In our last article, we introduced ourselves, described how we formed within the crucible of DIY MFA, and touched on how we’ve benefited. We recognized that our writing group has strengthened our identities as writers. Today we’re exploring how we bring the diversity of our knowledge, skills, and personalities to our metaphorical table and use… Read more »
If you’re a writer of a certain age (i.e., not young), pitching face-to-face to a young agent or editor, your understandable anxiety may include the subject of your appearance. Seated across from the agent, you may misinterpret the look on her face, while imagining the agent’s internal voice wondering: “Just how old is she?” Whether… Read more »
“This is my roommate, Cat. She’s a writer.” I nearly lost my lunch the first time my friend, then roommate of six years, Ethan, introduced me that way at his birthday party. Ethan and I met in 2017 at work, folding hoodies at Lululemon in downtown Manhattan. We had both recently graduated from college. He… Read more »
The first time I lost control of my bowels, I was on the platform of the Number 6 train. I was twenty-six, and a cup of coffee I’d sipped led to stomach pain I can only classify as agonizing. Though I did everything I could to get up the subway steps and into a nearby… Read more »
Welcome back, poets! Today I thought I’d do something different and talk about one of my favorite things—book cover design! If you’re planning on traditionally publishing a full-length poetry collection or chapbook, you will typically work with a designer and the publisher to come up with a book cover design you’re all happy with. While… Read more »
Critique groups have a bad rap in some writing circles. Ours works well, so we’ll be sharing our experience in a series of articles. This one focuses on our origin story: how we came together to create a long-lasting, successful writers’s support group. We’re four women who’ve never met and possibly never will. (Secretly we… Read more »
Have you noticed how some book posts can really grab your attention on Instagram or other social media platforms? Let’s dive into three ideas to spark an Instagram-worthy book post! We’ll analyze how bookstagrammers, bookstores, and authors leverage covers to create great visuals. Remember, these ideas don’t negate the need for solid cover design tenets… Read more »
Writers love to talk about their books, their friends’s books, trends in the publishing industry, and our endless anxieties about writing. But our poor families can only take so much of this at the dinner table. My advice to every writer is to assemble a team of key friends who can handle your obsession, help… Read more »
When it comes to professional editing, editors and their services range far and wide. Each editor will have different experiences, specialties, preferences, styles, rates, and timelines. Finding the book editor that’s right for you requires thought and active searching. Here is how I recommend finding an editor for your specific needs. How NOT to Find… Read more »
Welcome to the first installment of my Book Coach Corner series. Today’s column discusses book coaches and how they can help you at any stage in the writing process. Why Might You Need a Book Coach? Historically, publishing houses employed editors who worked closely with their contracted authors on revising and finalizing their manuscripts prior… Read more »
