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Conversations: Keeping your Reader Hooked through every chapter.

By on June 4, 2012 in Action and ReAction Scenes, Susan May Warren, The Hero's Journey Simplified, Truth or Dare: Conversations with an aspiring novelist

Sally came into the coffee house dressed in a pair of jeans, an old sweatshirt and a baseball cap. “Don’t laugh. I told my husband I’d go fishing with him today. He has the day off and just got a new boat.” I handed over her cup of coffee. Apparently Ann has figured out our weekly meetings and the sustenance required. “This is good. You can spend the day in the boat, thinking about your next chapter. It’ll give you a chance to think like your reader.” “See your reader will eventually go fishing as well – at least metaphorically, which means they can’t read your book through in one sitting. And, just like you as the author need to keep the momentum going between chapters as you write, you […]

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When Things Heat Up, Part One: If You Can’t Take the Heat. . .

By on June 2, 2012 in Life Coaching, Reba Hoffman, Writing, Writing Life, Writing Life Coaching

Most of the country completely skipped over spring and went right to scorching summer heat. Wow! For writers, June also means getting your manuscript ready to pitch at fall writer’s conferences. This month we’ll discuss the rigors and how to keep your cool when things heat up. I know you’ve heard, “if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Well that would be great advice, if you didn’t need to eat. Someone’s got to cook or you don’t eat, right? A better goal would be to learn to endure the heat. Let’s say your heat is not in the kitchen but at a writer’s conference, umm… gulp… in front of all those agents and editors. You can’t very well abandon the kitchen or you’ll never see your […]

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Congratulations to the 2012 Frasier Finalists!

By on June 1, 2012 in Editing Basics

    Dee Bright, Justice Upside Down       Heidi Chiavaroli, Tears of the Outcast         Barbara Curtis, As Far as the West         Ginger Takamiya, NOT FORSAKEN       Jill Kemerer, New Lease on Love           And Congratulations to these bronze medalists: Tari Faris, Delores Topliff, Bethany Kaczmarek, Johnnie Donley, Sue  Nebbe, Katie Vorreiter, Marie Coutu, Rocky Lewis, Tara Johnson, Pamela Dowd, Roxanne  Gray, Marney McNall, Kim Havens, Stacy Monson, and Sharon Marie Lightsey. Share this Post…

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The Grunt and the Grind

By on May 31, 2012 in Rachel Hauck, Writing Life Coaching

You’ll never hear us say writing is easy around the My Book Therapy campus. No siree, Bob. Writing is hard. It’s work. Here’s what gets me. I have a great idea, I see it all—beginning, middle and end, then I sit down to write and my inspiration vanishes. The story feels too slow. Too muddy. Too awkward. The things I thought the protagonist wanted now don’t work. Or seem trite. I can’t find the layers. Everyone sounds like Gumby and Pokey. After sixteen books, the pit of despair in the middle of my stomach isn’t as deep, isn’t as fierce. But still, about 30K into a book with a deadline looming, I’m wondering how this book is going to pull together. In the end, they always do. Yay, God. I […]

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