Are you ready to pitch your story? With the ACFW Conference just a month away, many authors are polishing their pitches, proposals and pitch sheets. But…are they truly ready to pitch? The fact is, you only get one shot to pitch your story to a particular editor/agent. Here’s a quick litmus test to see if you’re ready to pitch your novel: 1. Is your novel finished? First time novelists should have their novel completed before they pitch for two reasons. It tells the editor/agent that YES, you can finish a novel. And then, when you pitch an entire series of 3 novels, they have the confidence you can fnished #2 and #3. It helps you understand the true external pitch of your story (and the internal storyquestion). Sometimes it takes […]
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About Susan May Warren
Former Russian Missionary Susan May Warren is the best-selling author of more than 40 novels and novellas with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill, and Summerside. A Christy award and RITA winner, and multiple finalist for the RITA, Christy and winner of Inspirational Readers Choice contest, Susan currently has over a million books in print. A seasoned women’s events speaker and writing teacher, she is the founder of http://www.mybooktherapy.com an online community for writers, and runs a fiction editing service teaching writers how to tell a great story. Visit her online at: http://www.susanmaywarren.com.Author Archive | Susan May Warren
Hey Awesome Writers!
I’m on the road this week – so I asked my friend Phyllis Wheeler, who runs a publishing start-up if she’d step in with a blog to sort through how to choose between traditional publishing and self-publishing. Hope it’s helpful!
PS – Ever want to sit down and talk through your writing journey with a writing coach? JUST launched a new book that does just that! Follow the journey of an aspiring writer (and learn along with her!) in Conversations with a Writing Coach. $4.99 Available only on KINDLE!
Take it away, Phyllis!
*****
Should you self-publish?
Self-publishing has changed over the years. There are now some high-quality self-published books out there, and the authors are reaping 100 percent of the profit. Should you join them?
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Listen to me! Or: The non-list-making, non-threatening, let’s-have-a-cup-of-coffee-and-chat method of creating living breathing characters.
Christian books should reach beyond our hearts to touch our souls. Regardless of the genre — suspense, romance, historical, or chick lit — stories can touch our lives, even change us. And, while plot lines are important…it is characters that drive stories. When we think of the Hunt for Red October, we think of Jack Ryan. When we think of the Fugitive, we think of Dr. Richard Kimball. Characters drive the plot. So, how do we create characters that live and breathe and drive a story into our hearts?
Throw away the list!
When I began writing, I did what seemed logical – I filled out character lists. Answered hundreds of questions. But my characters still felt flat, and more than that, their actions, dialogue and conflict didn’t seem to connect. At the time, I was home schooling, and as I looked at developing my children’s self-esteem, it hit me. People reveal themselves from the inside out, based on how they see themselves, or want others to see them. And discovering how a character defines himself is the key to making them come alive.
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Featured Fiction Friday: All My Belongings, by Cynthia Ruchti!
We love authors here at MBT, and love to celebrate great reads (especially the kind that you could pick up and read over the weekend!!
I love Cynthia’s stories – and did you know her books have been recognized by RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Retailers’ Choice Award, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and Carol Award nominations, among other honors, including a Family Fiction Readers’ Choice Award. Most of all, Cynthia is a genuinely caring, awesome person who I LOVE hanging out with!!
I asked her to come by and share with you a bit about her newest story!
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