.
It’s High Fidelity meets Misery, with a dollop of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory thrown in. And it was a lot of fun to write.
But it was also bloody hard.
Here are five things I wish I’d known before writing my first novel.
What I Learned From Binge-Writing Nine Bad Novels
vitals.lifehacker.com – Friday October 20, 2017
This year, I will write my tenth terrible novel. I do this every November; it’s part of the NaNoWriMo tradition. I’ve never published these novels, but I grow as a writer and as a human being every time I write one. Let me tell you why it’s worthwhile.
Philip Pullman: Rules of writing from man behind His Dark Materials
bbc.co.uk – Thursday October 19, 2017
So what are the tricks of the trade that has made Pullman such a success - and the tips he can pass on to budding writers?
He spoke to the BBC about his lucky pen and why he can work to the sound of a pneumatic drill, but never to music.
Writing for free undermines profession
irishtimes.com – Monday October 16, 2017
I’m a full-time writer and illustrator and was approached recently by an editor working for a reputable company who asked me to contribute a piece for an anthology of contemporary Irish writers. There was to be no fee. The company expected me to to provide the work for free, because of who they were and, presumably, the exposure I’d get for it. It was a commercial business, not a charity, although it said that any profits would go towards supporting emerging writers – as if established writers don’t need “support”.
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