The blogosphere is full of advice for writers about self-promotion, building online relationships, self-branding, creating a platform, and more. But the truth is, if you ask most agents and editors what they’d most like to see from a new writer, the answer is almost always, “Great writing.” With that in mind, here are five ways to pursue excellence. 1…. Read more »
Hello and welcome to another awesome episode of DIY MFA Radio! I’m so excited to interview Sara Paretsky, author of 20 books, including the renowned V.I. Warshawski novels. In 1982 she introduced the world to private eye V.I. Warshawski in her book Indemnity Only. V.I. – tough, credible, street-smart, and feminine – challenged the stereotypes of… Read more »
Over the course of this year’s ThrillerFest, the highs and lows of the writer’s life—both as a craft and as a business—were discussed at length. In one-on-one interviews with genre titans Mark Billingham, Charlaine Harris, and Thrillermaster Nelson DeMille, as well as in a number of breakout panels, many of the participating authors shared about… Read more »
I’m in conference withdrawal. Last weekend I went to the Romance Writers of America national conference in New York City. I had as good of a time as I did at summer camp as a kid. And I’ve squashed the scary stigma of “networking” with its real meaning: making friends with people in your professional… Read more »
At this year’s ThrillerFest, discussions about platforming and marketing focused heavily on social media. Lynne Constantine suggested writers should of social media as a virtual cocktail party, in terms of how you should interact with others—it’s about connections, not sales. So don’t let social media platforming intimidate you—Kimberley Cameron assured that “It’s nothing to be… Read more »
Hello and welcome to another episode of DIY MFA Radio! I’m so excited to be sharing this interview with you from Thrillerfest! I met with Le French Book founder Anne Trager, and Le French Book authors Eric Giacometti, and David Khara to talk about writing thrillers for French and American markets. We had an amazing conversation… Read more »
Writing full time. Every writer’s fantasy, right? It’s our ultimate goal, isn’t it? Selling enough books to quit the day job. I’ve been testing the theory over the last four weeks on an extended break from my day job, and I have to confess, I’m not sure if it’s my ultimate fantasy anymore. I know…. Read more »
I spent the first week in July at ThrillerFest, the major conference run by ITW (International Thriller Writers). As someone who spends a big chunk of each year at various conferences, I’m not supposed to play favorites, but come on we all have favorites, and it’s not like I’m choosing from among my children. So… Read more »
ThillerFest was busting at the seams with the industry’s legends and heavy hitters, including legendary names like Sandra Brown and this year’s Thriller Master Nelson DeMille, along with the creators of beloved famous characters like Rambo, Dr. Temperance Brennan, and Sookie Stackhouse. The four-day event was crammed to the brim with presentations, panels and author… Read more »
Hi there Word Nerds! Thanks for joining me today. In this episode, I’m thrilled to interview debut author Susannah Marren. She and I talk about her process for writing her debut novel, her inspiration and the different thematic elements in her writing Get ready to be inspired by this lovely interview. Susannah is originally from Long… Read more »
