Need help finding story ideas? One of the most common questions I’m asked is, “Where do you get your ideas?” I’ve always said that if you ask me to write a story about a woman in a red dress sitting at a bar, I can do that without batting an eye, but ask me to write…
How can I get someone else to license my content? I got this question a while back and I’ve been pondering what I want to say about it ever since. The idea is that if you’ve written a novel, say, you might be able to license it to a movie or television producer and earn…
A few weeks ago at the ophthalmologist’s office, I got the “Do you need a doctor’s excuse for work?” question again. I’m always shocked at this question. There are jobs where a GROWN ADULT has to provide a permission slip from Mommy? I mean the doctor? Are you kidding me? No, I don’t need a…
Do you really need an agent to sell a book? (What is an agent, anyway?) What is an agent? Agents negotiate book deals with editors on behalf of writers. They know the editors, the publishers, and the markets far better than a writer could – because that’s their only job. A great agent can do…
A burning question for editors – how fast can you edit? There is a limit to how fast you can edit. Editors often ask me how they can edit faster. Some even boast that they’ve found techniques that allow them to go 15% faster! Or 25% faster! And . . . okay. I get it;…
Mastering Storytelling: Emotions in Writing Being able to convey emotions in writing is a storyteller’s dream. Kate Rusby is an English folk singer-songwriter whose songs sometimes make me laugh and sometimes make me cry. I typically write and edit in long form – novels, not short stories. So I’m always interested in how writers manage…
Writer Question: Exactly how long does querying take? I’m often asked how long it takes to hear back from editors or agents. Maybe a writer has an agent who has submitted a proposal or a manuscript, and she’s biting her nails waiting to hear back, or she’s submitted the full manuscript of her novel at an agent’s request…
The goal of every editor should be that of providing a cohesive developmental edit for a manuscript. A lot of the skill in developmental editing is just keeping your mouth shut. Not every single thing you notice needs to be commented upon. It doesn’t make the author’s revision go more effectively when you’re nitpicking about…
If you’re a freelance editor trying to drum up business, then stay tuned for a big time-saving marketing tip. One of the challenges when you’re starting out as a freelance editor is that there is SO MUCH you could be doing to market your services. There’s Facebook and Instagram and TikTok and YouTube (not to…
Feedback for Writers I’ve been an Indiana Jones fan since Raiders of the Lost Ark. So I went to see The Dial of Destiny. When the opening credits showed four screenwriters, I knew the movie was going to be a mess even before . . . well. When you see more than two people with…