It’s done. Everything I can do is done. The manuscript is complete. The two-page synopsis (summary) is written. The query letter is finished. My book coach Jennie introduced me to a literary agent she thought might be interested in my work. … Continue reading →

Here, finally, (and with a lot of help from my book coach Jennie,) is the letter that will (fingers crossed) launch my fiction writing career: Dear [Name of Agent] (yes, yes, I’ll put in the real names of the literary … Continue reading →

In response to my spiralling self-doubt, I discovered many a strategy to cope with it. One method is to write a letter, personifying your internal enemy. Here’s an example from author Elizabeth Gilbert. In her book Big Magic, she wrote a letter to … Continue reading →

Jennie, my book coach, provided her feedback on her read through of my manuscript. She writes: “A couple of big, but TOTALLY EASILY SOLVE-ABLE issues.” I read: BIG ISSUES Jennie writes: “A couple of medium issues.” I read: Even more issues? … Continue reading →

My book coach Jennie is editing my full manuscript. It’s her first time reading it all the way through–before now, she’s only read the scenes out order. She knows the book; she likes the book and yet still I found … Continue reading →

It’s my new title. Like it? Because you’re loyal blog followers, I’ll let you in on the secret of its meaning (instead of making you wait for the book to be published and finding out from the story what “Amaranth” … Continue reading →

Why I’ve had no time this week to improve my own writing: I’ve been revamping my Writer’s Craft class to help other people improve theirs.

Turns out that as much as my first set of beta readers liked my book, it ain’t perfect. A number of them picked up on the same issue, and when more than one notices the same thing, you have a … Continue reading →

After months of feedback from only book coach Jennie, my story, which is now flying on its own out  in the world, (well, the small, beta-reader world), is garnering quite the buzz. From all of three people. But that’s three … Continue reading →

Eight months ago, I wrote a post–“The First Verdict Is…” It was about the feedback I got from my first beta reader (my daughter) on my previous manuscript, the one I thought was great (until I realized how much it … Continue reading →